RENO, Nev. (COLO) – If you’re of a certain age, you probably know the characters, the cars, and the songs. It’s the cartoon “Speed Racer” and the anime car Mach 5.
All of these come to life at the National Automobile Museum.
“There’s a connection here,” says Phil McDougall, director of the National Automobile Museum. “This brings back memories for me. I’ll grow up with Speed Racer.”
McDougall says if the car isn’t at Memories Home, there will be an iconic car parked about 50 feet away.
One couple was all smiles when they came face-to-face with the Ferrari 308 GTS Magnum PI car. Next up is his 1974 Dodge Monaco from the Blues Brothers. The iconic car will be on display until the end of the year.
McDougall said this is how the museum wants to stay fresh. Research shows that residents and other visitors who have been here before may not return, believing that there is nothing new.
But every month he says they will be surprised.
“We want to appeal to a wider audience. But be really flexible and change things up as often as possible,” McDougall says. “Nobody comes to the same place over and over again in the same car. You don’t want to do that, right? So we’re all about making it a very new experience.”
The $3 million investment means an outdoor patio and fire pit, as well as seating areas for group activities and community events. The indoor movie theater can be rented out to over 100 friends.
Barbie cars are on display in the gift shop. It was a big hit this summer.
And don’t forget Halloween night, when up to 3,000 kids flock here for safe trick-or-treating. McDougall said in November that the memorial would pay tribute to veterans, featuring Pershing’s Jeep, General Patton’s and MacArthur’s cars and other historical items.
This is a place where you can step into history, stay informed and go ‘back to the future’ at the same time. Yes, that DeLorean is also on display at the National Automobile Museum.
For schedule and other information, please visit www.automuseum.org.
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