The Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles

The Petersen Automotive Museum on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles is one of the largest museums of its kind and a must-visit for any car enthusiast. Spread across four floors in a former retail building, it boasts over 300,000 square feet of exhibition space, featuring 100 vehicles across 25 categories.

For 20 years, the Petersen Automotive Museum has been a staple for car lovers from both near and far. Its exhibitions not only depict the history of the automobile itself but also the car culture of Southern California. It has always been an incredibly cool place to visit, but in the fall of 2014, it was closed for a major renovation. It reopened in 2015, better than ever.

Features of the Car Museum

Located at the end of the "Miracle Mile" and at the third busiest intersection in Los Angeles, the museum aptly uses the city as a prime example of the impact of the automobile on American life and culture.

The Petersen Museum is housed in a historic department store building constructed in 1962. Its facade was redesigned by the architectural firm Kohn Pedersen Fox in 2015. The interior renovation cost $90 million. Currently, the museum features 25 exhibits showcasing over 150 vehicles. As soon as you enter the doors, the changes are starkly evident. While the exterior may remain the same, the interior feels like an entirely different place.

While some car museums are merely collections of cars with a few lights above them, this was not the case with the old building, and certainly not with the new one. Overall, it resembles one of the grand, beautiful European museums more than what you typically see in the USA.

Photographers will appreciate the attractive way all the cars are presented. Yes, it's nice when a bunch of cars are gathered together, but it's much better when they can be appreciated and enjoyed from all sides. The lighting is also top-notch — there are no dark rooms with harsh lighting.

History of the Petersen Museum

• Initially, the museum was located in the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County before being moved to a historic department store designed by Welton Becket. The building first served as a short-lived branch of Seibu department stores in the USA, and from 1965 to 1986, it operated as an Ohrbach’s store.
• Six years after Ohrbach's closed, Robert Petersen chose this location as the ideal place for a museum that could display exhibits without the harmful effects of direct sunlight. In 1994, the building was repurposed as the Petersen Automotive Museum, and its facade was adorned with high fins reminiscent of 1950s car washes.
• In 2013, the museum underwent a $20 million renovation that completely transformed the facade.
• Another renovation took place in 2015, this time costing $125 million. The revamped museum reopened to the public on December 7, 2015. To say that Petersen was merely renovated is a vast understatement. The historic building was completely reimagined from the ground up and transformed both inside and out.

What to see at the Petersen Museum

Here you can admire more than 150 models of rare and classic cars, motorcycles, and trucks, set within magnificent dioramas that transport you back in automotive history. You'll find everything from early roadsters to modern sports car concepts.

Among the impeccably maintained models, you'll discover a 1919 Bentley, a 1942 Lincoln Continental, and even a Ferrari first released in 1961. Beyond traditional models, you’ll also see original Batmobiles — one from the TV series, another from Tim Burton’s film, a taxi from "Blade Runner," and the Pontiac Aztek crossover from "Breaking Bad." The second floor hosts temporary exhibitions and special events.

On the third floor, the Family Discovery Center sparks an interest in science by teaching fundamental scientific principles through automotive features. Its hands-on workshops are engaging for both adults and children.

The fourth floor includes a conference center, lounge, and kitchens available for rent for special occasions, parties, and other events.