Autos and Motorcycles
The San Diego Automotive Museum located in Balboa Park, a Photo Essay
The San Diego Automotive Museum located in Balboa Park offers a selection of vintage and classic American and European vehicles and motorcycles.
The original idea of creating an automotive museum in Balboa Park came from Briggs Cunningham, a renowned automobile collector, and racer. The idea circulated for many years until an inspired group of local automotive enthusiasts propelled the idea forward. In 1979, the San Diego City Council first considered the issue and in 1980 they gave unanimous approval to the museum and granted a long-term lease for one of the historic buildings in the jewel of San Diego: Balboa Park.
After spending approximately $1 million renovating and upgrading the building, the San Diego Automotive Museum opened in December of 1988. Since then, millions of local auto enthusiasts and tourists from all over the world have visited our world-class collection. Today the museum stands as a living tribute to the automobile and what it has meant to our culture.
My brotherinlaw Mel had motored out on his Harley, A Horse with No Name, for a visit and we took him to Balboa Park and gave him a tour of the Automotive Museum.
All Photos by Author
The staff at the museum is very knowledgeable and helpful. A morning well spent.
Mels Horse with No Name:
Thanks for the link!
Excellent photos, Jon. Some beautiful vehicles there. The history of automobile and motorcycle design and culture is fascinating. A good museum is a great memory machine. There's a similar museum here in Invercargill, New Zealand called Transport World (https://www.transportworld.co.nz, also https://www.motorcyclemecca.nz). It's a couple of hours drive south from Dunedin, where I live. I spent most of the day there once and took lots of photos. I felt like a kid in a candy shop.