As a landmark location in Los Angeles, the Petersen Automotive Museum is one of the largest automotive museums in the world. When visitors explore the site, they can expect to find dozens of exhibits dispersed over multiple floors. It’s an impressive experience that takes hours to complete. But many don’t realize this is just the tip of the iceberg, with even more special vehicles hidden right underneath their feet, in the Vault.
Recently, TopSpeed toured the newly expanded Vault–the subterranean garage where hundreds of notable cars in the museum’s possession are stored when not on display. From famous movie cars to the rides of religious leaders and despots alike, there is a vast amount of automotive history right underneath the building.
Important Automotive History
The Petersen Museum is at the center of the Southern Californian car community. With its rich history of automotive culture and influence, the region was a Mecca during the car craze that took over America during the Post-War boom—making it the perfect place to host one of the largest automotive museums in the world.
As a result of Petersen’s esteemed role in the automotive community, combined with its location in the hub of American car culture, you’re bound to find seminal cars that you'll rarely spot on the street. From quirky unknown vehicles like the 1954 Kaiser Darrin to the legendary Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, there is a slice of automotive history in the Vault that will impress everyone.
Silver Screen Legends In The Flesh
Due to its close proximity to Hollywood, you’d hope to find cars from blockbuster films in the Petersen Museum’s Vault, and you’d be right. There is an entire section devoted to cars that have starred on the silver screen.
No collection of iconic movie cars is complete without a Batmobile, but this collection is so large that there’s not just one Batmobile on display, there are three! The first to catch our eye was the Lincoln-based bubble roof car that Adam West drove in the Batman TV series of the 60s. Parked right next to it are two motorcycles, one of which also was used in the campy television series, and the other starred in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight, which Batman skillfully used to flip the Joker’s truck on its head.
That’s just scratching the surface of what you’ll find down in the Vault. As you walk down the row of cars, one after another example will surprise you. The green Jaguar XK8, adorned with missiles, driven by the baddie in Die Another Day was a personal favorite. But immediately after it was outdone by the groovy time-traveling Volkswagen Beetle from Austin Powers. The Petersen Museum simply never ceases to amaze.
The Vehicles Of World Leaders
Movie cars are certainly something that visitors expect, but there are dozens of vehicles in the Vault that once shuttled around heads of state from nations and principalities across the globe. From a convertible Cadillac ‘Popemobile’ built for Pope John Paul II to use during a visit to Mexico City, to President Franklin D Roosevelt’s 1942 Lincoln Zephyr limousine, there is a car for every history buff.
From The Pope to Pole Position
World leaders aren't the only luminaries whose automotive history gets a spot in the Vault. Naturally, there's a place for famous racing drivers too. On display is the Juan Gonzalez Formula 1 collection, with a wide array of Formula 1 race cars from the 1980s to the present day, from teams such as Williams, McLaren, and Ferrari, this exhibit will surely delight the F1 fans among you. This selection even includes Fernando Alonso's 2018 McLaren MCL33! Seeing just one of these cars in person is a treat, but a room filled with them is something that most people will never get a chance to experience.
Magnus Walker Porsche Exhibit
Magnus Walker is a name that is instantly recognizable to anyone in the Porsche community. The L.A.-based Porsche collector is known for his eccentric collection of vintage Porsches, most of which have been personally modified and decorated by Walker himself.
A retired fashion designer, he took his passion for design and applied it to the cars in his stable, often in unusual ways. From drilled holes in bumpers and homemade livery to mismatched Porsche parts, the vehicles in his possession are distinctly recognizable as a Magnus creation. For over a decade, these unique cars have been prominent online, but now you can see ten of his personal cars in the flesh, at this new exhibit which can be found in the Vault.
From James Bond to Khrushchev, any car driven by an important figure–fictional or otherwise–can be found deep in the belly of the museum. Even Honda has a spot down in the Vault, and not just any Honda, the first Honda ever imported to the United States. If you’re a fan of movies, history, automotive legends, or just cars in general, you simply have to experience the Vault at the Petersen Museum. If you’d like to visit the Vault, you can book a tour separately from regular admission here.