nearchoclatetown Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 I read in a recent issue of Cars and Parts that Corkey Coker is trying to establish free car museum admission on Sundays to anyone driving an antique car. The article said it is to encourage cars to be driven more often. Sounds like a great idea to me. Does anyone know of a car museum with this policy? Maybe we could start a list here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D Binger Posted February 7, 2007 Share Posted February 7, 2007 Doug,I don't know of any car museums that offer free admission to folks driving old cars but there have been a few that have given reduced admission, which is still better than paying full price. I have run in to some museums in small towns that have given free admission and they were real happy to have the old car folks stop. I think it would be a great idea to do that with car museums. It just might get more folks driving the old cars. After all, cars were made to be driven, wern't they?Remember that "Touring Is Not A Specator Sport"Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ted sweet Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 There are only 2 public car museums in NY state. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nearchoclatetown Posted February 8, 2007 Author Share Posted February 8, 2007 <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">There are only 2 car museums in NY state. I dont think there is more than dozen nationwide. </div></div> You've got to be kidding!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D Binger Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 Ted,I don't know where you get you information. I live in Wyoming, but I know of at least 6 antique car museums in Colorado, 3 in Nebraska, 3 in South Dakoda. I know I have been to at least 5 or 6 in PA when on national tours. Right there that is more than a dozen. OK folks, how many are there in your area ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hal Davis (MODEL A HAL) Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 I know of 1 in Georgia, 2 in Tennessee, and 2 in Florida. I'm sure there are others that I don't know about or can't think of right off hand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nearchoclatetown Posted February 9, 2007 Author Share Posted February 9, 2007 Looking at the first list I found of car museums in the US, I count at least 175. That certainly isn't all of them, because I know of about 12 that aren't on the list including the Peterson, EMMR, Nat'l Corvette, and AACA, plus a few private ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937hd45 Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 I like Corkey, smart businessman and all round good guy. Getting more old cars rolling is sure to wear out more tires. Cokers are the best! I buy them when I need then. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" /> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Hoover Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 I didn't get to read Corky's article in Cars and Parts yet, but I certainly like this idea. There is no doubt in my mind that our hobby suffers from the lack of being seen on the highways. It would be interesting to hear what our own AACA Museum's thoughts are on this matter. We could be either leaders, followers, or just ignore the problem. It would be my hopes that the AACA would lead the way. Rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrpushbutton Posted February 9, 2007 Share Posted February 9, 2007 We sponsor a Thursday night Cruise night at the museum I work at (during the summer), we let the car owners and the general public in for free during those hours (5 pm-dusk). We get a percentage just due to the fact that the bathrooms are inside the building. We've noticed a big trend away from traditional club-organized meets, the usual "tear the coupon from the bottom of the flyer and send in your ___$ to register" and an increase in informal cruise night kind of things. With peoples work schedules becoming more demanding it seems harder to get people to commit to an event weeks away. The cruise nights have been a popular event, and attendance has grown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nearchoclatetown Posted February 9, 2007 Author Share Posted February 9, 2007 I guess the arguement could be made that only old car owners are interested in going to an old car museum. So the museum would be giving free admission to their only customers, all showing up on Sunday. But I don't think that's true. I think a full parking lot would create more interest to anyone driving by. The whole intent is to spread the about the hobby. I live rather close to a car museum, you'd be surprised at how many neighbors haven't taken the time to visit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ted sweet Posted February 10, 2007 Share Posted February 10, 2007 to me a private museum is not a museum, its a private collection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ex98thdrill Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 I can't think of too many car museums, but we have a train museum, a plane museum, at least two firetruck museums and at least one boat museum in this state. In my hometown alone we have the vintage tracks museum, and enough cars scattered around my town to start one. .....Just ask Peter H. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nearchoclatetown Posted February 11, 2007 Author Share Posted February 11, 2007 To the best of my knowledge the Swiggart Museum owns all or most of the cars they display.There's even times of the year that you need reservations to get in. That would be private to me. It uses MUSEUM in it's name, even it's address. I do know visitors pay admission. You call it what you want. I guess the AACA museum really isn't a car museum since it has both buses and motor scooters in it. But one would have to visit to know that! Is there any discussion about the topic of the original thread?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stock_steve Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 Doug, I don't believe this musuem has any sort of policy like that, but I would like to say I had a positively great time visiting the "Golden Age of Trucking Museum" in Middlebury, CT a couple of Fridays ago: http://www.goldenagetruckmuseum.com/Very easy to get to, right off of Interstate 84, Exit #16. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937hd45 Posted February 13, 2007 Share Posted February 13, 2007 Steve, That is a great Museum I stopped in a year ago and was very impressed with the building and vehicles on display. Most people don't know that R.J.Guerrera started out with one Peterbilt trailer dump hauling fill up and down Rt.7 in the late 1960's. This turned into a fleet of tankers, and a fully funded truck collection. I got to ride shotgun in that Peterbilt for a day, and it's always impressed me how some people can get a business to expand like that. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Marsh Posted February 16, 2007 Share Posted February 16, 2007 In response to museums having free Sundays. While the idea of customer appreciation day, a free day, has come up as something that would be nice to do, the reality is that Friday, Saturday and Sunday are our big gate days. The AACA Museum like many of the other 17000 museums in the United States has to weigh the lost income against any real or perceived gains. In the mean time we are looking into some sort of community day as a way to get the word out about our hobby. We offer numerous discounts, group discounts and an AACA member discount. One thing having a parking lot full of antique cars does not increase the number of visitors. For any hobby to grow and survive those who participate in it must spread the word. It really doesn?t matter what the hobby is, become a public speaker, many schools and clubs would like your program. If a museum in your area caters to your interest, step forward and ask if they could use you as a volunteer. While some museums may be self supporting, many of them are small struggling labors of love and would welcome your input and knowledge as they work to educate the public. John MarshGuest ServicesAACA Museum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ted sweet Posted February 16, 2007 Share Posted February 16, 2007 so true, the Saratoga Auto Museum in Saratoga Sprigs, NY has a big car show mid may every year, 300-400 cars. Participates are allowed a free museum vist, that day only. But the show actually results in no additional vistors over other Sunday's in May -July. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stock_steve Posted February 16, 2007 Share Posted February 16, 2007 <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Steve, That is a great Museum I stopped in a year ago and was very impressed with the building and vehicles on display. Most people don't know that R.J.Guerrera started out with one Peterbilt trailer dump hauling fill up and down Rt.7 in the late 1960's. This turned into a fleet of tankers, and a fully funded truck collection. I got to ride shotgun in that Peterbilt for a day, and it's always impressed me how some people can get a business to expand like that. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> </div></div>Amazing to hear that background. What a vision Mr. G. had--and what an admirable family with the fortitude to bring his vision to final reality. I've sent in my membership, and plan to go back there with my family next opportunity. I'm also working on a small web feature with some more pictures from my visit. I'll try to attach one more herewith.More related to the subject, the CT Council of Car Clubs advertises "admission includes air museum and car show" for their June 3, 2007 (Sunday) car show at the New England Air Museum in Windsor Locks. Haven't made it to that show yet, but have been to the NEAM recently with the family, and it's also a positively fantastic place.4-Cs June Calendar (you'll have to scroll to 6/3): http://ctccc.cctol.com/mypage.html?pg=June2005New England Air Museum: http://www.neam.org/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D Binger Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 Another museum that has some great vehicles as well as aircraft is the Owls Head Museum in Maine. That was one of the best museums I have seen. The vehicles are well restored and displayed. It is outstanding. My son went there for one of the days when they had the aircraft out and flying and the cars out. He couldn't say enough about it. The New England Air Museum sounds like it is a grat one also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stock_steve Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 I've heard a lot about Owl's Head--still need to make a point of getting up there.NEAM's restored B-29 display is especially impressive--has its own hangar, plus a whole load of historical info on the B-29 fleet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Bollman Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 I agree the Owls Head museum is great, been there twice and would go again. Another great Maine museum is the Cole Museum in Bangor. Completely different feel than Owls Head. Owls Head is bright, roomy and fancy, Cole is a big dark, crowded warehouse like place. It has every spot filled you have to constantly look up and under and around to see it all. Lots of trucks and vehicles you will not see anywhere else. We did both museums on the same trip last Spring and loved them both but for different reasons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nearchoclatetown Posted February 18, 2007 Author Share Posted February 18, 2007 <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">In response to museums having free Sundays. While the idea of customer appreciation day, a free day, has come up as something that would be nice to do, the reality is that Friday, Saturday and Sunday are our big gate days. The AACA Museum like many of the other 17000 museums in the United States has to weigh the lost income against any real or perceived gains. John MarshGuest ServicesAACA Museum </div></div>What would be an average weekly attendance at the AACA museum? And the average Friday, Saturday, and Sunday attendance? Not during a special event week, but just the average week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937hd45 Posted February 18, 2007 Share Posted February 18, 2007 What is Museum attendance on a sunny Hershey Fall Meet week vs. a rainy one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stock_steve Posted February 18, 2007 Share Posted February 18, 2007 Here is the "first draft" of my report on my February 2, 2007 visit to The Golden Age of Trucking Museum in Middlebury, CT:http://members.aol.com/cgearannex/GoldenAgeTruckMusFeb07.htmlHave a few other minor tweaks and revisions yet to go, but the basics of what I wanted to present (based upon what I was able to observe and record during my relatively brief visit) are there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nearchoclatetown Posted February 25, 2007 Author Share Posted February 25, 2007 I just saw that The Peterson had free admission for Deuce Day. What a concept! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937hd45 Posted February 26, 2007 Share Posted February 26, 2007 The Petersen is one class act! We were out there in 2002 and I recognized a familiar face as they were moving a few cars in for a display. "I'll be done here in 20 minutes, if you hang around I'll give you a tour of the cars in the basement"....................that is were the real neat stuff is, the L.A. County car collection that hasn't really seen the light of day since the 1930's. <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" /> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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