Detour Pit Stop #14 ~ The Vault at The Petersen Museum, Los Angeles, USA
As a showcase for car culture and automotive design from every era, and every genre the Petersen Museum is a must-stop on any visit to Los Angeles.
Special themed exhibits come and go and whether they’re JDM, hot rod or future-focused they are always impeccably curated and displayed.
Architecturally the place is amazing with an almost Harley Earl styling to the chrome exterior and a forensically clean white look to the major exhibition areas. But actually, it’s the darker, grimier underbelly of the Petersen – The Vault – that will make your visit most memorable.
Join a tour with an expert guide and you will discover a secret stash of vehicles. Some, like Saddam Hussein’s Mercedes 600 Pullman will never be part of a major exhibit. Others, such as the one-off Round Door Rolls-Royce and Elvis Presley’s bullet-riddled De Tomaso Pantera are rarely seen upstairs, while you also get an insight into how the Petersen finds its rare and exotic vehicles and how it looks after them.
Sadly, no photos are allowed, so just the camera of your mind to remember the visit.
Words Nik Berg Twitter | Instagram
Photography Brian Miller / Unsplash
Roadbook
Class: museum
Name: Petersen Automotive Museum
Route: 6060 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, California
Country: USA