Go Metro and Skip the Drive to L.A.'s Supercharged Car Museums
You're in the driving capital of the world and yet you don’t need a car to visit three great Los Angeles automobile museums, including one at which docents take visitors for rides in vintage vehicles.
Metro buses and trains can transport you to the Nethercutt Collection museum in Sylmar; the Petersen Automotive Museum in L.A.'s Mid-Wilshire District and the Automobile Driving Museum in El Segundo. So you can skip the hassle of driving and simply enjoy the beauty and history of the car.
The free Nethercutt Collection museum showcases beautifully restored museum-quality European and American car masterpieces. Explore through a self-guided tour, Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.) Or take a guided tour Thursday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tours are approximately two hours long and by reservation only. For more information on the Nethercutt Collection go to nethercuttcollection.org. To get there take the Metro Red Line to North Hollywood Station then transfer to Metro local bus 224 to Sylmar.
The Petersen Automotive Museum’s three floors of history take the visitor through time and trace the development of the automobile and its influence on Los Angeles culture. Its exhibits and lifelike dioramas feature more than 150 rare and classic cars, trucks and motorcycles.
Adult admission is $10; child admission (5-12) is $3; seniors (62 and over) $5; active military and students with I.D. $5 and children under five are free. For more information on the Petersen Automotive Museum go to petersen.org. To get there take the Metro Purple Line to the Wilshire/Western Station, transfer to Metro Rapid 920 and get off at Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue.
The Automobile Driving Museum in El Segundo is a one-of-a-kind experience, offering the opportunity to sit and feel what it was like to drive the classics. What sets this museum apart is that on weekends, visitors over the age of ten can take rides in pre-selected automobiles. Admission to the museum is by donation and rides occur on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
For more information on the Automobile Driving Museum go to automobiledrivingmuseum.org. To get there take the Metro Green Line to Mariposa Station in El Segundo. Or take the Metro Purple Line to the Wilshire/Western Station and transfer to Metro local bus 232, which also stops nearby.
To further plan your trip, use the Metro Trip Planner at metro.net, maps.google.com or call 1-800-COMMUTE.
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