If you are a car lover or just looking for something to do in San Diego, then we recommend going to San Diego’s Automotive Museum! Here they have exhibits for all kinds of automobiles and provide engaging activities that everyone in the family will love!
The museum has constantly changing exhibits, currently with ones called “Innovative Electrics,” “Louis Mattar’s Fabulous Car,” one dedicated to Harley Davidsons, and many more!
The Innovative Electrics exhibit showcases the history of our attempts at vehicles that reduced the use of fossil fuels. You can see the growth as each vehicle proved better and better. On display here are automobiles such as the 1999 EV Global Electric Bike, the 2010 Tesla Roadster, and the 2021 Little Giant EV.
Here you can also view Louis Mattar’s famous car. This is a 1947 Cadillac that Mattar custom renovated into his dream car. He embarked on a cross-country, non-stop drive with two other men. Their trip ended up being 6,320 miles and went from San Diego to New York and back. Mattar customized the car to have anything they could have possibly needed. It housed an electric stove, refrigerator, washing machine, chemical toilet, ironing board, medicine cabinet, and kitchen sink, all in the backseat. This home packed into an old-fashioned Caddy can be viewed by the masses now at the San Diego Automotive Museum.
At the Harley Davidson exhibit, patrons can see a variety of motorbikes from all different points in the brand’s history.
The museum also welcomes guests to a number of large events that they host throughout the year. They hold car shows, gatherings for the car community, and a special event called “The Party in the Park.” The event is a gala to sponsor the museum and this year the theme is Rhinestone Cowboy!
The museum sets out to fulfill its mission statement which states the goal is “to tell the story of the social and technological past, present, and future of motorized vehicles throughout its collections, exhibitions, and educational programs.” We would definitely say they succeed!