Sarasota Classic Car Museum
The Sarasota Classic Car Museum showcases a rare collection of cars along with wheels owned by the rich and famous. The 60,000 square foot facility houses approximately 100 vintage cars.
The museum has been around since 1953 and is now a nonprofit facility devoted to the preservation of antique cars. Nonetheless, there's more to the car museum than just classic automobiles as the museum houses Pierce Arrows and Rolls Royces and the four cars owned by circus guru John Ringling.
The exhibit at the museum also covers 1200 antique music boxes and phonographs that belonged to Thomas Edison - one of those happens to be a 1909 model with diamond-tipped-needle. The museum also has a Penny Arcade that features antique games. The Antique Game Arcade house games that are operational and only costs a few cents to play. Smaller displays like the Antique Camera and Photograph Display are also featured throughout the Museum.
The interesting feature of the Sarasota Car Museum (SCCM) is that while it is a museum by day, it is a banquet and event facility at night. The museum is hot to a gift shop consisting of eclectic collectibles. The facility is accessible to people with disabilities and offers free wheelchairs for visitors as well.
The nearly 100 autos that are a 'living' collection at the museum are updated constantly via exchanges with other museums, acquisitions, and as donations from collectors. The museum has cars in just about every category ranging from Ferrari, Auburn, the Cadillac station wagon - one of 5 cars ever made - Bentley, DeLorean, Edsel, etc. Among the cars displayed are those owned by the famous - John Lennon's Mercedes Roadster and a dragster owned by Don Garlits are among some of these.
The SCCM is touted as one of the oldest car museums around, though the ownership has changed hands since 1952. In addition the museum has undergone a recent renovation as well. Situated on U.S. 41 in Sarasota, the museum is 4 acres in total and neighbors attractions like The Ringling Museum of Art and the Asolo Theater, which is where the Sarasota Ballet performs.
At night, the Museum doubles as an event facility and consists of a 4,000 square foot open air-garden Atrium at the heart of the facility. The Atrium is utilized for dancing and dining
The SCCM declared itself as a non-profit organization in 1998 so that it could play a role in preserving 20th century cars and their history. The mission of the Museum is to educate and entertain its guests by highlighting the exquisite works of art and their influence on society in the last century. The Museum has been instrumental in passing on its inspiration, appreciation, and passion for cars and its legacies to its visitors and gests and makes every attempt to be the premier educational car museum in the country.
As part of its goals, the Museum attempts to educate the public on the development of the automobile and its contribution to the history, society and everyday life of America
5500 North Tamiami Trail (US 41)
Sarasota, Florida 34243
(941) 355-6228
http://www.sarasotacarmuseum.org
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