Imagine a place where you could house all of your favorite cars that have ever come into your possession under one roof. Make that roof the size of a warehouse with plenty of space to walk around, and have them on display for all of your friends and family to enjoy. Surround them with period-specific decor, and keep everything clean and spotless - not just the cars, but the floors too. Throw in some background music and bam, it's a bonafide dream garage.
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| What did I just walk into...and how long can I stay? |
The
Marconi Automotive Museum & Foundation for Kids is such a place, and then some. Founded by Dick Marconi in 1994, he combined two of his great passions - cars and community - to be able to give back to children's charities while giving everyone the opportunity to enjoy his rare and vintage collection. With more than 75 vehicles at a value adding up in the tens of millions of dollars, all the cars belong to the foundation, with the proceeds of admissions and events going to charities for at-risk children, that are near to the family's heart. A noble and admirable pursuit to say the least. THIS is what should be referenced when people say "
#goals".
That it's hidden away in a nondescript
commercial area of nearby Tustin, California, and pleasantly
convenient for the likes of curious car seekers like myself, is a nice bonus. I got the opportunity to visit this past week and was not expecting what I saw.
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| Yes, the first car you'll probably notice by the time you hit the doorway: A Ferrari F50 |
As you walk in to the exhibit hallway, the first thing that hit me was a familiar and distinct scent of a clean workman's garage. You're greeted by a row of high end motorcycles, standing at attention as they line your path to the main entry way. Before even entering that space there was no longer a doubt in my mind that this wasn't just a museum, this was an
enthusiast's pride and joy. Visually, there is an unmistakable nostalgic vibe to the place; not only from the vehicles that are on display and the industrial themes, but from the memorabilia on the wall, the magazine clippings, the photographs, the awards. The museum manages to wow you with everything that's been put on display, without being pretentious in the least or making you feel like you don't belong. To pull that off when surrounded by so many exotic and rare vehicles is extraordinary in itself.
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| Lining your pathway to the main garage, the impressive collection of Ducati's and Hondas does not disappoint. |
The cars (and motorcycles) are generally organized in classes or
makes. On one side there's a slew of iconic Ferraris from various decades. On the other it's 1960's era Mustang GT350's (yes, plural.) Accessibility in this arrangement is great: not only can you walk right up to everything on display (touching is understandably prohibited), but you are welcome to take pictures, explore, and enjoy at your own pace.
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| Straight off your bedroom walls and in the flesh: Testarossa and 512TR |
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| Four of the best classic Mustangs to represent 'Merica. That's a '65 Shelby GT350 at the end. |
There are a wide variety of vehicles here, from some of the best of 1960's muscle, to 80's and 90's European exotics, to actual open wheel race cars, and more. Here were just some of my favorites:
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| A staple at Pebble Beach and collectors' exhibits everywhere, the 1955 300SL "Gullwing" was way ahead of its time. In beauty and design. | |
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| My personal favorite Ferrari, the F355. Every time I walked by this one I could hear that distinct Italian V8 symphony that, unfortunately, is starting to get muted in the more modern iterations. |
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| One of the rarest and most interesting BMWs ever produced, the mid-engine M1. |
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| This '67 Mustang fastback wasn't quite 'Eleanor' spec, but its restoration was absolutely mesmerizing in person. |
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| The motorsport presence was undeniable in the showroom. F1 cars driven by Michael Schumacher and Ayrton Senna were on hand, further adding to the sense of historic significance. |
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| Great Scott, who doesn't appreciate a clean DeLorean when they see one? Perhaps Biff... |
There were quite a few other amazing cars, including track-spec Porsche's, 50's Cadillacs, a Lamborghini Countach, some competition ready donations, and more. The Marconi Auto Museum is quite simply a great place to spend time for hours on end. Its ease of access to see some of the most iconic, unique, and valuable
vehicles on the planet just can't be beat, and it's worth a trip. To visit and/or make a donation to the foundation, visit
https://marconimuseum.org. It's time and money well spent!
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