Petersen Automotive Museum

I have no idea why after all these years living in SoCal that it took me so long to pay a visit to Petersen Automotive Museum. Went on a Friday and arrived around 11:30 a.m., and while it was busy, it wasn't overwhelmingly so. Ample parking on site, though it does cost, however, it is a pretty short walk to get inside. If you taking the time to tour this museum, I highly recommend paying the little extra to tour "The Vault" in addition to the main museum. It's located on the lower level and it houses such an amazing collection of cars spanning the years, which car enthusiasts and the like will appreciate. Honestly, one could easily spend hours down there in awe of these vehicles! The main museum is also really interesting as well. There are three separate levels within the main area and each has it's own unique theme. Along the way you will see a wide variety of automobiles as well as famous cars you might recognize from the movies. Even if you're not a gear-head you will enjoy your time here!

The museum is great such great classic cars from all the film era and limousines used by presidents. Such a great collection of cars from the Mexican era and also the first ever Harley Davidson bike . The F1 cars were great and the vault visit is well worth it as they have over 300 cars on show. A great day out by far such awesome collection of motor sport cars and F1 racing cars . Definitely worth the visit from 🇬🇧. I wanted to see the night rider car and A team van but was not there otherwise a awesome day to see such a massive variation of classic cars bikes movie cars motor sport cars 🙂🤗🇺🇸🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

I initially thought the prices were high for a museum but it was definitely worth it. Very cool spot and even better after the remodel. I should have visited sooner. They have all types of concept cars, cars used in movies, and classics. Three floors of incredible cars and if you pay an additional fee you can visit the vault. I did not visit the vault. I thought the regular admission was enough for my 2 little ones and my wife. Great place to visit. The staff is very nice and they show you where the kids can touch cars and other automobile parts.

Loved this museum! Although there were quite a few people when we went, it didn't feel crowded. Lots to see you could spend a good 6 hours there if you want, and it would seem like only an hour. Time flew for us. We had a really good time the staff were really friendly. Kids will love it, too. They have video games from the 80s, so i felt like kid again. There is a restaurant in the museum if you get hungry. And whatever you do, go visit the vault. If you love history and you love cars and you love to have a good time go visit Petersen Automotive Museum

Petersen is one of my favorite museums of all time. My dad and I come back here every year to checkout the new exhibitions because of how amazing their collection is. They rotate the display of cars every now and then, so each visit feels like a somewhat new experience. It is 100% worth it to buy tickets for whatever current exhibition is on display and the Vault, if you’ve never seen it before. They now let you take photos of everything. I’ve shared a couple of my highlights over the years below. They’ve got a wide variety of concepts, customs, and even movie references too! Overall, I would highly recommend this place to anyone. Always a cool experience coming here.

I'm a Los Angeles native, and this was my first time visiting. This is after the renovation, and it's so nice! Each floor has a different theme. At this time, they had a Ken Block exhibit of all his cars. Seeing this was very cool since we're fans of him. We bought The Vault exhibit tickets ahead of time alongside our general admission. This was very exciting to experience. There were so many cars from different eras in their underground basement. All squished in there, parked side by side. I would recommend doing this exhibit at least once.

This place was pretty darn awesome. We came for the La Brea tar pits. But decided to tool around and see this place that a museum attendant recommended. My boys enjoyed it. There were 3 floors full of cars and memorabilia. We paid extra for the vault and it did not disappoint. If you love cars this is a place for you. The staff was knowledgeable and helpful. Super nice people. Definitely would recommend a stop here if you're in the area.

A MUST see for everyone, especially car enthusiasts. I was amazed at the huge collection variety, and how well maintained it is. They had everything from movie cars, electric vehicles, custom cars, and an amazing Ken Block display. They showcased history behind everything too. They also gear towards children, which is amazing to get them involved. If you choose any museums while you’re in LA, this needs to be one!

I've had two sons since I first reviewed the Petersen, and am now a proud, grateful member of this wonderful car museum. While I am still not a particular automotive enthusiast, I am a big fan of any place that fascinates and entertains my very small children. I signed up for a one-year individual membership with one guest ticket per visit, which was reasonably priced at $95 (this tier doesn't appear to exist anymore, but you can get an individual membership without the guest tickets for $85). Since kids under four get in free, this membership got us several family visits with two adults and two children, as well as 10% off merchandise and several lunches at Meyers Manx, the excellent museum restaurant. We also got a complimentary parking pass in the mail after we signed up (parking is stupidly expensive here, even with validation, but it isn't hard to find street parking in the area). The membership allows us to take the kids whenever we have a weekend morning to kill, or need an activity for one of the many days when school is out of session. It's worth going even if we only stay for an hour, though we never feel the need to keep a Petersen visit short. Our first son Leo B., who just turned four (I guess we pay for that ticket now), has been obsessed with cars since he was a toddler. His favorite book when he was two was a Car and Driver buyer's guide for 2023. He was naming cars on the street ("That's a blue Subaru! That's a Toyota Prius!") before he could use a toilet. Our younger boy, Wade B., is standing next to me looking at a Smithsonian vehicle book as I write this review. The Petersen isn't primarily for kids, of course, and I do appreciate the cool exhibits of exotic, historical cars, especially in a beautiful museum in the heart of Los Angeles. I could do without the shrine to Tesla, but I like the old cars and the cars from various movies. My children adore the Lightning McQueen, which is the one car in the museum that they're allowed and encouraged to touch. Importantly, there's a large play area for kids called the Discovery Center, on the second floor. It's an enormous room with car-related toys and activities for children of all ages. An excellent place for caregivers to relax while the kids entertain themselves. It's been worth the price of entry all on its own. We'll have to upgrade our membership this year, but we've definitely gotten our money's worth so far and will happily pay what it takes to maintain unlimited family access to the Petersen. I'm outnumbered by car nuts (my husband is one too) and suspect we'll spend a lot of time at this museum as the kids grow up.

Great and fun place to see all these neat cars, but disappointed a bit. Teachers and students get in free, but First Responders do not. Even over the phone I was told you can get on no charge, but they do not have any offers for First Responders.

Came here today April 1, 2024. It is a beautiful museum. The architecture and the exhibits are great. There is a good selection of cars to look at over 3 floors. Everything from VERY old cars to VERY expensive cars, concept cars and movie cars. They even had a section of old Harley's and Indians and a room of race Corvettes. It seems like the current theme is Porsche as there were a lot of the spread throughout the museum. It is great place for a few hours to spend looking at beautiful cars.

There are so many exhibitions! The best! Parking is overpriced, but there are plenty of spaces outside! There are so many places for you to go! Petersen is the best!

It's a fun adventure for a few hours. An LA institution that should not be missed. You don't have to be a car enthusiast to appreciate the car culture here...and the art of design. There's even a number of famous cars used in movies, so add the Hollywood layer to the mix. Petersen is one of the recommendations I make to out-of-town visitors wanting the LA experience.

I thought I'd be bored but I took the most pictures. lol. . Our youngest teen wanted to go so badly, we went Thursday after the USC tour. 3 floors of cars. The Tesla floor was waaay too much. It's over kills on the Tesla's when there are so many other cooler cars they could have focused on. The virtual cars were fun for the kids to drive. Next time we will have to go to the vault.

Peterson Auto Museum is a car lover's paradise! Its a must-visit for anyone who appreciates automobiles and their history. They have an incredible collection of classic cars, vintage vehicles, and even some futuristic and concept cars. Walking through the museum, you'll be amazed by the variety and beauty of the cars on display. From iconic American muscle cars to sleek European sports cars, they have it all. The exhibits are well-curated and provide interesting information about the history and significance of each vehicle. One of the highlights of the Peterson Auto Museum is their Vault Tour. It's an additional experience where you can go behind the scenes and see even more amazing cars that are not on display in the main museum. It's definitely worth the extra cost. The vault took me about 40 minutes total. The museum itself is modern and well-designed, with interactive displays and informative videos. They also have a gift shop where you can find unique car-related souvenirs and memorabilia.

Extensive automotive collections with some wonderfully curated exhibitions which include a nod to Ferrari, Porshe, Hollywood and an extensive Tesla exhibit. Even if you are not a Tesla fan, the exhibit is unique and informative. The most treasured family exhibit which houses the Petersen's most valuable autos is impressive. The museum has many employees throughout the museum to answer questions, etc. Bring your earphones if you want to listen to the audio tour offered on some of the cars in "the vault." There is a separate fee for what is called "The Vault." The vault has over 300 cars and is worth the ticket price. The adjacent parking structure will cost $17 for Museum goers for the day. There is street parking, however the lot is safer and convenient. We ate lunch at the cafe attached to the museum which was yummy and a nice intermission to our museum wandering. The cafe offers cocktails and espressos as well as breakfast and lunch. There are restrooms on every level of the museum. We went during the week and arrived just after they opened. There was no one in line although it did get busier as the day progressed. We purchased our tickets online which I recommend if you visit on a weekend or later in the day, as the admissions line does get busy. There is a separate line for ticketed guests.

I would highly upgrading your visit to include the Vault if you can. While the standard portion of the museum certainly has many memorable and iconic cars, the Vault has hundreds of priceless cars all in one spot. The Vault outshines the main exhibits by a mile.

To be fair I'm not a huge car guy but our friend enjoyed it. I only gave it 4 stars because it was pretty pricey between the ticket and the overpriced parking (discounted to $17). Once you checkin and buy your ticket it is best to start on the 3rd floor and work your way down.

I'm not really a car person, in the way that I'd go to a museum devoted solely to cars. My visiting brother, however, is a total gearhead and put this on is list of places to go when he was here. Parking was $17, the ticket was $22, and the vault was an additional $27, which we didn't do. While that would have been much pricier day, perhaps we should have, as the rest of the place felt like a bit of a let down, even according to my brother. The top floor was best, with historic cars, both in terms of the development of the automobile and some cars from historic films and tv shows. There was a bit more of that on the 2nd floor, as well. The first floor was really a monument to Elon Musk, so that felt a bit weird. Staff was friendly and, as an educator, I got my entrance for free, which was great. Just not my cup of tea.

What a SCAM and bait and switch scheme! Came here recently to see the Hollywood modified cars. There are 3 floors for the main museum and the vault which is another $25 additional. The 3rd floor was closed which already sucks but they moved half of the cars from the 2nd floor down to the vault to get you to pay the extra $25 to go see the vault. Basically the 1st floor is full of advertisement from Tesla. Looks like a Tesla store. The 2nd floor only had a handful of car and some motorcycles. Half of the spaces were empty and cars missing and moved down to the vault. Total scam! False advertising! What a waste of money and time.

This was the first time I've been to this museum even though we pass it all the time. I suggested we go there and see what it's all about. I'm glad we decided to go. We went on a Sunday and it was pretty busy. The parking lot was crowded. You'll pay about $17-$21 to park in the museum's parking lot. You might be able to find street parking, but we didn't bother with searching. My entrance fee was free, but a typical adult would pay $21. Although I'm not a big car person, I did admire the beautiful cars on display. You'll find cars from the movies to classic cars. They had a whole exhibit on Tesla. It was quite fascinating how transportation has changed throughout the years. When we went over the weekend, they had an exhibition on the Green Book. This was very informative.

Truly a 5 star experience. Not intended for kids under 7 honestly. Not interactive but it was so cool for the older kids. Loved the exhibits, the staff were very friendly, and the bathrooms were super clean. Will definitely come back!

After spending 25 years on and off in Los Angeles, an automotive-centric city, I found myself making my first visit to the museum. I thoroughly enjoyed exploring the exhibits, particularly relishing the chance to see cars that had graced the silver screen. Unfortunately, our arrival was a bit tardy, leaving us with just about an hour to breeze through the three stories of captivating exhibits. While it proved to be sufficient, I couldn't help but wish for more time, particularly to explore the intriguing vault. Perhaps that's a plan for my next visit. I wholeheartedly recommend this museum as a perfect way to spend a couple of hours, especially when combined with visits to other cultural gems like LACMA and the Academy Museum, conveniently located just across the street. The collective experience promises a delightful immersion into the rich tapestry of automotive history and cinematic culture.

Car guy or gal? History buff? Love learning about and seeing beautiful works of automotive art? Yes to any of the above and you'll need to schedule a visit, or multiple visits, to the Petersen. Not only is it a great museum, they have monthly cruise-in events that focus on different automotive brands or sectors - check their website for the one that fills your heart. In addition, they rent out space for special events (birthdays, weddings, corporate outings, etc.). An evening at the museum is truly something special. They have three full floors of displays that are changing often. You can come monthly and find different vehicles to drool over. Plus, for a separate charge, they have the Vault. With around 250 additional vehicles, it is a sight to behold. If your family is divided between the love for automobiles and the movie industry, the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures is directly across Wilshire. So let the movie buffs have their day while you wonder from floor to floor exploring automotive history. If you are an enthusiast, plan on a full day. Starting at the third floor and working you way down is the best experience. Starting with the first vehicle ever to be driven on a long distance journey (history created by Carl and Bertha Benz) to the modern displays as you work your way around. Hopefully saving time to wonder around the Vault to fill your head with automotive royalty for your ride home. If you live close enough, becoming a member will save you on future visits and they cost is very reasonable. They have various member status levels so choice the one that fits your budget and desire to return. They also have a restaurant on the first floor if you want to rest those toes and fill your tummy. Always check on the ticket desk for parking information, discounts and bring very comfortable walking shoes. Hope you love it as much as we do and...Enjoy!!!

Cars-food-easy parking and accessibility! Such a great experience! They have some cars on display out front so when you're walking in you get some adventure before even reaching the admission desk. Friendly service from the start. They have beautiful cars and trucks on display and even motorcycles. I loved the footage of the movie scenes they were in being displayed! They have photo opportunity displays and even an interactive room for driving experience! We didn't eat there but the food smelled good and they also have bathrooms everywhere-which is great

While on vacation in Los Angeles, my family and I had some time to kill and decided to check out this museum! It was really fun! The different cars and descriptions of them were so cool to read about. I absolutely loved the cars that were used in TV and Film. I wish I could have sat in some of them! My son absolutely loved the children's area. He was just over a year old and was able to do all the different activities. I think we read four or five books all about cars! It was just a fun little museum all around!

Literally came here just to see the cybertruck and it did not disappoint I think it's there til October unless they change it. It was also cool to see all the other cars too esp from movies I've seen, bumble bee from transformers just got there & some others too! See all my pics, there's a lot They also have a kids area where they can draw or build cars to race & hot wheels section. My son was learning about the engine in there. There is also a racing experience you can play also! I think we spent 2 hours there & that was more than enough time for us. Wish we came earlier so we coulda went to the La Brea Tar Pits across the street Def recommend for anyone to come! Kids, teens, adults, car enthusiasts or people who loves movies and wants to see the cars!

I'm not a huge car person, but I like looking at pretty things. Color me pleasantly surprised when my husband suggested we visit the Petersen auto museum. Three stories of cars with some really beautiful art pieces like the cars with geodes growing out of them. There's something for everyone and you can finish the museum in about an hour to an hour and a half. Some really cool vehicles like the batmobile, cybertruck, Lightning McQueen and Herbie. Well worth the visit and would come again next time I'm in LA.

Wonderful day to see some cars. Been wanting to come here for quiet sometime and took advantage of a glorious Sunday Upon entry, there are cars everywhere! The staff here is wonderful. I had a chance to have a great conversation with Sandra Jones (security guard) who gave me a lot of wonderful insight to some of the displays which made me want to come back again and bring others. I would say grab the extra VAULT ticket. Such a treat to see some of these old historical cars up close and personal. Only a few of the photos I took. But this place is great. Before I left I grab a cool magnet for my collection from the gift shop and I had to come grab a bite to eat inside the Meyers Manx cafe.

Fun museum if you love cars. Well organized, three story museum with a load of cars. When you go, add the vault on the lower level to see even more cars. The special exhibit was on low riders, which a was unique look at some really binged out cars. Parking structure was ample and spacious. Highly recommended to use when in this part of LA... a lot of construction going on in the area.

What a great collection. This place is great, especially if you like great cars. I particularly enjoy great cars from great movies. They are just so delightfully great. I'm a man who likes cars more than a lot of you. I can tell because I have 4 and I draw cars on things too. If you've ever seen a car drawing around town - I bet it was me. Can you draw a car? Who is Pederson? Thank you.

My husband has been dying to visit and we finally made it February 19, 2023. Ticket prices + paying for parking is definitely overpriced for the full experience...but the place was packed so the pricing isn't deterring anyone. We were directed to the top floor after buying our tickets and we're instructed to work our way down through the exhibits. The exhibits were all clean and spacious. There are "guards" throughout to ensure guests behave and respect the exhibits.

Great collections and exhibits! I especially loved the Tesla exhibit! A big plus is that you don't need to pay for admission to see the large Tesla Semi truck parked outside near the entrance. *If you're a teacher, you get free admission. *Ask for additional discounts (veterans, seniors, etc.) Definitely a must see attraction!

Porsche exhibit is very good providing history of car, important figures, street and racing models, and film clips from movies that the cars appeared in through the years. Remember Risky Business? The Porsche exhibit rotates the specific cars every two months so return visits will be rewarded. Specialty cars are also on exhibit on the second floor such as the 1935 Rolls Royce pictured. A restaurant is on site for break during you visit. Pay inside for the exhibits. Pay at the kiosk for parking on your way out.

1.5 stars. Back again 4 years later on a mid-December Wednesday. We paid for the Vault this time, which was only another $10 these days becaseu they said half the cars are covered. I'm sure glad it wasn't the usual additional $25 per person. None of it was as good as the first time we went. The whole first floor were Teslas. Who wants to see that? Each other floor didn't have as many cars. The Vault section, which they say takes 90 minutes to walk through only took us literally about 15 minutes. The grand total for 2 adults & parking was just about $80 and we weren't even there for 1 hour. We don't want to return for a long, long, long, long time. By the way, we were able to avoid a HUGE school field trip group in the nick of time, otherwise, it would have been miserable w/ chaos.

Love coming to the Petersen in Museum every time I'm down in LA, there's always a new showcase of different cars from all over the generations. Had to check out that we are Porsche exhibit, and the Tesla exhibit.

The Petersen Automotive Museum, in collaboration with the Ferrari Club of America had their annual Ferrari Cruise-In and it was Fantastic !" Over the years, this event grew into becoming the biggest Ferrari gathering to take place on the West Coast! A sea of red Ferrari's flooded the museum for the pleasure of thousands of spectators,creating a surreal atmosphere that was a hit with the car enthusiasts and visitors that came to have a total Ferrari cruise in! There was a stunning array of Ferrari models and years in attendance-some of which going back to the 1950's and all were in museum quality condition! The Petersen Museum was also open for visitors making it a "molto bene" day that Enzo himself would have enjoyed! . . . . . #ferrari #petersenautomuseum  #enzoferrari #iloveferraris #modena #italiancars #enzoferrari #ferraricruisein #ferrariclubofamerica #pininfarina #Italianstallion #godisgood #seetheusa #carshows #carsandcoffee #carphotography

I recently went to the Petersen Auto Museum with my parents who were visiting from the East Coast. While I wouldn't say that my dad is a extreme car enthusiast, he definitely likes cars so we decided to come to the museum and it was a great move. It was really fun with a good layout and a great deal of information to read. I really enjoyed the Tesla collection the most. It was very interesting to read about the history of their electric cars and the diffrent aspects of their design. I was a bit underwhelmed by the amount of movie cars, since we are in Los Angeles but the space is a bit limited. Of what they had out there was a good variety of older and newer vehicles (for example Kitt from Knight Rider, the Delorean from Back to the Future etc) We paid extra for the Valut and I would say it is worth if if you are a fan of cars and know a lot about them already. There is very little information on cars in the Valult so you really have to have a personal understanding for it to be enjoying. That said there were some staff in the vault that seemed pretty knowledgeable.

Ok so I got dragged here by my boys and wasn't expecting much. Not really into cars and didn't know what to expect. To my surprise, we had a blast. They have some extremely beautiful cars, a few interactive experiences, and knowledgable/engaging Employees who make it such a cool experience. We spent about 1.5 hours total.

The Peterson Automotive Museum is a must-visit destination for car enthusiasts and anyone interested in the history of the automobile. Located in the heart of Los Angeles, the museum offers a vast collection of vehicles spanning over 120 years of automotive history, as well as a variety of exhibits and interactive displays. The museum's collection includes classic cars, rare and exotic vehicles, hot rods, race cars, and more. Some notable vehicles on display include the first Shelby Cobra, a Bugatti Veyron, a Ferrari Enzo, and a McLaren F1. The cars are beautifully presented, with informative placards and displays that provide visitors with an in-depth look at the vehicles' history and significance. You'll get to experience all this for a general admission price for just around $20!!! Yes, you read that right. If you want to level up your Peterson visit, add the Vault tour. This private "basement" features over 250 unique vehicles from around the world. Many of the cars have unique stories that makes them even more special and fascinating. Overall, the Peterson Automotive Museum is a world-class institution that offers a unique and engaging experience for car enthusiasts and visitors of all ages. With its impressive collection of cars and interactive exhibits, it's a must-visit destination for anyone interested in the history and evolution of the automobile. Enjoy!

Cool museum, small enough to see in 1-2hours, but overpriced, especially the parking is a rip off. Entrance is currently $20-ish and an additional $20 to see "the Vault" plus parking another $15-20. That is very pricey for a small museum.

. Peterson Automotive Museum! From the Mystery Machine, Batmobile, Lightning Mcqueen and the Night Rider, this place had it all. Tons of cars to see including the Teslas early versions and some very old unique vintage cars. It was a bit overcrowded, there were moments where I was completely surrounded by humans. And a rather aggressive security guard kept repeatedly telling us to not touch the cats even though we were a good distance away. The parking inside was very expensive $21, plus the entrance fee of $19 per adult, and not including the vault, an extra exhibit not included in the main museum. Overall it was fascinating seeing so many cars, I was definitely a little overwhelmed near the end at the sheer amount of vehicles. Plus this museum had a cute little cafe inside with coffee, cookies and other goodies!

Been here twice and had a great time looking at both the permanent displays and special exhibits! Amazing for car lovers of all ages. There's a nice play area for kids, and lots of stats and nostalgic cars form TV for grownups. Saw lots of young students and artists practicing drawing vehicles as well. Highly recommend!

Since we were going to the Grand Prix on Sunday, we decided to make it a 'car' weekend and go to the Petersen on Saturday. The main ticket is $19.95 per adult and will get you into the main museum (3 floors). It tells the history of the automobile and is organized like an art museum, with plenty of space between exhibits: the museum can absorb a lot of people, and you can get pretty close to each one, allowing you to take some nice pictures. Everything is 'no-touch'. Telsa is big here, having half of an entire floor dedicated to it. There are areas for more hands-on experiences: driving simulators and a kids area (which was really crowded so didn't try to get a closer look). There are SOME guides in these areas, but it really is a self-tour. What's REALLY special about the museum is the lower floor, which is basically a city parking garage level, but filled with 'special' cars. It is called the Vault, and you need pre-bought tickets ($25) which are in addition to the general admission. We all thought it was worth it. It is a large floor, and it stuffed with cars, most of it not having any markings of it's significance, but just as iconic (or more so) than the cars upstairs. During this weekend, the cars from James Hetfield's personal collection was on display in a dedicated room, and a short movie was being played to explain more about it. If one is lucky, you can get the guidance of the docents who are scattered around. They have so much knowledge about the cars, and hearing them describe the history of an automobile while standing next to it...that was special (call out to Aleks, Richards, and Larry who each gave their personal perspective on their favorites). You are allowed to take handheld pictures and video. There is a large museum store, and the prices seem normal to other museums (i.e. too much for us to buy anything). There is a large parking garage ($17 per car for the day) connected to the museum and cars worth checking out in the garage itself, which does fill up as the day goes on. The Academy museum is close, so we walked across the street after our visit, to take pictures with the iconic lamp posts (might as well take advantage of the paid parking).

If you are a car nut you will lose a head gasket here for sure! So many beautiful automobiles too soak in and appreciate, all the vehicles are works of art in their own form. Gas up and head too the Petersen for a blast too the past with all the amazing vehicles they have in the vault you won't be anything less but in awe to see all the amazing vehicles they have on display, there is something for everyone even a shop for the kiddos too take home some souvenirs for the drive home!

This is like automotive porn. Every time you think you've seen an exhibit that can't be topped, they top it. I'd suggest starting on the third floor and making your way down to the Vault. DON'T miss the Vault!!! If you are time constrained, start with the Vault, next the Tesla exhibit, then go to the third floor and get down as far as you can without rushing or bypassing any section. You'll kick yourself later if you are not local and missed something you find out about later. Loved the Tesla exhibit and the breakout of a Model Y. So many surprises in this museum and I don't want to ruin them. All I can say is, if you like cars, this is your Mecca.

I have wanted to come here for such a long time, and Im so happy I made the trip! The LA traffic was worth the experience! You do have to pay to go to the underground garage, but honestly, it's worth it! Pros: * Parking was easy to find * Incredibly friendly and knowledgeable staff * Huge car collection in their underground garage * Driving simulator upstairs was a blast * Movie cars!!! * A whole section dedicated to early and current electric cars Cons: * None

A great experience if you like the exhibits that they have! Personally, loved the Porsche exhibit, which is currently on the second floor. Their top floor is a lot of classic cars and some cars used in films, while their first is a Tesla exhibit. I would definitely recommend, but do be prepared for a ~$20 fee for parking within their garage and check the website for exhibition prices. The experience itself was quite seamless and we had a lot of fun seeing the cars here.

I've been looking forward to checking on this museum for some time. There is a parking lot connected to the museum. You get $4.00 off parking if you goto the museum. There's 3 floors of cars from movie cars to some amazing cars. On each floor they are docents. At this time Tesla has a great exhibit on the first floor. In the parking structure there was a Tesla Semi truck . If your interested in cars this is a great place to check out

This was my 2nd visit in less than a year because my beloved friend & godson came for a visit and they are automotive aficionados. It was more fun than my first visit. This time featured exhibits included Porsche, artist Arsham, Inside Tesla and the always familiar, Cars of Film & Television. Just because it was my second visit, doesn't mean it'll be my last.

Excusing the infamy of being the place where the Notorious BIG died, Petersen Automotive Museum has come a long way in making people forget about moments of infamy. Post-renovations, Petersen is now full of plenty of fun car exhibits. 3 floors of viewing cars is an enthusiast's dream. You get your mix of historical cars to cars infamously found in movies ( hi - Back to the Future and Batman and Cars). I enjoyed the fleet of electric cars and concepts, including the first mass produced electric car (hint - it's not Tesla!). Tesla does have its own section on the ground floor where you can see the original models built in the 2000s. I personally enjoyed the Warhol exhibit that's there too. Overall, this was a fun lunchtime excursion, especially since my office is only a stone throw's away.

Petersen without the vault is pretty much not worth it : There are a few cars but no Ferraris or other italian exotics. It is "funny" how they want you to buy a general admission while all the best cars can be seen for an extra fee. Why not clearly mention that there are fewer cars in the general admission ticket or sell separate tickets .The first floor is obviously sponsored by Tesla and the whole exhibit has a gloomy lighting. If it wasn't for Porsche, the general admission would have been pathetic. The play area for kids has hot wheels stations that weren't really working smoothly . I did not like this museum ( and I am a car aficionado). Add the expensive parking and you are in it for $ 155 for 3 !

I was very disappointed. Was expecting some decent curation and narratives about car history, etc. Instead, got a warehouse with minimal information about the cars. In the "vault" (downstairs for an extra $27), you see even more cars than in the museum proper. However, they are just crammed into a parking garage and you are not allowed to go near them -- just gaze at them from the aisle. Very few of these cars had information about them posted in front of the cars, and no historical context is given. What they need is a new curator who knows how to tell real stories, not just have a show-and-tell. Such a lost opportunity! I'll stick with the San Diego Automotive Museum. It's much smaller, but they are rich with history, information, and lots of car buffs willing to talk your ear off. Petersen is just someone making money off of a very large collection.

Three floors filled with magnificent automotive. It's a feast for the eyes! So much history and deigns, you're in for a real treat! You don't need to be a car enthusiast to enjoy the experience. The ginormous space properly showcased each car with the attention it deserves. There's a dedicated room just for Tesla where you can see the evolvement of electric vehicles. The current Ferrari exhibit is in the vault and costs an additional $25 pp.

Yesterday, boyfriend and I visited the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. They have some cool exhibits: Inside Tesla, Supercharging the Electric Revolution; Hypercars 2: The Allure of the Extreme; and We Are Porsche. They also have famous cars from movies and TV shows; turn of the 20th Century cars; early motorcycles and much more. Well worth a visit, especially if you are a car enthusiast. Beautiful exhibits. Nicely laid out Museum. They also have The Vault with more than 250 cars for an extra fee (we didn't visit it). They have a small cafe if you want food or drinks.

It was slightly pricey & didn't have nearly as many cars as our local car museum does, but it was still a fun family stop. I enjoyed seeing some of the movie cars they had like the Batmobile, Lightening McQueen, Bumblebee & more. I am not a big fan of Teslas so the whole bottom floor of Teslas was whatever for us. Otherwise, we enjoyed seeing some of the funky designed cars they had on display. I honestly can't recall exactly how much time we spent here looking around, maybe an hour? Mainly because we stopped to take some photos and look at the gift shop. It was a neat experience and car lovers would probably enjoy this stop especially if you are looking to see Porche & Tesla brand cars.

The Petersen Automotive Museum showcases a century of automotive history with nearly two dozen exhibits on three floors, each with its own theme: history, industry and artistry, like the current ongoing special exhibits for the iconic James Bond cars from classic and modern 007 films. It is one of the world's largest museums dedicated to vehicles, named after its founder and the founder of Hot Rod Magazine, Robert E. Petersen. The collection includes cars of all kinds, from supercars to family cars, cars which played a big role in history and cars which featured in TV shows and movies. General admission costs $19 and parking garage costs $21. While the collection has more than 250 vehicles, only half are on view at a time, and you have to take the underground Vault Tour to get a peek of some of the vehicles not on public display, which is not included in the ticket. My favorite third floor has the automobile models from classic movies and tv series, including Batman and many others, and the museum offers much more than rows of beautiful parked cars. There's a full-scale reproduction of scenes and buildings that marked important milestones in the development of the motor car on the second floor, and the game center is also an intuitive and fun experience for learning racing cars.

The supercar display was absolutely amazing! They seem very safe and fully equipped with airbags for safety.