Sandwich, Mass. Museum - this summer

[Joe Gildea #3736]

Just an hour south of the Quincy, Mass. GN this summer - this might be worth seeing. The Shaker Round Barn and the gun collection are outstanding.
- Joe Gildea   Cadmanjoe@aol.com

Dream cars go on display at Heritage Museum - Hemmings  3/13/13
http://heritagemuseumsandgardens.org/exhibits/upcoming/

A collection of dream cars spanning more than half a century, from the Buick Wildcat II and Plymouth Explorer of 1954 to the Transition Roadable Aircraft of 2009, will be on display at Heritage Museum & Gardens in Sandwich, Massachusetts, from April 13 to October 27. The exhibit, “Driving Our Dreams: Imagination in Motion,” will bring together for the first time these historically significant concept cars from collections across the country.

Six of the cars will be on display courtesy of the GM Heritage Collection: the 1956 Firebird II, the 1963 Corvair Monza SS, the 1973 Chevrolet XP-898, the 1974 Chevrolet XP-895, the 1986 Chevrolet Corvette Indy and the 1990 Chevrolet Corvette CERV III.  Other concept cars include the 1954 Wildcat II and the 1956 Buick Centurion, courtesy of the Sloan*Longway Collection; the Plymouth Explorer, courtesy of the Petersen Museum; the 1953 Ford X-100, courtesy of The Henry Ford; the 1963 Harley Earl Corvette, courtesy of Dana and Patti Mecum; the 2009 Infinium Solar Car, courtesy of the University of Michigan; and the 2009 Transition, courtesy of Terrafugia. In addition, the exhibit will include one limited production car, a 1954 Hudson Italia, courtesy of Wayne Carini, and two production cars that are part of the museum’s permanent collection: a 1927 La Salle Sport Phaeton and a 1962 Corvette.

The exhibit will also examine how car design has been reflected in popular culture and fashion. Visitors will be able to use designer tools and interactive stations to create design mood boards and post their solar car drawings. In the Heritage’s Special Exhibitions Gallery, children and adults will be able to design their own concept cars; they’ll also be invited to build scale models using an assortment of wooden parts, and test them for speed on a giant ramp.

“This is one of the most remarkable exhibitions we’ve had the pleasure of showcasing,” said Ellen Spear, president and CEO of Heritage Museums & Gardens. “The intersection of fashion, design, style and technology is reflected in these rare and inspiring concepts â€" many of the ideas of 50 years ago are just being incorporated into cars today.”

A summer-long lecture series accompanies  “Driving Our Dreams.”

On Sunday, April 14, motorsports television commentator and author Bill Stevens, restoration expert Wayne McKay and Wayne Carini, a vintage car dealer and restorer known for his television program Chasing Classic Cars, will discuss the work of such visionary stylists as Harley Earl and Virgil Exner.

On Sunday, June 23, Carl Dietrich, an aerospace engineer and co-founder of Terrafugia, will discuss his company’s efforts at building a roadable aircraft.

On Sunday, July 21, Bill Porter, a former GM designer, will talk about the influences of nature on current design.

And on Sunday, September 22, Michael Knodler, professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Massachusetts, will talk about the future of roadways and traffic patterns.

The lectures are $15 for museum members and $20 for non-members; the series is $55 for members, and $75 for non-members.

Some of the automobiles in the museum’s permanent collection will be put into storage to make room for the special exhibit; you may want to call ahead if there’s a particular car in the permanent collection you wish to see.

The exhibit is sponsored by Arabella Insurance Foundation, Bonhams International Auctioneers, Cape Air/Nantucket Airlines and Reliable Carriers.