Miracle Mile was the first commercial development in L.A. designed expressly for the benefit of drivers, and so a former department store makes an apt home for this museum of car culture. A 2015 redesign has since turned the automotive history museum into more of a high-tech gallery, with about 150 cars on display. There's a glimpse into the rise of car culture in Southern California, but that mostly takes a backseat to a focus on the progress, dominance and dazzling good looks of the automobile.
The museum’s narrative begins in the third-floor gallery with a bit of automotive history; you'll find sections dedicated to Southern California road culture and Hollywood cars, from the Tim Burton–era Batmobile to Walter White’s Pontiac Aztek. Head down a level and you’ll learn about the industrial design process from start to finish; an on-hand ArtCenter design studio makes the motif feel especially alive. The ground floor shows off the artistry of cars, with a showroom dedicated to sumptuously swooping vintage vehicles. Make no mistake, though: All of the floors are essentially about the art of the automobile, just viewed through various lenses.
Technology, both automotive and interactive, runs through the museum’s redesigned gallery spaces; most significantly, they’ve ditched wordy didactics in favor of tablets in many spots. You’ll find Forza racing simulation stations and the separately ticketed Vault, which features over 250 iconic and rare cars, motorcycles and trucks from around the world, all parked beneath the museum.
