AACA Museum

The AACA Museum is a transportation museum located in Hershey, Pennsylvania in the United States. It is a 501(c)(3) non-profit museum dedicated to the preservation of American automobile history. Despite its name the museum is not affiliated with the Antique Automobile Club of America.

AACA Museum
The AACA Museum with the Hershey Kissmobile outside
Established26 June 2003 (2003-06-26)
Location161 Museum Drive
Hershey, PA
Coordinates40.298137°N 76.690119°W / 40.298137; -76.690119
TypeTransportation museum
Collection size130
DirectorJeffrey Bliemeister
PresidentRichard Sills[1]
Websitewww.aacamuseum.org

The 71,000 square feet (6,600 m2) museum displays over 130 cars, buses, motorcycles, and automobile collectibles in themed settings from the 1890s–1980s. It is an affiliate museum of the Smithsonian Institute,[2] and the American Alliance of Museums.[3] Its major collections include the Cammack Tucker Collection, the world's most extensive collection of Tucker automobiles, and the Museum of Bus Transportation collection.[4][5]

In 2014, the museum won the NAAMY Award of Excellence from the National Association of Automobile Museums.[6]

Collections

Cammack Tucker Collection

The AACA Museum holds the largest permanent collection of Tucker 48 automobiles in the world.[4] Named for David Cammack, a historian and collector of Tucker automobiles, the entire collection was donated to the AACA Museum from Cammack's personal collection upon his death in 2013.[7]

Museum of Bus Transportation Collection

Alongside the AACA grand opening in 2003, the Museum of Bus Transportation leased space in the museum's lower level to showcase their collection of 22 classic buses.[8][9][10] As of 2020, the Museum of Bus Transportation owns roughly 33 buses, most of which are on display in the AACA Museum.

History

AACA Museum, Inc. was formed in 1993 as a public charitable organization with a mission to construct a museum to preserve all forms of historical motor vehicles.[11] In 1996, the incorporation purchased 25 acres of land near the national club headquarters located in Hershey, Pennsylvania to be used as the site for the future museum building. Initial costs for the building were estimated at $11 million, and in 2000, the William J. Cammack Supporting Organization Trust pledged a multi-million dollar testamentary commitment, along with three 1947 Tucker Torpedo automobiles.[11][12] Much of the rest of the fundraising was accomplished during the AACA annual car shows hosted in Hershey, PA.[13]

The museum opened on June 26, 2003 with roughly 70 cars donated, or on loan from, the club's members. Rather than display their cars in long rows, the AACA Museum incorporated an educational approach in its displays by adding scenery and set designs that complement the period in which each car was built.[14]

In 2013, the museum was named as one of the 12 car museums in the USA worth a detour by MSNBC.[5]

  • Tucker '48
  • 1936 Chrysler Airflow C-9
  • 1969 AMX
  • 1974 Bricklin SV-1
  • FitzJohn Bus
  • Checker Cab Bus

References
  1. "AACA Museum, Inc. Elects Richard Sills as its New President". AACA Museum. 21 January 2020. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  2. "Affiliate Profile". Smithsonian Affiliations. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  3. "Accredited Museums". American Alliance of Museums. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  4. Perkins, Chris (2 January 2018). "12 of the Best Automotive Museums In the US". Road & Track. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  5. "12 car museums worth a detour". msnbc.com. 22 July 2010. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  6. "NAAMY Awards 2014 | National Association of Automobile Museums". Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  7. Holahan, Jane (2 Oct 2014). "Tucker exhibit revs up in Hershey". Intelligencer Journal. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  8. "AACA Museum to host opening display in June". The Evening Sun. 29 May 2003. Retrieved 21 May 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. McMahon, Thomas (30 Jan 2017). "Museum Boasts Variety of Vintage Buses - Management - School Bus Fleet". www.schoolbusfleet.com. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  10. Kolus, Howard (3 Nov 2005). "Museum Delivers Tour of Bus History". The Daily News. Retrieved 21 May 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. Koons, Chuck (3 Jul 2003). "AACA Museum opening caps 10 years of work". The Daily Item. Retrieved 21 May 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. Kolus, Howard (19 July 2001). "Car show to benefit planned museum". The Daily News. p. 16. Retrieved 21 May 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. Kolus, Howard (18 Jul 2002). "Auto Show Cruises Into Town". The Daily News. Retrieved 21 May 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. Stirkey, James (5 Jul 2003). "Scenery, sets bring antique cars to life". The Sentinel. Retrieved 21 May 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
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