The Mullin Automotive Museum
When: Opens at 10AM & closes at 3PM on scheduled days, see website for details.
Where: 1421 Emerson Ave, Oxnard, CA 93033
Information: mullinautomotivemuseum.com
Contact: (805) 385-5400
Not to Miss: “The Art of Bugatti” – an unmatched collection, with everything from a Royale to an EB110.
A Tribute to French Automotive Design
In 2010, Peter Mullin, philanthropist and regular entrant of the Concours d’Elegance at Pebble Beach, established all 46,000 square feet of this museum as a celebration of the art and automobiles of pre-war France. The museum is filled with rare examples from marques like Talbot-Lago, Delahaye, and Bugatti, amounting to one of the largest collections of French automobiles from the years between WWI and WWII. The displays emphasize the influence of Art Deco style on the automotive world and explore the relationship between these curvaceous cars and the art and products of the era. The Mullin Automotive Museum is furnished with period pieces, including furniture from the Bugatti family that adds ambience and glosses the cars with the context of their creation.
Joie de l’Automobile
Not a car person? Not a problem; these cars are works of art and figures of wonder to even the most objective viewer. The exhibits lead fulfilling lives outside of the walls of the Mullin, with many being shown regularly at Concours around the world. Though their role in the museum is stationary, these cars – when feasible – are more than just cosmetically maintained, fitting their status as feats of engineering.
While it’s more than worth a road trip, if southern California seems a bit far, Mullin’s interactive website offers a slew of resources and historical information on the cars on display. In addition, “The Art of Buggatti” exhibit is fully explorable online with 360-degree views. All of this, and more, is provided by the Mullin Automotive Museum Foundation that exists to support nonprofit public charities that are dedicated to the study, preservation, and public display of classic automobiles.