After 22 years in operation, a beloved car museum in California has officially closed its doors. Located in El Segundo, the Zimmerman Automobile Driving Museum, known for its diverse array of classic cars, has had to shut down permanently.
A Facebook post from the museum stated that this decision was driven by long-standing financial difficulties.
These financial troubles reportedly began in 2020 when the museum had to close and cancel planned events due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
To start, the Zimmerman Automobile Driving Museum suffered significant financial losses as a result of the pandemic.
Compounding the challenges, the museum’s founder and primary benefactor, Stanley Zimmerman, passed away in July 2020.
California’s iconic car museum with over 130 classic vehicles has announced its closure and explained the fate of its collection.
Without Zimmerman’s monthly donations, the museum explored new revenue sources, such as organizing car shows, renting out vehicles, and hosting special events, which generated some income but ultimately proved insufficient.
Adding to these challenges were other issues, including ‘complicated property and car collection issues’ and ‘increased local competition.’
In the end, the museum struggled to stay afloat and officially closed its doors on October 27.
On the topic of car museums, it’s worth noting that this New York museum houses a very rare Ferrari. California’s iconic car museum with over 130 classic cars is closing and has outlined the future of its collection.
The Zimmerman Automobile Driving Museum had scheduled several events, like car shows and cruise-ins, for November and December.
Thankfully, these events are still set to proceed, and the Bayside Cafe will remain open on weekends until December 29.
California’s iconic car museum with more than 130 classic cars is closing and has outlined what will happen to its vehicles.
If you’re wondering about the fate of the 130+ cars in the museum’s collection, here’s what we know: none of the cars are currently for sale, and those that were loaned to the museum will be returned to their original owners.
Regarding the cars owned by the museum itself, it remains unclear what will happen to them.
It’s a real loss, as the collection featured cars from almost every era, including a Ford Model T, Volkswagen Beetle, and some unique pieces like a 1975 Sebring Vanguard CitiCar.
The museum even housed a DeLorean, akin to the time capsule DMC-12 recently discovered in a barn with an intriguing story.
Our thoughts are with the museum staff, and we hold out hope that this extraordinary collection will find a new home, where it can continue to be enjoyed for years to come.