Museums
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The San Diego
Automotive Museum ( SDAM ) opened in 1988 with the purpose of telling the story of the social and technological past , present , and future of motorized vehicles through collections , exhibitions and educational programs , and to share their love for vehicles with millions of people . Since their opening , millions of local automotive enthusiasts and tourists from all over the world have visited their collection . The SDAM has received multiple NAMMY Awards for best exhibit and they pride themselves on the high quality and unique exhibits they provide the public .
The idea of creating an Automotive Museum in Balboa Park came from Briggs Cunningham , a renowned automobile collector and racer . The idea circulated for many years until an inspired group of local automotive enthusiasts propelled the idea forward . In 1979 , the San Diego City Council first
Exterior view of the Annex considered the issue and in 1980 they gave unanimous approval to the museum and granted a long term lease for one of the historic buildings in the “ Jewel of San Diego ” - Balboa Park .
For over 30 years , the SDAM has operated in the same historical building in Balboa Park , with little to no changes to the building . For more than two decades , the SDAM Board of Directors and key stakeholders have had a vision of expanding the building with the idea of housing its world-class collection in a worldclass venue . In recent years , the SDAM has been working on the first steps of realizing their goal of creating a world-class venue and the SDAM is gearing up to bring a world-class automotive museum to San Diego . The new plans feature a state-of-the-art expansion and upgrades inside the existing structure . Future plans for the museum include an additional 15,000 square feet which includes a rooftop outdoor event space , state of the art interactive displays , a second-floor motorcycle exhibit , increased special exhibit space , and a remodel of the current building .
The Future of the San Diego Automotive Museum
36 GBSAN . COM | NOVEMBER 2020