Museum Opens Steel Dynamics Galley of Auburn, Indiana, Automobiles
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AUBURN - The Steel Dynamics Gallery of Auburn, Indiana, Automobiles was officially opened during the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum's 2009 Benefit Extravaganza on Thursday, September 3. The gallery is sponsored by the Steel Dynamics Foundation, Inc.
"We are grateful to the Steel Dynamics Foundation for the support of this gallery. With it, we have been able to improve the interpretation of the important piece of American automotive history that took place right here in Auburn, Indiana. Our local visitors are very proud of the history highlighted in this gallery, and national visitors are amazed by the number of automobile manufacturers that were right here in Auburn. All of this helps increase the awareness of this major cultural treasure right here in northeast Indiana," says Laura Brinkman, executive director of the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum.
The Steel Dynamics Gallery of Auburn, Indiana, Automobiles-with nearly 2,300 square feet of Auburn, Indiana, automotive history-shows that the Auburn-makes had formidable local competition at one time. No fewer than ten different brands of motorcars-that were not Auburns-were manufactured in Auburn, Indiana, in the pre-World War I era.
Invariably these local manufacturers had been well-established carriage builders, who embarked on horseless carriage creation as progress beckoned. The city of Auburn was a center for vehicle development and manufacturing, teeming with new ideas in construction, power, design and marketing, as this exhibit vividly discloses.
The gallery's ambiance places the visitor in the early part of the 20th century; window murals with duplicated scenes from the manufacturers of the time and the city of Auburn add authenticity to the experience. Currently, the gallery contains three 1909 McIntyres, a 1907 Kiblinger, a 1908 Zimmerman and a 1913 Imp as well as period artifacts and educational displays and video.
"The enhanced interpretation places emphasis on Auburn's pioneering automotive history in the era before World War I. It's incredible to think of Auburn, a town of 5,000 residents at the time, producing so many different makes of automobiles," says Matt Short, museum executive vice president.
Steel Dynamics Foundation's sponsorship allowed the museum to add educational components to tell this facet of the story in a more engaging, memorable way as well as renovate and refresh the space. The result is an improved and enhanced experience for the museum visitors. The following renovations, additions and updates were added to the gallery: New signage at the entrance and throughout the gallery; new lighting and paint; further interpretation of Auburn automaker's manufacture's history, including the creation of a historic timeline; update and edit of the gallery's video presentation; recreation of a period living room plus a flat screen TV for the video presentation; and artifact cases.
The museum currently has 11 sponsored galleries including the Alcoa Foundation, E. L. Cord Foundation, Charles and Barbara Goodman Foundation Gordon Buehrig Gallery of Design; the Anonymous Design Studios; the Sandra and Gene Davenport Gallery of Fine Art and Archival Treasures; the Timothy S. Durham Gallery of Classics; the Dean V. Kruse Gallery Early Auburns 1903 - 1924; the Lincoln Financial Group Foundation The Cars of Indiana; the Metal Technologies, Inc. Education Center; the Robert M. Pass Gallery of Special Topics; the Raisbeck Engineering Hall of Technology; the Steel Dynamics Gallery of Auburn, Indiana, Automobiles; and the William H. Willennar Foundation Willennar Hall Event Area.
Museum galleries may be sponsored by individuals, corporations or foundations. A sponsorship is a charitable contribution, and tax deductible to the full extent of the law. Gallery spaces carry a donors name along with the gallery name in every form of reference to the gallery for a 10-year period. At that time, the donor has right of first refusal to renew the sponsorship.
The Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum - where the world's finest cars of yesterday live today! Over 120 classic, antique, vintage and special interest cars are displayed with other automotive related exhibits on three floors. The museum is located in the original 1930s national headquarters of the legendary Auburn Automobile Company and is a National Historic Landmark. Admission is charged, with group and family rates available. The museum is open daily from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. year round. In 2009, plan a visit and bring your family to the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum, a place where automotive history comes to life!
