AACA Museum
{{Short description|Transportation museum in Hershey, Pennsylvania, US}}
{{Infobox museum
| name = AACA Museum
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| logo = AACA_Museum_Logo.png
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| image = AACA Museum front 2012-01-16.jpg
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| caption = The AACA Museum with the Hershey Kissmobile outside
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| coordinates = {{coord|40|17|54|N|76|41|24|W|display=inline,title}}
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| established = {{Start date and age|2003|06|26|df=y}}
| location = 161 Museum Drive
Hershey, PA
| type = Transportation museum
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| collection_size = 130
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| leader =
| director = Jeffrey Bliemeister
| president = Richard Sills{{cite news |title=AACA Museum, Inc. Elects Richard Sills as its New President |url=https://www.aacamuseum.org/news/aaca-museum-inc-elects-richard-sills-as-its-new-president/ |accessdate=21 May 2020 |work=AACA Museum |date=21 January 2020}}
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| website = {{URL|https://www.aacamuseum.org/}}
}}
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.
The {{convert|71000|sqft|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 Institution,{{cite web |title=Affiliate Profile |url=https://affiliations.si.edu/affiliate-profile/?pid=1615 |website=Smithsonian Affiliations |accessdate=21 May 2020}} and the American Alliance of Museums.{{cite web |title=Accredited Museums |url=http://ww2.aam-us.org/resources/assessment-programs/accreditation/accredited-museums |publisher=American Alliance of Museums |accessdate=21 May 2020 |language=en}} Its major collections include the Cammack Tucker Collection, the world's most extensive collection of Tucker automobiles, and the Museum of Bus Transportation collection.{{cite news |last1=Perkins |first1=Chris |title=12 of the Best Automotive Museums In the US |url=https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/g6532/ten-automotive-museums/?slide=4 |accessdate=21 May 2020 |work=Road & Track |date=2 January 2018}}{{cite news |title=12 car museums worth a detour |url=http://www.nbcnews.com/id/38344806/ns/travel-destination_travel/t/car-museums-worth-detour/#.VXxqgEb0c8I |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130220110904/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/38344806/ns/travel-destination_travel/t/car-museums-worth-detour#.VXxqgEb0c8I |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 20, 2013 |accessdate=21 May 2020 |work=msnbc.com |date=22 July 2010 |language=en}}
In 2014, the museum won the NAAMY Award of Excellence from the National Association of Automobile Museums.{{cite web |title=NAAMY Awards 2014 {{!}} National Association of Automobile Museums |date=16 May 2014 |url=http://www.naam.museum/naamy-awards-2014/ |accessdate=21 May 2020}}
Collections
=Cammack Tucker Collection=
The AACA Museum holds the largest permanent collection of Tucker 48 automobiles in the world. 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.{{cite news |last1=Holahan |first1=Jane |title=Tucker exhibit revs up in Hershey |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/51807439/aaca-museum-tucker/ |accessdate=21 May 2020 |work=Intelligencer Journal |date=2 Oct 2014}}
=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.{{cite news |title=AACA Museum to host opening display in June |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/51807311/aaca-museum-and-bus/ |accessdate=21 May 2020 |work=The Evening Sun |date=29 May 2003 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{free access}}{{cite news |last1=McMahon |first1=Thomas |title=Museum Boasts Variety of Vintage Buses - Management - School Bus Fleet |url=https://www.schoolbusfleet.com/news/719777/museum-boasts-variety-of-vintage-buses?refresh=true |accessdate=21 May 2020 |work=www.schoolbusfleet.com |date=30 Jan 2017}}{{cite news |last1=Kolus |first1=Howard |title=Museum Delivers Tour of Bus History |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/51806833/aaca-museum-bus-transportation/ |accessdate=21 May 2020 |work=The Daily News |date=3 Nov 2005 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{free access}} 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.{{cite news |last1=Koons |first1=Chuck |title=AACA Museum opening caps 10 years of work |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/51805495/aaca-museum-opening/ |accessdate=21 May 2020 |work=The Daily Item |date=3 Jul 2003 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{free access}} In 1996, the incorporation purchased 25 acres of land 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.{{cite web |last1=Kolus |first1=Howard |title=Car show to benefit planned museum |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/51805898/aaca-museum-tucker-donation/ |publisher=The Daily News |accessdate=21 May 2020 |pages=16 |date=19 July 2001 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{free access}} Much of the rest of the fundraising was accomplished during the AACA annual car shows hosted in Hershey, Pennsylvania.{{cite news |last1=Kolus |first1=Howard |title=Auto Show Cruises Into Town |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/51806580/aaca-museum-auto-show/ |accessdate=21 May 2020 |work=The Daily News |date=18 Jul 2002 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{free access}}
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.{{cite news |last1=Stirkey |first1=James |title=Scenery, sets bring antique cars to life |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/51806231/aaca-museum-opening-3/ |accessdate=21 May 2020 |work=The Sentinel |date=5 Jul 2003 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{free access}}
In 2013, the museum was named as one of the 12 car museums in the USA worth a detour by MSNBC.
Gallery
{{Gallery
|width=150
|Cammack Collection of Tucker automobiles (5274532420).jpg|Tucker '48
|1936-chrysler-archives.jpg|1936 Chrysler Airflow C-9
|1969 AACA museum AMC AMX flv.jpg|1969 AMX
|1974 AACA museum Bricklin green r.jpg|1974 Bricklin SV-1
|FitzJohn in the Bus Museum (5239225195).jpg|FitzJohn Bus
|Checker Cab built Bus (5239224631).jpg|Checker Cab Bus
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.aacamuseum.org/ AACA Museum website]
- [https://busmuseum.org/ Museum of Bus Transportation website]
Category:Automobile museums in Pennsylvania