The cars at the Tampa Bay Automobile Museum are all owned by Alain Cerf. Born in France, he bought his first classic car in the 1950s. Rather than trade them in for new ones, he stored them away. Lucky for us, they’re now on display and even though I know pretty much zero about cars, they’re gorgeous and worth seeing.
If the inner workings of cars fascinate you, you’ll be thrilled. If not, browse the rows of interesting automobiles then spend time picking out books or model cars for the grandkids.
In typical I-could-care-less-how-it-works-as-long-as-it-gets-me-there mentality, it only took me about half an hour to meander through the showroom and check out the beautiful autos. You don’t have to be a mechanic to appreciate this museum. But if you’re not mechanically minded, you might want to include something else in your sightseeing day since you’ll be done fairly quickly.
Marketing materials for the museum tell you that “. . . the collection focuses on cars that demonstrate some sort of engineering or technological innovation, something pioneering for its time – early front-wheel drive, rear engine, air cooling. ” Because of this, the majority of the cars are European since that’s where the technologies originated.
I may not be an engine officianado but even I know some of them are impressive. There’s a 1929 Model A Ford that runs on either gasoline or charcoal, a 1913 Stearns-Knight SK6 that was capable of 90 miles per hour, and an 1899 Societe Parisienne Victoria that looks like a bicycle but has a single cylinder engine on the front axle (why didn’t I have that as a kid?).
There is a full-size operational replica of a 1770 Fardier de Cugnot, which is the world’s first self-propelled vehicle.
This was originally built to transport cannons for the French army. It could travel for 1 1/4 hours at 2-3 miles per hour.
If intended for the Anglo-French War, at 2-3 miles per hour they’d still be headed for the English Channel. Someone tell them the war is over.
The museum has over 80 cars on display and 17 of them are the only ones in the world. Trivia fact: Alain Cerf insists that every vehicle is in driving condition so each one has a Florida license plate. Based on my one little Nissan, I can’t fathom what that must cost.
The website says they have cars from France, Czechoslovakia, Germany, Ireland, England and the United States. Most of them have the hoods open so you can look at their innovative and unique operational systems. I must say, the language of cars is akin to Swahili for me – rectifier, hemispherical combustion, drag coefficients, independent sliding pillar front suspension – but I still appreciate the beauty of the designs.
The fun thing about this museum is that the cars are not inaccessible. You’re encouraged to walk around them and peek inside. I found some of the interiors quite luxurious. I think the next time I trade in my car, I’m going to insist on embroidered seats and flower vases. Let’s see how far that gets me.
This 1943 Kubelwagen from Germany has an interesting history. There were two batches built for World War II. One was intended for Russia and one for North Africa. However, the cars made for Russia’s cold climate ended up being shipped to Africa and the African cars, meant for extreme heat, were sent to Russia. I wish they had more on the signs that indicated how that affected the fighting.
Right before I finished my tour, an employee walked up and began explaining the wonders of the engine. I wasn’t sure if he was talking to me or the man next to me who was studiously reading a sign. I glanced at the man. Clearly not wanting to engage, he turned and walked away like he had no idea anyone was talking. And yes, that left me. Stuck, I made the appropriate interested expressions – aaah, really?, wow! – and hoped he couldn’t tell I had no idea what the hell he was talking about.
That one little encounter notwithstanding, the Tampa Bay Automobile Museum isn’t just for men or even the mechanically minded. There’s a little something there for everyone. I recommend it.
- 3301 Gateway Centre Blvd., Pinellas Park, Florida
- 727-579-8226
- http://www.tbauto.org
- Monday 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM / Tuesday – Closed / Wednesday through Saturday 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM / Sunday Noon – 4:30 PM
- Website says $14 for seniors but I was charged $16
Lisa Browder 
Leave a comment