Cars & Christmas at the AACA Museum
November 15 - January 4, 2015
Hershey, PA (10/27/2014). There have been many sightings of Santa's little helpers around the Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA) Museum recently! They are preparing our exhibits for a spectacular holiday wonderland featuring themed Christmas trees and many other holiday exhibits. The Cars & Christmas exhibit features dozens of decorated holiday trees, Ernie's Taxi from the iconic holiday movie "It's a Wonderful Life," some fabulous automobiles, Grinch scavenger hunt, vintage bicycles & much more! Here's a rundown of the exhibits sure to light up your visit this holiday:
New Cammack Tucker Gallery- Come see the world's largest collection of three Tucker vehicles and many other Tucker automobila at their new home in the AACA Museum. The collection comes from Mr. David Cammack, a very good friend and supporter of the AACA Museum, who passed on in 2013. His collection includes three 1948 Tucker '48 vehicles, the factory Tucker test chassis, thousands of engineering drawings and blueprints, original Tucker parts, several engines as well as many other artifacts and displays. The vehicles include Tucker #1001 - the first 'production' prototype, Tucker #1022, and Tucker #1026 - the only existing Tucker built with an automatic transmission. A total of 51 Tuckers were built by hand in Chicago, of which 47 are known to exist. The Cammack Tucker collection is being housed permanently in a dedicated 5,200 square foot gallery that will not only showcase the cars themselves, but will also chronicle Preston Tucker's life and history before and after the fabled Tucker '48.
Vintage Bicycle Display - New this year will be a vintage bicycle display showcasing nine vintage bikes, including a 1970 Sear Screamer No.1, a 1949 Shelby Donald Duck, a 1953 Schwinn Black Phantom, and many more!
1959 Pontiac Catalina Safari - Pontiac's El Camino-based prototype, nicknamed ''El Catalina." Come see the unique rescued and restored El Camino, the one and only of its kind. To learn more enjoy this article from our friends at Hemmings:
http://www.hemmings.com/hcc/stories/2011/10/01/hmn_feature1.html
photo courtesy of Hemmings Motor News - A custom train display continues at the Antique Auto Museum at Hershey. Cruise through time-on rails-at the AACA Museum during the holiday season. New features for this year now include an interactive Car Wash in addition to the operating Drive-in Theatre and Saw Mill/Lumber Yard. Travel back in time as these O-gauge locomotives take you to "Tuckerville," the Museum's vision of small-town America in the 1950s. The display has been expanded to include over 350 feet of track and features a new Mountain scene and logging train.
Ernie's GMC Taxi - Here's your chance to see Ernie's GMC Taxi from "It's a Wonderful Life."
Sammy the Snow Plow - Sammy will be back for the holidays this year! Sammy is our 1967 four wheel-drive Walter snowplow weighing in at more than 21 tons and measuring 29 ½ feet in length. Sammy loves the cold weather so you'll find him outside on the Museum grounds.
MINI Snowmobile "Monster Machine"- This MINI Snowmobile was designed and created in 2003 as part of the Discovery Channel's "Monster Garage" television program. The show, hosted by custom motorcycle fabricator and owner of West Coast Choppers, Jesse James, features James and his assembly team attempting to modify an everyday production vehicle into a "monster machine" under strict rules that place restrictions on time, budget and parts. The show then concludes with a challenge related to the new monster machine. Upon completion, James took the MINI snowmobile to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to race NASCAR legend Richard Petty on a Polaris snowmobile. James and his team assembled the MINI Snowmobile out of a standard model MINI Cooper Hardtop during a one hour episode that originally aired on February 24, 2003.
The AACA Museum will also be hosting some holiday events enjoyable for all ages! Come join us for our festive new events this season:
The Hess Mobile Museum - Join us on
November 30th from 10 AM to 4 PM and explore the mobile museum that includes 50 years of Hess Toy Truck history. Also enjoy some outdoor activities - photo ops, Kids' Zone and a bank of toy truck computer games. All activities will take place outside on the grounds of the AACA Museum.
Pajama Party and Polar Express Movie - All aboard! As you enter the museum, a railroad conductor will greet you and stamp your golden ticket, granting you entry to enjoy a tour of the AACA Museum including the Polar Express model train display along with several other train displays and dozens of holiday trees, specialty vehicles and more in our holiday wonderland. Pajamas, pillows, blankets and stuffed animals are encouraged! Enjoy hot dogs, popcorn, cookies, pizza and of course - hot chocolate!
Join us for the modern day classic "The Polar Express" right here in the museum on
December 5th from 6 PM to 9 PM. The movie will be starting at 7 PM.
Advanced tickets required. Regular admission is $15, Children 4-12 - $10, Children 3 & Under are FREE.
Local School Holiday Tree Decorating Contest - Several local schools will each be decorating a tree with ornaments created in their school art program. Visitors are encouraged to vote for their favorite tree. The three school trees that receive the most votes will be rewarded with a gift card for their school. Confirmed Schools to date include: Harrisburg Christian School,Cornwall-Lebanon, Northern Dauphin Christian School, Mill Road and Bainbridge Schools and Harrisburg High School and we have room for a few more!
Give Back - Ready to really get into the spirit? The AACA Museum is teaming up with Central Pennsylvania Food Bank and Toys for Tots for a food and toy "drive" running from November 14th through December 30th. Central Pennsylvania Food Bank is a non-profit organization that helps provide food to over 55,000 people in need every week. You can help by donating non-perishable food items or by donating financially. With access to the wholesale distribution market Central PA Food Bank can stretch each dollar you donate. For every $1 donated, the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank can provide 6 meals to hungry individuals. The AACA Museum will also be collecting new, unwrapped toys for children up to age 16 in support of Toys for Tots. Toys for Tots prefers not to accept realistic looking weapons and gifts with food. If donated, such items will NOT be distributed. The Museum will be collecting these items in our lobby.
Don't forget to visit our retail store for great holiday gifts. The retail store will be selling Tucker car models inspired by our new Tucker Exhibit, a
1:43 scale hand-built white metal model (not diecast) of the famous
Tucker '48! Exclusive to the AACA Museum, this one-of-a-kind model was
produced by Brooklin Models Limited. It will be
available in three colors to match the Cammack Tucker collection automobiles here at the AACA Museum - #1001 Tucker Maroon, #1022 Tucker Grey (silver) and #1026 bronze. Models will be available November in our retail store, but pre-orders are being accepted now for
$139.99! We have something for everyone so bring the whole family and get into the holiday spirit!
ABOUT THE AACA MUSEUM:
The Antique Automobile Club of America Museum, a Smithsonian Affiliate, displays beautifully restored automobiles, buses and motorcycles in unique life-like scenes representing the 1890s - 1980s in a cross-country journey from New York to San Francisco. This Museum, a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization, is known to be one of the largest automotive museums. Special exhibits change several times a year and focus on a variety of eras and types of vehicles. The Museum is in South Hanover Township, located just off Route 39, one mile west of Hersheypark Drive, Hershey, Pennsylvania. Regular admission $12, seniors age 61 and older $11, juniors age 4-12 $9, children age 3 and under are FREE. The Museum is open daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The AACA Museum is closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. For further information, please call 717-566-7100 or visit www.AACAMuseum.org.
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