Inside the Petersen Automotive Museum | Superior Detailer Visits Los Angeles
An automotive enthusiast's dream in the heart of Los Angeles!
During our recent trip to Southern California in September 2026, we had the opportunity to visit the iconic Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. As lifelong automotive enthusiasts and professional detailers, this was one stop we couldn't miss!
Located along Museum Row on Wilshire Boulevard, the Petersen Automotive Museum is home to an incredible collection of rare automobiles, historic classics, exotic supercars, and some of the most significant vehicles in automotive history.
From timeless automotive design to extraordinary engineering and craftsmanship, there's something around every corner to appreciate. It's the kind of place where you can easily spend hours admiring the details that make each vehicle special.
At Superior Detailer, our passion for automobiles goes well beyond paint correction, ceramic coatings, and paint protection film. We have a genuine appreciation for automotive history, preservation, and the craftsmanship behind these incredible machines.
During our visit, several special exhibitions were on display, including
A Fast & Furious Legacy, celebrating 25 years of the film franchise,
Performance & Prestige: A History of Aston Martin,
World-Class: 100 Years of Mercedes-Benz, and
Driven by Possibility, exploring Waymo's journey into autonomous transportation.
Enjoy our photo gallery from the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California!
— The Superior Detailer Team
Our Visit to the Petersen Automotive Museum — Photo Gallery
A Fast & Furious Legacy: 25 Years of Automotive Icons
Few movie franchises have had as much influence on modern car culture as The Fast and the Furious. Celebrating 25 years of the franchise, this exhibit brought together some of the unforgettable vehicles that helped make these films legendary. From Japanese performance icons to American muscle cars, the collection offered a fun look at the vehicles that inspired an entire generation of automotive enthusiasts.
World-Class: 100 Years of Mercedes-Benz
Celebrating a century of Mercedes-Benz, this exhibit showcased the innovation, engineering, luxury, and motorsport heritage that have helped shape one of the most recognized names in automotive history. From elegant prewar automobiles and iconic classics to legendary performance and racing machines, the collection offered an incredible look at the evolution of Mercedes-Benz and its influence on the automotive world.
Having visited the Mercedes-Benz Museum and Factory in Stuttgart, Germany, back in 2017, we've had the opportunity to experience one of the world's most impressive Mercedes-Benz collections firsthand. That said, the Petersen certainly didn't disappoint! Its exhibit featured some exceptionally rare and historically significant vehicles, offering another fascinating look into the brand's remarkable automotive heritage.
PERFORMANCE & PRESTIGE: a history of aston martin
Few automotive manufacturers combine elegance, performance, and craftsmanship quite like Aston Martin. This exhibit explored more than a century of British automotive excellence, featuring beautiful grand tourers, historic performance cars, and modern high-performance machines. From timeless classics to extraordinary hypercars, the collection celebrated the unmistakable design and engineering that have made Aston Martin one of the world's most respected luxury marques.
Driven by Possibility: Waymo's Road to Autonomous Transport
Taking a look toward the future, this exhibit explored the evolution of autonomous vehicle technology and Waymo's role in developing self-driving transportation. Featuring examples of the company's early experimental vehicles and more recent autonomous platforms, the display offered a fascinating contrast to the historic automobiles throughout the museum.
It's incredible to see just how far automotive technology has come—and where it might take us next!
Automotive History, Design & Inspiration
Beyond the featured exhibitions, the Petersen Automotive Museum had even more incredible automotive treasures to discover!
One of the highlights of our visit was heading downstairs to explore The Vault, an extraordinary collection of rare, historic, and one-of-a-kind automobiles housed beneath the museum's main exhibition floors.
From beautifully preserved classics and historically significant vehicles to rare exotics and fascinating pieces of automotive history, The Vault was a real treat for any car enthusiast. Around every corner was something else worth stopping to admire!
For those of us who spend our days restoring, refining, and protecting automotive finishes, seeing this level of craftsmanship, design, and preservation up close is always a special experience.
Until Next Time, Los Angeles!
Our visit to the Petersen Automotive Museum was certainly a highlight of our Southern California trip.
If you're an automotive enthusiast visiting Los Angeles, we highly recommend making time to explore this incredible museum.
We hope you enjoy the photographs as much as we enjoyed taking them!
Superior Detailer LLC – SD
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