Showing posts with label Museums. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Museums. Show all posts

Friday, October 1, 2021

17 Reasons to Visit The National Automobile Museum in Reno, Nevada

(775) 333-9300
My Short Video of the Museum

Fasten your seatbelts and take a ride in a DeLorean time machine back to the past at the National Automobile Museum.

At this cleverly designed museum, walk down the "streets" and hop from gallery to gallery laid out in chronological order and marvel at a collection of cars dating to the 1800s and onward to present day, watching the most impactful human creation evolve, with each collection advancing and transforming. 

The National Automobile Museum all started when Bill Harrah, a pioneer in the gaming industry known for his casinos and hotels, passed away, leaving a collection of some 1,400 vehicles behind.  

Holiday Inns jumped at the opportunity to take over Harrah's collection, and before having the chance to auction the cars off, were intercepted with a proposition from the City of Reno to use some of the cars to  start a museum, preserving the history and beauty of Bill's legacy. That vision came to life and today is known as the National Automobile Museum.  

The museum's well-designed layout, educational plaques, themed displays, flawless vehicles, and the attention to detail (complimenting music and art), make for the ideal environment for wonder, nostalgia, and appreciation to live and thrive.


17 Reasons to Visit the National Automobile Museum

1.  The museum has many well thought out displays that come to life.

2.  Experience and have fun learning the history of the automobile in the most ideal setting.

3.  Among many collections of amazing cars, find a "celebrity" section with cars known for their roles in prominent movies of the past.  Can't pass up the Back to the Future, Titanic, and Rebel Without a Cause vehicles. 

4.  There's a daily presentation on story of Bill Harrah and his journey to the museum.  Showing everyday, 11-4pm on the hour, 25 minutes in length, at their 157-seat theater.

5.  Their gift shop is amazing, with out-of-print books about cars, antique toy cars, old-fashioned souveniers, plenty of T-shirts, a penny press souvenir machine, and more.

6.  You can have fun sitting inside a Ford Model T.  Pre-pandemic, they had costumes for visitors.  If you came dressed up in a costume for a photoshoot, they would be happy. 

7.  They have a very cool space museum exhibit.

8.  You can find a very well made figurine of Yoda.

9.  The volunteers and workers are amazing, passionate, and kind.

10.  If you're a tourist from out of town, there's a visitor's pamphlet section next to the restrooms.

11.  They have special events that run throughout the year.

12.  They have volunteers that have been there for many years (the kind one that told me the history of the museum has been there for 12 years) and make your visit special by sharing their knowledge and kindness.

13. They have special traveling exhibits, like the history of motorcycles (pictured below) and Cars with Lightning McQueen and Mater.  

14. There's a photo booth that can send your pictures to your phone for free. 

15.  I don't consider myself a car person, but I absolutely LOVE it here.

16.  The National Automobile Museum always makes Halloween fun and safe every year and for a minimal fee.  You trick-or-treat from gallery to gallery and always end with some carnival games and more treats at the end.   

17.  They have free networking events where you can connect with like-minded people.

$3 Children/ $2 Adults  2021

Know Before You Go
-Free Parking
-Museum is huge with plenty of space
-Masks required as of 10/1/2021
-Their website is loaded with tons of information for visitors
-They have Science Saturdays, second Saturday of every month. Ages 8-12yrs.
-Audio Tours available
-Tourist pamphlets to attractions in Reno next to restroom

How to Support our Amazing Museum
-Attend their special events 
-Purchase from their gift shop
-Follow them on Instagram and Facebook and tag them in your pictures
-Host your special events here (weddings, banquets, seminars, special occasions) 60-1,200 guests, catering available
-Purchase with Amazon using their "Amazon Smile" link, in which they will get a small profit from your purchases. 


Purchase Tickets for Art, Autos, and Wine
(wine tastings, appetizers, live music, and art for sale)

This event is special to them as they will be showcasing art from one of the long-time artists, Bob Cinkel, who worked for the museum for a while, designing signage, interpretive text, and creating art for its walls.
Source

Feature artist for this event will be Mike Callahan, who does amazing paintings of our beautiful landscapes.



Categorized Under "Museums and Zoos"

Tuesday, January 5, 2021

Witness A Millionaire's Creation During the Comstock Load Mining Boom and Enjoy Beautiful Grounds at Bowers Mansion Regional Park


Upcoming Event: Bowers Bluegrass Festival (August 24-27, 2023)
Purchase Tickets

Nestled among the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains is Bowers Mansion Regional Park, only 15 minutes away from South Reno on the way to Carson City.


For 100+ years, people have been visiting this park for its scenic views, swimming pool, mansion, beautiful grounds, history, events, outdoor recreational activities, and more. 



*Experience a pleasant picnic under towering shade trees on a lawn that seems endless

*Swim in a secluded pool in the middle of nature, big enough for everyone to enjoy

*Rent out one of the pavilions for life's special occasions

*Retreat from summer heat under shade trees over a good read

*Take in a piece of history through educational plaques & tours in the most elegant building of its time

*Let the children run wild and free while exploring, swinging, sliding, & climbing at the playground


I'm so thankful to have such a special and beautiful park nearby, a park that has served and continues to as the perfect place to learn, have fun, grow, live life to the fullest, and create precious moments.


2020 hours of operation.  Opening + closing dates are around the same time every year.


Bower's Mansion Tours

Take a trip back in history and walk in the shoes of past millionaires Eilley & Sandy Bowers with a guided tour offered seasonally, usually from Memorial Day through Nevada Day. 


I have yet to take it, but from what I've researched, it's popular and led by people who tell the story of the mansion in an entertaining manner (such as the person in the walk-through video tour below).


The park usually hosts special events like Programs on the Porch (free live music), the Civil War event, & more.


Notes
-49 Acre Park
-Due to historical significance, there are no pets allowed in the park, with exceptions to service animals.
-plenty of day use picnic tables with BBQ grills that are spread throughout the park on a first come, first-served basis
-There are two pavilions on each end of the park that are big enough for special events like weddings.  Comstock Picnic Pavilion & Washoe Picnic Pavilion. Horseshoe and volleyball next to each pavilion
-There are two play (partially shaded) structures on each end of the park
-Plenty of grass for all activities
-There's a trail behind the mansion leading to great views of Washoe Lake and the Bower's family cemetery. Up some stairs and less than 5 minutes up on a dirt trail
-The swimming pool always keeps a lane open for lap swimmers. There's a new gated splash pad for toddlers, easy entry ladders and hydraulic lift available.
-There are plenty of trees around the property that change during fall
-An amazing spot for photos
-Great shade in the summer
-Davis Creek Regional Park is only a couple of minutes away and is family friendly, with trails ranging from easy to difficult, camping grounds, picnic areas, and a place to fish when water is abundant. 
-I love taking my kids to the Chocolate Nugget Factory after a long day of fun and exercise just down the street, about 3–5 min. away
-The park is surrounded by farmlands.  You can easily drive around Wahoe Lake and find lots of farm animals to look at. 
-flushable toilets available
-Huge parking lots, one on each side

My kids learned how to bike here.

Photography 
©Katherine Fung,
All rights reserved.

***Information subject to change.  All opinions are my own. 

Sunday, November 8, 2020

Become a Hero for a day at the Hall of Heroes- Wilbur D. May Museum, Reno.


Wilbur D. May Center
1595 N Sierra Street
Reno, NV 89503

Museum: (775) 785-5961
Arboretum: (775) 785-4153
Park Ranger Office: (775) 785-4512

Link to Wilbur D. May Museum website
Link to Volunteer Opportunities
Link to Facebook Page for latest updates
Link to Museum Event Space Rental Information
Link to Garden Wedding Rentals
Link to Pavilion Rental Information

Under normal circumstances, the Wilbur D. May Museum has plenty of themed exhibitions that change from time to time throughout the year.  The Hall of Heroes was only one of many that made its way to the museum, engaging Reno residents and testing their super-human abilities.

The exhibit had impressive figurines and activities that were interesting and fun.  The kids were amazed the whole time, being more and more eager for the next activity.  They were able to test their speed, get blown away by a super fan as if they were flying in the sky, test out their hanging capabilities and solve some puzzles that required some super-human thinking.  Just like all the other exhibits, you can expect lots of fun with these themed displays.  

The Wilbur D. May Museum is always thinking of ways to keep life interesting in Reno.  Me and my family always love supporting the museum, keeping it and the life of Wilbur D. May alive.  

This museum is the only museum in Nevada where you can find artifacts unique to the museum.  The artifacts are well preserved and displayed in a nice and organized manner, sorted out into different categories.  

Museums help spark interest, preserve history, help us learn how we came to be, and help us travel to places around the world that we may never otherwise have the chance to travel to.  Wilbur D. May is currently open to the public with lots of space to social distance and stay safe. It is rarely packed so no need to worry about big crowds.

The museum can be found in Rancho San Rafael Park, Reno's biggest and most dynamic park.  You can find more information about the park HERE in my other entry. 



 Categorized under "Museums"