3301 Gateway Centre Blvd Pinellas Park, FL 33782
727-579-8226
Museum Hours:
MON: 10am – 4:30 pm
TUE: CLOSED
WED: 10am – 4:30 pm
THU: 10am – 4:30 pm
FRI: 10am – 4:30 pm
SAT: 10am – 4:30 pm
SUN: 10am– 4:30 pm
Admission:
$16 General Admission
$14 Seniors (65+)
$10 Active Military and Youth (9-17 y.o.)
Children under 8 free with paid adult
Groups of 12 or More $10 per person
RESTORATION
Our restoration team, consisting of Andy, Jeff 'Smitty', and Steve, work tirelessly to ensure that all museum cars are in perfect condition. Our restoration process typically varies from car to car, depending on how much work is needed to restore the automobile to original conditions. This can be as complex as stripping the car down to its frame for repair work to as simple as putting on a fresh coat of paint! When not working on restoration projects, our team is monitoring the cars in the museum to make sure they are clean and 'road-ready.' One of the main things we pride ourselves on at the museum is that, at any point, any of our cars can be started and taken out on the road. Our restoration team helps ensure that this goal is always met! Subscribe to our newsletter to follow along in the restoration progress of our cars!
VINTAGE POSTERS & LITHOGRAPH EXHIBIT
An entire wing of the museum is now devoted to this prestigious one-of-a-kind collection of vintage European posters featuring early 20th century cinema, political & entertainment themes.
FEATURED ARTIST: JEAN SÉBASTIEN APRILE
Born in Sicilia, he will moved with his parents at a young age to Montmartre in Paris. He learned a job as a lithograph and worked first on posters for the Circus., even designing some by himself. His last job was with Bedos In Paris but during his career he developed a friendship with many designers and artists such as Kees Van Dongen, and Raoul Duffy. Jean was helping them to translate their sketches into a litho, first to stone and next to a plate of zinc. He went through the 20th century doing this work so difficult which seems simple for him.
A FEW WORDS FROM THE FOUNDER
Polypack, Inc. designs and manufactures automatic packaging machinery. This is a technical activity based upon research and innovation. Behind any machine, robot, computer or automobile stands a human being. His or her ability to create and give life – albeit a very limited artificial life – to useful equipment will lead to the development of material progress.
I was born in France and bought my first vintage car out of necessity in the 1950’s when a car such as a Talbot, Delahaye or Darl’ Mat was less expensive than a modern people’s car. I loved those classics and one after another, after good service, they were garaged, waiting for better years. Tatra cars from Czechoslovakia became another interest. I was intrigued by technology and styling that could almost have come from outer space. The idea of a collection based upon avant-garde automobile technology grew stronger every day.
Tatra and its engineer, Hans Ledwinka, symbolize the rear – engine technology; front wheel drive engineering was the obvious counterpoint with its great apostle Jean Albert Gregoire. They are the Yin and Yang of automobile technology. In the course of our research, we discovered more creative engineers, some of whom are unknown to the public at large. The names include Jaray, Muller, Porsche, Rasmussen and Rohr.
We hope you will enjoy our collection at the Tampa Bay Automobile Museum while discovering the great engineers who designed and built these innovative cars. Welcome to Polypack’s tribute to creativity and imagination.
Alain A. Cerf
