Jay Leno’s look inside one of America’s premier car collection museums

The Petersen Automotive Museum, home to one of the largest car collections in the world, is celebrating its 30th anniversary.

The Los Angeles Museum’s collection of more than 400 classic cars includes Hollywood legend Steve McQueen’s 1956 Jaguar, now worth more than $30 million.

“This is probably one of the most popular cars in our collection,” said chief mechanic Dana Williamson, who is one of the few people in the world trusted to drive it.

The museum was founded in 1994 by Robert E. Petersen, a publishing giant who helped shape American car culture.

Comedian Jay Leno is one of the museum’s biggest fans and has a lifelong love of cars.

“I got 208 on the street. That’s a little stupid,” Leno said. “I just never sold anything. Before I would have been called a collector, but when the value goes up, you are now a collector!”

There are almost 300 cars in the vault, which are carefully maintained while they are not on display.

“It’s like a 1925 parking lot,” Leno said.

He lives just three miles away and often spends time at the museum, swapping stories about old cars with managing director Terry Karges, whose favorite car in the collection is a Bugatti given to the Prince of Persia as a wedding gift.

There is also a Ford GT40. Only seven were ever built. It won the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the famous victory retold in Ford v Ferrari.

“A lot of Americans are very proud because it beat Ferrari, it beat the best,” Leno said.

Today the museum houses one of the largest and most prestigious automobile collections in the world.

“I think all museums are important. Today, cars combine art and culture. They are now viewed as kinetic works of art. It’s just as nice to drive down the street as it is to park it.”

Most of Petersen’s exhibits are borrowed or donated cars, giving a second life to many valuable automotive heirlooms that are kept alive for a new generation.

“Now there’s Uber and … I understand why young people aren’t particularly interested in cars,” Leno said.

A ride will get you where you need to go, but for Leno, like McQueen, the real joy lies in the ride itself.

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