Southward Car Museum, Vehicle museum in Kāpiti Coast District, New Zealand
Southward Car Museum is a vehicle museum in Kāpiti Coast District that displays roughly 450 automobiles arranged by era across multiple exhibition halls. The collection spans from early motoring pioneers to modern vehicles, showing how car design and engineering have changed over time.
Sir Len Southward and his wife Vera started collecting vehicles in 1956 with a Ford Model T, and their private collection eventually became this museum. The gathering opened to the public in 1979 after decades of passionate collecting.
The collection reflects how cars shaped everyday life across different eras, from early motoring to modern times. Visitors can see how people's relationship with vehicles evolved through changing designs and features.
The museum sits about one hour from Wellington and offers facilities including an engineering workshop, gift shop, cafe, and accessible parking. All amenities are on-site, making it easy to spend several hours exploring the collection.
The museum features a 474-seat theater with a restored 1929 Wurlitzer organ that was originally installed in Auckland's Civic Theatre. The instrument still plays occasionally, adding an unexpected musical dimension to a car museum.
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