NEWPORT CAR MUSEUM: THE ART OF THE CAR!

A private collection of some 50 automobiles focuses on six decades of modern industrial automotive design and celebrates cars as works of art.

The Newport Car Museum, Portsmouth, RI, officially opens its doors for the first time on June 1 and will surely become a “destination” for tourists as well as serious car enthusiasts when visiting New England.

“We believe that the wonderfully talented industrial designers who flourished after World War II were not unlike the sculptors and artists of the Renaissance Period,” said Gunther Buerman, who, with his wife Maggie, founded the Newport Car Museum. “Their creative passion is reflected especially in automobile design of the 1950s through the 1970s and from 1990 to the present, which is the focus of our collection.”

Separate exhibits for Corvettes, Fin Cars, Mopars, Shelbys and World Cars have been carefully curated to appeal to all enthusiasts, regardless of age or gender. A collection of Mid-Century modern furniture by iconic designers – Charles and Ray Eames, Florence Knoll Bassett, Arne Jacobsen and Hans Wegner – has been integrated into the artistic styling of the museum. Six driving simulators await those wanting to test their skills on the toughest raceways and road courses in the world.

“The location and space here gives us everything we need to present a very special modern design experience,” said Maggie Buerman about the museum’s unlikely but accommodating home: A 114,000 square-foot building that was once a missile manufacturing plant. Completely gutted and renovated for its current purpose, it is located on 17 acres at the Raytheon Company campus in Portsmouth, R.I., just a short drive from Newport.

The Newport Car Museum includes 50,000 square feet of exhibit area, offices, a library and 5,000 square feet of event space that can accommodate parties for as many as 500 people. The space also includes corporate breakout rooms and other special locations for gatherings, including “Coffee and Cars” events that the museum plans to regularly host. Located on-site but operated separately from the museum is a 30,000-square-foot temperature-controlled storage space with a garage and concierge service.

Photography by Ken Buschner, a member of the Sarasota Café Racers and owner of  http://www.b25studios.com

For more information about the museum, please visit https://newportcarmuseum.org/