Galpin Porsche Museum — Santa Clarita Dealership
Published on . Event was held at Porsche Santa Clarita on .
#cars #911 #company #dealership #museum #photo gallery #Porsche
Couldn’t miss an opportunity to stop by at Santa Clarita visiting Los Angeles last September. It’s a cute town up north from LA, not very far from my favorite Getty Center.
Santa Clarita dealership is well known in the area, thanks to the Galpin Porsche Wunderground museum on the first floor, show room restaurant and local events they organize for Porsche fans.
Restaurant menu looked luring, and its setting is very open and welcoming — I will certainly try something next time I’m there.
Show Room
Show room meets you with an amazing entryway made of green glass tiles — it lets all the light in and looks great on photos.
There were at least three GT2 & GT3 911s in bright green, blue and somewhat mysterious dark magento.
Galpin Porsche Museum
The museum concept reminded me of the Peterson’s Vault — both are located on the first (ground) floor, where normally parking garage is. Galpin museum is much smaller, of course, and every car is properly presented within it’s space. From displaying setup — posters, lights, technical and historical spec sheets — Wunderground is much closer to the main exposition space at Peterson.
This GT1 was shot in the show room but later was moved back to the museum floor.
I was visiting on a workday and had whole museum for myself! It is very unusual and somewhat daunting experience — out of a sudden you are now responsible for keeping this sacred space in the same state as you found it. It did allow me to try as many angles for pictures as my knees could handle, and I have to say — lighting is designed really well for what essentially is a basement.
They exhibit a lot of different cars — from early 356-s (in bright colors) to the much more recent 918 Spyder (which is a hybrid vehicle, uh-oh). Of course, 964, 993 and 926C are present, so you could argue that I took pictures of wrong cars only.
More details on that white-purple 1997 964 GT2.
Museum is open every day (including Sundays) during regular working hours of the dealership. Admission is free, and at the time of my visit reservation was not required.
Service Zone Parking Lot
Museum is a climate controlled space, and only glass door closing behind you gives away that this, much warmer area, is something else.
Cars hear are as immaculate, tasteful and exquisite as ones you just left behind.
As you go down the hall, you get a sense of what kind of cars (and, py projection — their owners) come here for a service and maintenance.
It’s a solid group! Early 911 (912?) in what seems to be the original condition — fully covered with dust. 935s, 911 cabriolets of all generations in unique colors I didn’t know exist.
I never saw a ferrari-inspired(?) Rinspeed R69 before, and can assure you that it’s interior is on par with the exterior. How about remote control embedded into the center of the steering wheel? I’m guessing airbag wasn’t a thing back then.
Hope you enjoyed this brief tour around the dealership and museum, and now are looking for an excuse to visit it in person.
Thing is — it’s even better in person! And grab that sandwich in the restaurant, so that you (unlike me) have enough energy to roam around until they close for the night…