No, that’s not a typo. We checked, and the number is real: The Petersen Automotive Museum Foundation announced Tuesday that the Museum Foundation has received a gift of approximately $100,000,000 from Margie Petersen and the Margie & Robert E. Petersen Foundation. According to the press release,
This donation is comprised of a substantial unrestricted financial gift, a matching challenge, the 300,000 square foot building that the Museum has occupied since it opened in 1994, and an important collection of cars assembled by the late Robert E. Petersen during his lifetime, all as part of the Museum’s gift.
This gift ensures that the Museum will continue to grow in importance as one of Los Angeles’ premier museums, and the largest and most acclaimed automobile museum in the nation.
“I am thrilled to make this gift which continues what Mr. Petersen and I began two decades ago, to build the most important automotive museum in the nation. My intent in doing this is to provide the Museum with the necessary resources to continue to enhance its collections, curatorial expertise and exhibitions so that generations to come will be able to forever know the history of the automobile and its role in the evolution of our nation’s transportation system,” said Margie Petersen.
“I am fulfilling a vision that Mr. Petersen and I shared and planned to do someday. I am so happy that this day has come and that I can launch the Museum into a new era of growth and expansion. While I expect the resources of the Museum to be available to the world, this gift is especially designed to the benefit of the Los Angeles community where we made our lives together,” stated Margie Petersen.
“Important collection of cars?” Yup, that’s where our ears perked up, too, and we’re working on getting a list and images. The spokespeople were mentioning names like Bugatti, so we do know it’s not small potatoes, and we’ll have an update as soon as we know more.