Autoworld (museum) : History, Collection and events Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Autoworld (museum)

Museum of vintage cars in Brussels, Belgium

50°50′26″N 4°23′34″E / 50.84056°N 4.39278°E / 50.84056; 4.39278TypeAutomobile museumPublic transit accessMetro: Schuman and Merode (lines 1 and 5)Nearest car parkMuseum groundsWebsiteOfficial website

Autoworld is a museum of vintage cars located in the South Hall of the Parc du Cinquantenaire/Jubelpark in Brussels, Belgium. The museum displays a large and varied collection of over 250 European and American automobiles from the late 19th century to the 1990s and is notable for its collections of early and Belgian-produced vehicles, including Minervas and several limousines belonging to the Belgian royal family. It can be accessed from the metro stations Schuman and Merode on lines 1 and 5.

History

The core of the museum was formed by the collections of two collectors: Charly De Pauw and Ghislain Mahy. Mahy was a passionate mechanic from his youth and bought his first car, a Ford T, in 1944. This turned out to be the start of a collection that grew into about a thousand vehicles, amongst which many Belgian brands such as Minervas, Germain, FN, Imperia, Fondu, Vivinus, Nagant, Belga-Rise and Miesse.^[1]

For half a century, the collection took shape in the former Wintercircus in Ghent. In 1986, a selection of 230 cars was transferred to Brussels, where they are housed in the South Hall of the Cinquantenaire complex, also called Palais Mondial. The remaining 750 cars are located in Mahymobiles, an automobile museum located in Leuze-en-Hainaut, Belgium.^[1]

Collection and events

The museum has developed over the years and the exhibition space is now divided into several sections. The museum also organises temporary exhibitions throughout the year, as well as vehicle orientated events, such as anniversary celebrations of different car marques and automotive industry events such the AutoSens conference.^[2]

The permanent collection exhibits cars from the end of the 19th century up to the 1990s. These include Minervas, a 1928 Bentley, a 1930 Bugatti and a 1930 Cord, and several limousines belonging to the Belgian royal family. In addition to passenger cars; motorcycles, sports cars, fire engines and carriages from the 19th century are also on display.^[1]