iOS App Enhances Physical, Virtual Tours of Renovated L.A. Auto Museum

The Petersen Automotive Museum now offers a mobile app that lets visitors “drive” through its vehicle collection with a personal guide.

The Petersen app, which is available in a free version or a $2.99 premium version through iTunes with extra content, uses location beacons inside the museum to provide self-guided tours of the car and motorcycle collection, as well as other exhibits. The app is available so far in English, Spanish, German, French, Russian and Mandarin, with more to come. An Android version could come later but is not yet scheduled.

The iOS app, which runs on iPhones, iPads and iPod Touch devices running iOS 8.0 or later, lets visitors see a wide range of vehicles in the collection, from racing cars to rarities and important trend-setting vehicles from around the world, including the Volkswagen bus, the Chevrolet Corvette and the Ferrari 212/225. The museum will also rent iPads for a small fee to visitors who don’t have iOS devices so they can use the premium version of the app on a larger screen.

Also built into the museum app is a page describing upcoming exclusive automobile-related events at the Petersen Automotive Museum. Plus, visitors can use the app to buy tickets to the museum and to RSVP for special events.

Included in the museum’s collection is the Cisitalia 202 Coupe, which has a flowing, beautiful body designed by the Italian Pininfarina design house after World War II. The car was built atop a chassis and running gear made up of Fiat parts.

Visitors can see the Jaguar XKSS, which actor Steve McQueen loved for its sportiness and beautiful design, on the third floor of the Petersen museum.

From Harley-Davidsons, Hondas and Triumphs to Ducatis and Vincents, the museum has a collection of motorcycles from around the world on display as well. This 1927 Indian Big Chief has a V-twin engine and was built in Springfield, Mass.

As visitors tour the museum, they can also participate in a self-guided vehicle scavenger hunt. The “Go Hunting” game gives clues about cars in the collection so that visitors can find and identify them to test their auto model and brand knowledge skills.

One of the vehicles in the vehicle scavenger hunt game is the iconic Batmobile, which is found in the museum’s wide-ranging collection. After finding a vehicle described in the scavenger hunt, visitors are graded on their success in the quiz.

The app also provides a myriad of museum information for users, including operating hours, ticket prices, maps, addresses and more. In addition, visitors can sign up for the Petersen Automotive Museum newsletter through the app.