Petersen Automotive Museum welcomes back car enthusiasts for 1st time in months

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Car enthusiasts, rejoice. The Petersen Automotive Museum on Thursday welcomed back guests after being shut down for months.

Those who are looking to visit will be required to have a reservation in advance as the museum can only operate at 25% capacity. Admission is free for first responders and health care workers through the year.

The museum will also have several safety protocols in place, including a face mask requirement and sanitation stations throughout the venue. Guests will also be offered a stylus, which can be used on things like elevator buttons, to enhance a touchless experience.

Operations manager Lincoln Ramirez told Eyewitness News the museum is excited to be able to open its doors and show off four new exhibits.

The museum actually reopened last June, but that didn't last long due to changing state and local COVID-19 restrictions. It had to close 14 days after its brief reopening, but Executive Director Terry Karges is confident that this time they'll be able to stay open.

Over the past year, the public has still been able to experience the museum in a virtual capacity, which officials say has kept the museum going all this time. Through YouTube, virtual visitors could get a peek at things like the Petersen's vault.

Though the museum is popular among local residents, Ramirez says going digital put the museum more solidly on the worldwide map.

With this reopening,admission is free for first responders and health care workers through the year.

The museum is located at 6060 Wilshire Boulevard in the Miracle Mile neighborhood of Los Angeles. It will be open Wednesday-Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.