Streetscape: The Car and The City in Southern California

The Streetscape exhibit features historical displays that chronicle the evolution of the automobile and car culture in the 20th century. The lifelike dioramas were designed based on real places and people that existed throughout Southern California. The Streetscape begins with a blacksmith shop in 1901 where 17-year-old Carl Breer built a car powered by a 2-cylinder steam engine. The winding journey continues with 30 detailed displays that bring back the sights, sounds, and even smells of old Los Angeles and help us understand the automobile’s vital role in sculpting our modern automotive landscape.