Toyota Automobile Museum: Learn About the Evolution and Culture of Automobiles!

"Special Exhibitions" Held Several Times a Year

A powerful exhibit that looks like a real racing

Special exhibitions are held several times a year in the special exhibition room on the second floor of the Automobile Culture Showroom. 
At the time of the interview, "Toyota Motorsports Biographies: Tireless Challengers (~April 11, 2021)" was being held, and from January 4, 2021, guided tours of the exhibition will begin. (Once a day on weekdays, twice a day on weekends)

As mentioned earlier in the Automobile Gallery, for automobile manufacturers, motorsports is more than just competition. They improve their technologies by aiming for cars that can continue to run on difficult courses and under severe conditions. They reflect that technology in their production vehicles.

Toyopet Crown RSD Round Australia Rally Competition (Replica)

In 1957, Toyota became the first Japanese car to participate in an overseas rally, the "Round Australia Rally. It was said to be the toughest rally in the world at the time, covering approximately 17,000 km and completed in 19 days. The Crown completed the rally with flying colors! The car body was almost undamaged. 

▼ Click here for details of the special exhibition
https://toyota-automobile-museum.jp/event/detail/2484.html

Now, let's go to the main part of the showroom.

About 4,000 Items on Display
"Automobile Culture Showroom"

The Automobile Culture Showroom exhibits approximately 4,000 items from the Toyota Automobile Museum's collection of more than 200,000 domestic and international automobile-related cultural artifacts under the theme of "Mobility is Culture".

The museum maintains optimal conditions for displaying materials, with a humidity of less than 50%, a temperature of less than 22°C, and low lighting.

Approximately 800 Miniature Cars Arranged in Chronological Order

The first thing that catches the eye are the approximately 800 miniature cars arranged in chronological order from 1769 to around 2000. Inside the case, the cars are arranged from the front in Japan, the United States, and Europe, so visitors can visually learn how cars evolved over time.

Cars on display in the Automobile Gallery are marked with round markers, so visitors can see the actual car and say, "Oh, that's the car I just saw!", and many visitors come back to the gallery.

"Automotive Posters," a Collection of Approximately 300 Posters

The walls are lined with automobile posters.

The Toyota Automobile Museum has a collection of about 300 posters, with about 20 on display for each theme. On the day of our visit, posters related to motorsports were picked up in conjunction with a special exhibition. The posters also give us a glimpse of the lifestyle of the time, including the cityscape and clothing.

"Car Mascot" Accessory for Decorating Cars

Car mascots were popular from around 1910 to the early 1930s. It seems to have been adopted as a landmark, a talisman, a fashion item, and a form of self-expression.

Of particular note are the glass car mascots created by French glassworker René Lalique. The permanent exhibition of 29 types of mascots is said to be unique in the world.

"Automotive Toys and Games" that will Take You Back to Your Childhood

Behind the car mascot is the "Automotive Toys and Games" section!

The exhibition features approximately 780 items, including Japanese-made tin toys exported to Europe and the United States in the 1950s, mini four-wheelers, video games, and other items. It is a collection of Japanese tin toys exported to Europe and the U.S. in the 1950s, including mini 4WDs and video games.

"Automobile Stamps" Featuring 1,200 Stamps

What a surprise, there is even a section for stamps!

To this day, more than 15,000 types of automobile stamps with beautiful depictions of famous and popular car models have been issued worldwide. The drawers are also lined with stamps. It is said that many stamp lovers spend long hours looking at them.

The Famous Character Also Appears! "Automobiles and Publications."

This section displays car magazines and catalogs.

Starting with "La Locomotion Automobile," the world's first automobile magazine, the exhibition introduces the evolution of automobile magazines by showing the covers of about 60 magazines first published in Europe, the U.S., Japan, and other countries from 1894 to around 2000. Approximately 150 catalogs are displayed by decade.

Today's catalogs are simple and cool, but in the 1980s, catchphrases were so unique.

I discovered the Michelin Man! It was born when a pile of tires resembled the shape of a man. The silhouette is quite different from today.

Movies and Music Featuring Cars

The last section of the Automobile Culture Showroom displays and introduces approximately 170 pieces of literature, manga, movies, and music in which automobiles appear. It was a very interesting section, where you could find the cars that the anime characters were driving.

The Automobile Culture Showroom had an abundance of exhibits that you can enjoy even if you have no knowledge of cars, such as posters, stamps, car mascots, toys, and more. It is also important to note that some of the exhibits change every few months!

Next, let's visit the library on the 3rd floor of Cultural Gallery!