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AMERICA’S PACKARD MUSEUM AND NAAM

The National Association of Automobile Museums (NAM) is a professional organization for affiliated organizations that supports, educates, and encourages members to operate according to professional standards of the museum industry. In March 2024, both Rob Signom and Mark Vargas presented talks at the annual conference at the Savoy Automobile Museum, in Cartersville, GA.

Mark Vargas presented on Driving Enthusiasm with the Automobile Quarterly Collection. Most people are familiar with the publication Automobile Quarterly (AQ). Published from 1962-2012, AQ was a highly regarded, professionally researched, and authoritative journal, accessible to scholars, students, and the interested public. This presentation describes what happened to AQ after it ceased publication. The collection now housed at America’s Packard Museum in Dayton, is being processed by our team. Mark described the efforts to digitize the slides and negatives, grants written, the application of digital standards, and online access to the collection.

Executive Director, Robert Signom III, spoke on Women’s Exhibits in Automotive History–Breaking the Glass Sunroof. Rob presented along with Museum Board member Mary Seelhorst and Toni Boudreaux-Godwin, Director of Operations, of The Brumos Collection. They stated that there are simply not enough exhibits about women’s contributions to automotive history. Women’s voices in auto history, drivers, design, racing, and manufacturing, are the story, not merely a part or a novelty. Viewing them otherwise trivializes their accomplishments and relegates them to the back seat. These findings which must translate into accessible museum exhibits, and designed to reach the largest possible audience, will have the desired effect of diversifying gender demographics at automotive museums. Both talks were received extremely well and advanced our ongoing conversations within the auto museum community. Other than excellent fellowship and networking, APM won a NAAMY award for Best Collections Care of the Robert and Sonia Turnquist Library. This prestigious award demonstrates our commitment to the collections of the museum outside of our beautiful cars and put us back on the national stage!

Our Latest Newsletter: Winter 2024

Packard Spring Fling

National Association of Automobile Museums

Greetings from the Library

Road Rants

DIRECTOR’S DASHBOARD – Winter 2024.

It’s one of my favorite times of year again; we’re gearing up for the 2024 Packard Spring Fling, on April 26-27. We’re coordinating logistics and finalizing menus. We’re choosing decorations and writing signage. We’re meeting regularly to ensure this year’s experience is even better than the last. But we can’t do it without you. We want you to share in this rich and exciting event with us again. Drive on, Rob