CBS Mornings special “Jay Leno Rides Through 30 Years of Auto History” featuring the Petersen Automotive Museum. Lead Photo Credit: Raimund Koch Video Credit: CBS Mornings
In the November 15 morning special, Hollywood comedian and car collector Jay Leno takes CBS on a tour of the unparalleled collection of vintage vehicles in the KPF-designed museum.
Founded in 1994 by Rob E. Petersen of Hot Rod Magazine, the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles has attracted car lovers and Hollywood tourists alike for 30 years. Renovated by KPF in 2015, the museum holds “one of the largest and most prestigious automotive collections in the world,” says CBS Mornings host Carter Evans. “McQueen’s ’56 Jaguar is now worth around 30 million dollars, the crown jewel in a collection of over 400 classics.” The CBS Mornings special follows Jay Leno into the belly of the museum, a vault holding the cars not currently on display and where they are meticulously maintained. These upkeep services are part of why so many of the museum’s vehicles are donated or loaned by their owners.
“Wrapped in ribbons of steel, the museum itself is a work of art” says CBS, showing exterior shots of the distinctive red and silver building. The KPF-designed façade, made of “angel hair” stainless steel, is inspired by the vehicular form and references the way that the body of a car is mounted to its frame. The design exemplifies KPF’s dedication to contextual architecture, echoing the mid-century architectural language of Los Angeles, an arresting space-age style that is contemporary with many of the Petersen’s prized automobiles.