The Blackhawk Museum is truly a wondrous place if you’re a classic automobile enthusiast, restorer... read more
The Blackhawk Museum is truly a wondrous place if you’re a classic automobile enthusiast, restorer... read more
The automobile exhibit is top notch, but the companion exhibits are truly inspiring. The Chinese... read more
This place is a hidden gem, nestled at the foot of of the majestic, Mt Diablo. You have to be Davy Crockett to find it but once you get there you will see some of the finest automobiles on the planet, kindest docents anywhere and an array of oddities the museums most generous benefactor, the late, great, Ken Berhing collected on his numerous world travels. You can enjoy bronze sculptures from Thailand, re created ancient instuments from china, a transported piece of the old west from Wyoming. You can cross over from China to Africa and even visit creations from under the sea. It is a wonderful place to visit and even a better place to hold an event! Yes, you can rent the ballroom out right, right next to some of the most exotic and higly coveted autombiles in the world!
The Blackhawk Museum is truly a wondrous place if you’re a classic automobile enthusiast, restorer or someone who just plain likes cars. The collection ranges from the early 20th century all the way to today with a little something for just about every era of automotive history. My favorites have always been the Auburn’s, Cord’s and Duesenberg’s of which there are always one or two world class specimens on display. Sadly, I’ve heard rumors that with the passing of its founder Ken Behring a short while ago, that the facility could be repurposed in the next few years to come. That would truly be a loss for the area and classic car community in Northern California. Go, enjoy it before it’s too late. It’s worth the drive from Danville Or even Istanbul. Cheers.
The automobile exhibit is top notch, but the companion exhibits are truly inspiring. The Chinese exhibit has to be one of the best in the West. The history of the West and the miniature West display is impressive. The carvings and art pieces in the Art of Africa are awe inspiring. Well worth the time.
Locals often think of this little museum located in a shopping plaza as an auto museum but it is much more than that. They have a fantastic Spirit of the West Exhibit which traces the history of the western exploration and the Native American experience. All of the exhibits of detailed explanations. Great diorama as well. The China exhibit is fantastic. The Forbidden City is recreated in a diorama. The cars of course are cool and each one has a sign.
It's also nice that you can leave, enjoy lunch at a restaurant in the plaza, and then return.
They also have a free docent presentation at 2 pm on Sundays
There was so much to cover that 3 hours was not enough for my husband and I.
Other reviews say it all-almost 100 classic/rare/unique cars (including Hongqi, the first Chinese-made car to be imported to the U.S., and used during President Nixon's visit to China), "Spirit of the Old West" exhibits, and changing exhibits representing topics in transportation, culture and science. In 2020, a permanent "Into China" Exhibit is added-handcrafted Terracotta Warriors (modeled after the excavation in Xian), bell sets of Marqui Yi cast from the original in Wuhan, replica of the Forbidden City and the Imperial Dragon and Nine Dragon Wall, to name a few. We had just been to Beijing, Xian, and Wuhan in September 2019, and can attest to the lifelike reproductions. It is an amazing museum, which, in 2000, became affiliated with the Smithsonian.
My wife and went to the grand opening of the new exhibit, Into China. It was wonderful, so many interesting things to see. The model of the Forbidden City was amazingly detailed. We also really enjoyed the rest of the museum. If you are a car enthusiast, you definitely will want to see the car exhibit. The Spirit of the Old West was also very informative. The museum building is very clean and modern. We really enjoyed our visit!