Yesterday I headed on out to the Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum at 2040 North Santa Fe Avenue in Vista, California.
Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum
Museum is an understatement. I do believe it is the largest museum I have ever been to. The grounds just went on and on and on and on….
55 acres, or just 45 acres fewer than the San Diego Zoo.
The museum’s collection highlights the era from the 1890s to the early 1960s. This is not your typical museum because a more-than-expected number of equipment is in operating condition, and it was quite fun to see unique and even one-of-a-kind tractors roaming around the ground, as in the two pictures surrounding this paragraph. There are about 1,000 volunteers who maintain, restore, and operate the equipment in the collections.
Along with antique steam engines and farming equipment, there is a
N-scale model railroad exhibit (Short Track Railroad building; open every Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.), a wagon exhibit (California Barn), farm equipment (Harvester Barn), a working blacksmith/wheelwright shop (blacksmithing is taught and demonstrated every Saturday, beginner through advanced), the Steam Tractor Barn, Steam Engine Row (I was mesmerized for over an hour), a mini train providing rides, Gas Engine Row, and a weaving exhibit using historic looms.
N-scale model railroad exhibit
1901 Ford Model A
Weaving a rug
There are over 20,000 items in the Museum’s collection, providing billions and billions and billions of opportunities to get unique photos.
I will have lots more pictures to share, and if YouTube will cooperate (keeps crashing this morning), even some cool videos.
If you love history and you’re ever in San Diego, put aside a day to visit the Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum. It’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen.
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