2026 NAAM Conference - Reimagining the Road Ahead

Presentation from 5 industry leaders looking at the future of automotive museum exhibitions and experiences, followed by a lengthy Q&A to help new and seasoned professionals guide their museum experiences.

Presenters: Nick LaCasse, Executive Director Gilmore Car Museum, Jacob Fuller, Collections Manager Gilmore Car Museum, John Hansen, Executive Director Classic Car Club of American Museum, Matt Short, Exhibit Concepts, Alex Oliver, President DRAFT Agency

Automotive museum curators may have the seemingly simple task of putting vehicles into a proper cultural and historical perspective, but cars are large, complex objects that require the specialized skill to expertly blend into exhibitions that will both attract and hold a visitor’s attention. As simple and populist as they might be, automobiles pose greater challenges to museum exhibit designers than virtually any other large object. And although they are elephantine in proportion compared to civil war swords and masterwork paintings, the temptation to crowd vehicles in a room so tightly that only their frontal aspects can be viewed is often irresistible. It has been said that if everything is important then nothing is important, rendering a “less is more” approach to presenting vehicles in engaging exhibitions well worth considering. This session will explore this and other opportunities open to exhibit designers and managers, who are mandated to present vehicles in a context that invites both casual study by enthusiasts and detailed analysis by scholars in all realms.

In this session, the panelists will discuss the basics of grants for auto museums. They will explore what kinds of grants are available (private foundation, local, regional, state, and federal); how to find grant support; what information is needed; time and staff required; deliverables and the reporting process; and timelines. They will discuss the overall costs and benefits of grant writing efforts.

Inaddition, they will discuss the different kinds of grants available to help museums accomplish theirmission, including:
 How to get started with grant writing.
 How museums find the technical staff to identify, write, and submit grants.
 How to write grants that appeal to the granting agencies and how to reach out to officers,asking what works, what doesn’t, and asking for examples.
 Learning the “buzzwords” and syntax grantors prefer, and how to speak their language.
 How to keep your name out there, stay in touch, show passion and enthusiasm, even if youdo not get the grant the first time.
 Grants on capacity building to strengthen the foundational elements of a museum such asfunding for strategic planning, professional development for staff, or upgrades toadministrative systems.
 Grants on collections stewardship to find resources for proper storage, conservation, anddigitization, and digitization.
 Grants on public engagement and education to support the development of engaging newexhibits, innovative educational programs for local schools, or community outreachinitiatives that bring the museum’s stories beyond its walls.
 Grants on technological advancement to develop a user-friendly website, creating onlineexhibitions, or implementing a modern collections management system that makes theirholdings accessible to a wider audience.
 Grants on historic preservation and restoration, and operations. 
 Unrestricted grants and donations.
 Making yourself known to financial advisors.
 Owning their Candid, Charity Navigator, and GuideStar descriptions.
 Sustaining the institutional internal capabilities after a grant is over.