We always have an eye out for Los Angeles’ coolest museum exhibitions, and this nostalgic new showcase at the Petersen Automotive Museum is not to be missed this summer.
Totally Awesome! Cars and Culture of the ’80s and ’90s opens this Saturday, June 7, 2025, presenting the most epic vehicles from the last two decades of the twentieth century—keep reading for the 411.
Just as this period was pivotal in the worlds of pop culture and technology, the ’80s and ’90s also marked a major moment in automobile culture. This exhibition takes visitors through the intersections of automobile development with the era’s new technologies and media landscape. From new computer-aided design processes, to developments in safety and efficiency, to new racing safety regulations, the ’80s and ’90s resulted in some major engineering breakthroughs in the automobile world.
Totally Awesome! exhibition highlights
Car fanatics will want to check out numerous high-performance supercars, including the Vector M12, the Lamborghini Countach 5000S, and the legendary 1995 McLaren F1. The NISMO Skyline GT-R LM homologation special will also be on display, just as it was developed for the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans Class.
Other ultra-rare cars include a retro Ford F-150 in a brilliant burgundy paint color, a 1985 Audi Sport Quattro Group B car, and the very first Buick GNX.
In true Petersen Museum fashion, Totally Awesome! presents several vehicles from film and TV among the displays. Look out for the DeLorean DMC-12 time machine from Back to the Future and the 1998 Beetle from Austin Powers.
Immersive and interactive elements
While the cars are, of course, the main event, the Petersen Museum sets them up against a backdrop of other ’80s and ’90s paraphernalia. This includes hands-on vintage video games, interactive digital dashboards, and epic tech displays curated by the Museum of the Game and Griffin McLemore. From era-specific music to media and fashion references, these artifacts help to contextualize the vehicles in their respective eras.
Exhibition at a glance
The Totally Awesome! exhibition will kick off with an opening reception on Friday, June 6th, from 6-9 pm. General admission tickets for this event cost $60, and guests are invited to dress in their best ’80s and ’90s attire.
After the reception, the general public is welcome to come experience the exhibition starting on Saturday. Here’s what to know:
📍 Location: Petersen Museum, 6060 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036
🗓️ Dates: The exhibition opens Saturday, June 7, 2025
🎟️ Tickets: The Totally Awesome! exhibition is included with general admission to the Petersen Museum. Adult tickets cost $21, but vault access to the museum’s rare car collection costs another $28.
🌐 Learn more: Totally Awesome! Cars and Culture of the ’80s and ’90s at the Petersen Museum