LA Fridays with Bob and Tom: Nethercutt Museum and Collection

 Week 3:  LA Fridays with Bob and Tom

Nethercutt Museum and Collection 

This week we drive north on the 405 to Sylmar, CA and The Nethercutt Museum and Collection.  These two free museums have been left to the public by the Nethercutt’s of Merle Norman Cosmetics. JP Nethercutt was the founder of Merle Norman Cosmetics.  This excursion will particularly delight car buffs and those who appreciate rare musical instruments.

The Museum building contains at one time or another 220 rare and beautiful restored cars, primarily from the 1900’s-1930’s.  As you walk the aisles you are close enough to appreciate their incredible condition and luxurious style.  These cars are beauties from another age, Rolls-Royce Phantoms and Duesenbergs not Lamborghini Aventadors. The Collection requires a reservation which can be made online.  You can reserve a guided tour to view special cars owned by famous people.  This building also has an incredible doll collection, and various musical instruments including in-wall music boxes, some of which play up to 20 musical instruments when activated only by air pressure or vacuum. The most impressive part of the Collection for us was a 1900’s Wurlitzer organ once used in a theatre.  It is the third largest organ in the world and is teamed here with an oversized grand piano. They are mechanically synced to automatically play various pieces of music together.  When played the spectacular sound system causes the entire room rumble like an earthquake. 

Behind the museum is a restored 1937 Canadian Pacific locomotive attached to which is a 1912 Pullman Private car.  An example of luxury travel in the age of the rail car.  These folks did it right.
There is plenty of free street parking in front of the Museum and Collection.   

Regards, 

Bob and Tom

lafridayswithbobandtom@gmail.com