Going Topless in Style: The American Convertible at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, CA

Between March and October 2007, the Petersen Automotive Museum on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles, California, celebrated the history of the convertible car in its exhibit "Going Topless in Style: The American Convertible." Southern California's year-round warm weather has made it the home of the convertible, and this exhibit explored the way this style of car has evolved in Los Angeles culture throughout the 20th century. One thing that we know for sure is that convertibles have never gone out of style, despite how impractical they may be at times. The glamour, spontaneity, and excitement that comes with a topless car is something that Californians have valued for almost a century.

The best thing about the Petersen Museum is that they don't just have pictures and words in their exhibits - they have the actual cars. This specific exhibit featured all types of past convertibles, from 1920s Studebakers to 1950s T-Birds to 1980s Chryslers. The show was a perfect combination of gear - the actual cars - and psychology, with parts of the exhibit exploring why this specific type of car captures the American and Californian psyche so much. Even though this show is no longer at the Petersen Museum, it is always home to a new and exciting auto exhibit, often one that focuses on some aspect of Los Angeles car culture.