A New Classic Car Museum in Old Havana

 

Photo feature by Nike

HAVANA TIMES – Walking down San Ignacio Street in Old Havana last Saturday, I came across a car museum, which has only been open for the past eight months.

There, I could appreciate the history of Cuba’s automobile industry from the very first Ford model T manufactured in 1914, to a jet ski made today.

However, the thing that really caught my attention was a special room where there was a car donated to the museum by Eusebio Leal, the City Historian. This had in turn been a gift to our historian from a wealthy US citizen. It’s a 1949 DeSoto, a real gem of engineering and design, with 0 km on the odometer.

I recommend you take a trip back in time to when classic cars first arrived in Havana.

The museum is open from Tuesday to Saturday from 9:30 AM to 3 PM, and Sundays from 9:30 AM until noon. Have a good trip back in time!  Address: Calle San Ignacio e/ Amargura y Teniente Rey, Old Havana.

(Click on an image to display the gallery.)

Classic Car Expo
DE-SOTO-1949.
De Soto
A car given to the City Historian by a US admirerer
The car museum
The history of cars in Cuba.
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7 thoughts on “A New Classic Car Museum in Old Havana”

  • Delighted to learn that the Classic car museum has re-opened in Havana.
    I have spent many happy hours in the previous Deposito del Automovil with the Director, Ing.Eduardo Mesego.
    I managed to obtain details of the magnificent ex. British Embassy Daimler limousine that was displayed and these were placed into the museums archive.
    I wish the museum every success and would like to hear from snr. Mesago or the new Director.

  • This museum is definitely the spot where all 1940s Chevys can rust in peace. And besides, this museum will be one more reminder of US economic hegemony in Cuba in the first half of the 20th century.

  • Thanks for the correction and the address.

  • Happy to see El Garaje getting some press – I was there last November just after the large salon opened. For those who asked, it is located at Calle Amargura and San Ignacio across the street from the Hotel Raquel. The 1949 DeSoto Custom Convertible Coupe was donated to Dr. Leal by a wealthy Chicago philanthropist, Richard H. Driehaus, not a European.

  • We will be checking.

  • Do you know the address on San Ignacio, between which streets? Or approximate location?

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