Hershey Fall Meet Week was a sweet success for AACA Museum, Inc.

Hershey, PA - As another Fall Hershey ends, The AACA Museum took a moment to reflect on an exceptional and record-breaking week.

Night at the Museum 2019 was the most successful ever! Night at the Museum is is the museum's signature event and serves as their largest annual fundraiser. With the support of both the local and automotive communities, this year’s program was the most successful in the museum's history. Initial financial calculations have the Museum raising approximately $50,000 from this year’s event. Thank you to our premier sponsor, UMPC Pinnacle, the presenting sponsor, PNC, and the many other sponsors and advertisers who supported this year’s event. Also, special thanks to the 300-plus patrons who attended the gala.

Highlights at Night at the Museum included honoring the AACA Museum Automotive Heritage Award winners Bill Miller, Jr. and Chip Miller. The museum also introduced the William H. Smith Museum Fellows Award and honored the inaugural class of three recipients – Jonathan I. Griggs, David A. Kolzow, Sr. and Richard H. Taylor. The Museum was pleased to present a check for $1,000.00 to the Chip Miller Amyloidosis Foundation, to help in the fight to find a cure for this rare disease. His son, Lance, accepted the check and Chip’s Heritage Award. The night was a tremendous success with sold-out attendance. Guests ranged from local Museum supporters to members of the automotive community from across the nation and several foreign countries, all coming together for a night of celebration in Hershey, Pennsylvania. 

Through a generous donation by Judy Scotland, the AACA Museum was able to debut the New Yorkto Paris, ’08 bronze sculpture by renowned automotive artist Stanley Wanlass, created in 1982. Thousands of visitors were able to enjoy this new donation, along with the many other featured vehicles currently on view here at the Museum.

Caffeine Behind the Scenes, sponsored by National Parts Depot on Friday morning, allowed the museum the opportunity to share those vehicles which are part of the Museum’s collection but not currently on view. This event was a casual gather to enjoy cars, coffee, and great conversations. This event has been growing each year and again had a larger than ever crowd of attendees.

Saturday at the Museum provided an educational program focused on Safe Driving Tips and Tricks presented by race car driver Loren Elmer, included with Museum admission.

Saturday afternoon brought forth the picking of the winners for the annual Corvette Raffle sponsored by Klick-Lewis Chevrolet-Buick of Palmyra, PA. Congratulations to the winners, and a heartfelt thank you to everyone who helped to support the AACA Museum, Inc. by purchasing a ticket.

2019 Raffle Winners:

3rd Prize of $1,000 – Stan Drazek of Attleboro, MA

2nd Prize of $3,000 – Victor Burns of Clarence, PA

1st Prize of the 2020 Corvette or $35,000 – Lenearo Ashford of Shepherdstown, WV

Approaching the end of the year, the museum announced that this year was the most successful financial year in their history.

About the AACA Museum, Inc.

The AACA Museum, Inc., a Smithsonian Affiliate, displays beautifully restored automobiles, buses, and motorcycles in unique lifelike scenes representing the 1890s through the 1980s on a cross-country journey from New York to San Francisco. As one of the largest automotive museums in the country, AACA Museum, Inc. features special exhibits that change several times a year and focus on a variety of eras and types of vehicles.

The Museum was recently recognized by USA Today 10 Best, Road & Track, and AutoClassics as one of the top automobile museums in the country.

The AACA Museum, Inc., has been and remains an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, not affiliated with The Antique Automobile Club of America.

The Museum is in South Hanover Township, just off Route 39 and one mile west of Hersheypark Drive in Hershey, Pa. Regular admission is $12.50; seniors age 61 and older, $11.50; juniors age 4 to 12, $9.50; and children age 3 and under, free. Admission is also free to AACA Museum, Inc., members, and Antique Automobile Club of America members with a current membership card.

The Museum is open daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The Museum is closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. For more information, call 717-566-7100 or visit AACAMuseum.org.