The New Mullin Family Gallery at the Petersen Is Gorgeous - Road & Track

What the report says

Road & Track reports that the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles has opened the Mullin Family Gallery, giving the public access to a major group of French Art Deco and pre-war automobiles assembled by the late collector Peter Mullin and his wife, Merle Mullin. Peter Mullin, who founded the Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard, California, died in September 2023 at age 82; that museum closed permanently in early 2024.

According to the report, a large share of the Mullin collection has been transferred to the Petersen’s Vault, with selected cars now being shown in the new gallery. The collection is known for rare French marques and coachbuilt cars, including Bugatti, Delahaye, Delage, Talbot-Lago, Voisin and Peugeot. The Petersens’ initial display includes vehicles such as a 1922 Hispano-Suiza H6B “Skiff Torpedo,” a 1926 Bugatti Type 37A, a 1938 Delahaye Type 145 V-12 coupe, a 1939 Delahaye T-165 V-12 “World’s Fair,” and a 1951 Talbot-Lago T26 Grand Sport.

Road & Track notes that the Mullins spent nearly three decades building the collection, beginning after Peter Mullin’s interest in a friend’s 1937 Delahaye. The Oxnard museum, opened in 2010, had been regarded as a showcase for French automotive design and restoration, especially vehicles associated with the late-1930s Paris motor-show era.

The Petersen described the gift as one of the most important developments in its history. Merle Mullin said the aim was to preserve and share the artistry, innovation and craftsmanship of French Art Deco automobiles. The museum also plans a larger 2028 exhibition featuring about 30 Mullin French cars in its main gallery.