What’s Happening

There’s always a lot going on at America On Wheels and here at the AOW blog we’re going to give weekly updates as to what’s happening at the museum for the week. Check here at the beginning of each week to see our schedule of events and plan your next visit with us. Here’s What’s Happening with us this week:

Thursday – 4/28/2011

5 pm-9 pm: Cetronia Ambulance Corps: Health On Wheels Celebration

All Day: Nostalgic Drag Race Cars from the 60's on exhibit in our Changing Exhibit Gallery

Friday – 4/29/2011

All Day: Nostalgic Drag Race Cars from the 60's on exhibit in our Changing Exhibit Gallery

Saturday – 4/23/2011

10am-5pm: Museum Story Day - Enjoy stories in the museum library!

All Day: Nostalgic Drag Race Cars from the 60's on exhibit in our Changing Exhibit Gallery

Sunday – 4/24/2011

All Day: Nostalgic Drag Race Cars from the 60's on exhibit in our Changing Exhibit Gallery

Monday – 4/25/2011

CLOSED

Tuesday – 4/26/2011

All Day: Nostalgic Drag Race Cars from the 60's on exhibit in our Changing Exhibit Gallery

Wednesday – 4/27/2011

All Day: Nostalgic Drag Race Cars from the 60's on exhibit in our Changing Exhibit Gallery

Discover Lehigh Valley At America On Wheels

America On Wheels is excited to announce that Discover Lehigh Valley has opened a visitors center at the museum. Yesterday, America On Wheels hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new kiosk, which resembles a toll booth of the Pennsylvania turnpike.

Visitors, who do not have to pay museum admission to visit the kiosk, can stop by for information and travel tips about Lehigh Valley.

The museum is excited about our new partnership with Discover Lehigh Valley and we look forward to helping create wonderful experiences for both those who live in the valley and those who are visiting!

What’s Happening

There’s always a lot going on at America On Wheels and here at the AOW blog we’re going to give weekly updates as to what’s happening at the museum for the week. Check here at the beginning of each week to see our schedule of events and plan your next visit with us. Here’s What’s Happening with us this week:

Friday – 4/22/2011

Earth Day: Buy One, Get One Free admission - All Day

All Day: Nostalgic Drag Race Cars from the 60's on exhibit in our Changing Exhibit Gallery

Saturday – 4/23/2011

All Day: Nostalgic Drag Race Cars from the 60's on exhibit in our Changing Exhibit Gallery

Sunday – 4/24/2011

Closed for Easter

Monday – 4/25/2011

CLOSED

Tuesday – 4/26/2011

All Day: Nostalgic Drag Race Cars from the 60's on exhibit in our Changing Exhibit Gallery

Wednesday – 4/27/2011

All Day: Nostalgic Drag Race Cars from the 60's on exhibit in our Changing Exhibit Gallery

Happy Earth Day!

Tomorrow (4/22) America On Wheels is celebrating Earth Day 2011 and we decided to give our readers some Earth Day facts and tips on preserving our planet. You can also check out a post we made some time ago about energy efficient fuels and the future of automobiles.

Earth Day Facts:

• The first Earth Day was celebrated on April 22, 1970
• 20 million Americans participated in the first Earth day.
  
• Today, more than a billion people in 180 countries celebrate Earth Day.

What You Can Do:

• Pledge to do an act of green
• Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
• Make your next car an energy efficient model

What do you do for the environment? How are you celebrating Earth Day? Let us know in the comments. In the mean time you can celebrate Earth Day with Buy One, Get One Free tickets to America On Wheels to check out our alternative energy cars as well as all of our exhibits!
Sources: Nationalgeographic.com,

Seeking

America On Wheels is looking for a 1950, 1951 or a 1952 Chevy Bel Air Hard Top for an upcoming exhibit celebrating the 100th Anniversary of Chevrolet. The vehicle would be on display in the museum from June 2011 through March 2012. The car should be in show condition. Please contact Linda Merkel, America On Wheels Museum, 5 North Front Street, Allentown concerning this request or call 610.432.4200 x 11.

Get Your Motors Runnin'

The smell of motor oil and gasoline lays thick in the air and the cars are lined up and ready for the flag to wave. The images of drag races of days gone by are alive and well at America On Wheels at the “What A Drag” exhibit in their changing gallery and on April 17, 2011, from 1 to 4 pm, visitors will be able to hear stories about these races directly from those who participated – the cars’ owners and drivers.

“America On Wheels is excited to host a meet and greet with the owners and drivers of the dragsters in our ‘What A Drag’ exhibit,” said Linda Merkel, executive director of America On Wheels, “This will be a chance for visitors to ask any questions they have about the cars, the races and the history of drag racing to those who have experienced it hands on as well as to reminisce about the racing legacy here in Lehigh Valley”

More than a dozen drag racers and dragster owners will be attending the meet and greet. These lenders will be at the museum from 1pm to 4pm to share information on their car and talk about their experiences out on the drag strip. There will also be a drivers, past and present, autograph session inside the museum.

Happy Birthday to America On Wheels!

Who doesn’t love a good birthday party? The balloons, sweets and energy that accompany the celebration of life and another year are coming to America On Wheels. We are celebrating our third anniversary with our Third Birthday Party.

Our director, Linda Merkel, told the blog, “We are all very excited about the Third Birthday Party. Between [the artist] Kevin Nord, the Bulldog Beauty Contest, Ice Cream Social and the AAA travel presentation the celebration should be fun for the whole family,” said Linda Merkel, executive director of America On Wheels, “some of the proceeds from the Bulldog Beauty Contest will be sent to the Jennifer Lindsay Snyder Memorial Fund. Jennifer Snyder had a passion for helping animals and America On Wheels is pleased to honor her memory through this new memorial fund.”

The event-packed day is open to all with the price of admission and all of the museums galleries will be open for viewing.

The Schedule of events for the day is:

Auto Focus: Art of the Car – 10am-4pm

This art exhibit will feature photographs of automobiles and a meet and greet with the artist, Kevin Nord

How to Pack for a Trip - 10:30am-11:30am

Experts from the AAA travel association will give a presentation on how to effectively plan and pack for a trip

Bulldog Beauty Contest - 11am-1pm

30 of the cutest bulldogs will compete in this beauty contest. Awards will be given for seven categories, including “A Face Only a Mother Could Love”

Ice Cream Social - 1pm-3pm

Visitors can enjoy ice cream treats at the classic 1950’s style Hub Cap Café

The America On Wheels Third Birthday Party is sure to keep the whole family entertained for the whole day.

We hope to see everyone there!

A Face Only a Trucker Could Love

Ever wonder why Mack Trucks uses the bulldog as its logo? That adorable face labeled as one only a trucker could love became the company’s mascot almost 100 years ago!

When Mack first came out with its AC model in 1916. These trucks were used by the British and would refer to the trucks as “bulldogs” because of their strength and durability. Whenever there was a tough job to be done the British would say, “Send in the Mack Bulldogs!” Calling these trucks bulldogs was a great compliment coming from the Brits because these dogs were a symbol of strength.

Later, in 1922, Mack Trucks adopted the bulldog as its official symbol and it was printed on sheet metal on either side of a truck. The dog was used as a symbol to show that Mack Trucks offered lower rates on shipping by showing a bulldog destroying a book entitled “shipping costs.”

As the legend goes, in the year 1932, Alfred Fellows Masury, Mack's Chief Engineer was in the hospital and was quite bored. He decided to whittle a bulldog. When he was released from the hospital he made another and applied for a patent. This bulldog design became the iconic Mack symbol and the rest, as they say, is history!

In order to celebrate the heritage of the Mack Truck Bulldog, America On Wheels is holding its Second Annual Bulldog Beauty Contest at the museum's Third Birthday Party on April 9, 2011 at 11am.

Source: macktrucks.com

What’s Happening

There’s always a lot going on at America On Wheels and here at the AOW blog we’re going to give weekly updates as to what’s happening at the museum for the week. Check here at the beginning of each week to see our schedule of events and plan your next visit with us. Here’s What’s Happening with us this week:

Thursday – 4/7/2011

All Day: Nostalgic Drag Race Cars from the 60's on exhibit in our Changing Exhibit Gallery

Friday – 4/8/2011

All Day: Nostalgic Drag Race Cars from the 60's on exhibit in our Changing Exhibit Gallery

Saturday – 4/9/2011

All Day: Birthday Party – Includes:

· Auto Focus- Art of the Car Photography by Kevin J. Nord- Photography will be on sale! Come meet Kevin J. Nord. 10am-4pm

· AAA- How to Plan and Pack and Plan for Your Next Trip 10:30am-11:30am

· Second Annual Bulldog Beauty Contest 11am-1pm

· Ice Cream Social 1pm-3pm

All Day: Nostalgic Drag Race Cars from the 60's on exhibit in our Changing Exhibit Gallery

Sunday – 4/10/2011

All Day: Nostalgic Drag Race Cars from the 60's on exhibit in our Changing Exhibit Gallery

12-4pm: Make Your Own Bulldog Hood Ornaments

Monday – 4/11/2011

CLOSED

Tuesday – 4/12/2011

All Day: Nostalgic Drag Race Cars from the 60's on exhibit in our Changing Exhibit Gallery

Wednesday – 4/13/2011

All Day: Nostalgic Drag Race Cars from the 60's on exhibit in our Changing Exhibit Gallery

Kids At AOW

America On Wheels is a great place to reminisce about the early days of the automotive industry as well as ponder about the future of over the road travel. The museum is a place for many adults to engage in their passion and love for cars, but it is also a place for kids to come to play, learn and create.

Education

At America On Wheels kids can learn about the history and future of over the road travel. Kids can interact at their own level with many of the exhibits and marvel at the wonderful and exciting pieces at the museum

Crafts

The America On Wheels education room is always open to visitors. Kids can come and do various crafts like license plate rubbings ans a multitude of other crafts that are sure to entertain the little ones!

Birthday Parties

Wondering where to have your child's next birthday party? AOW hosts parties for children up to 10 years old. These parties include pizza and beverages, crafts, a scavenger hunt and more!

Summer Camp age

This summer America On Wheels will be hosting a summer camp for children ages 7-10 that will include educational speakers and various activities. Get ready for warm weather and summer fun with AOW!

We're all looking forward to seeing you and your little ones at AOW soon!