Collier Collection Now Open to Public

The Revs Institute for Automotive Research, Inc. in Naples, Florida is now open its automobile collection to the public on a limited schedule, by reservation only. The Collier Collection consists of over one hundred significant automobiles built between 1896 and 1995.

“The automobiles on display at Revs are some of the rarest and most important cars ever built at anytime, anywhere. They are the ones that variously blazed technical pathways, redefined aesthetic standards, made history, and changed the world,” said Murray Smith, Motorsport Consultant, vintage racer and Revs Program at Stanford board member.

Based on its extensive library, outstanding periodical collections that date from the 1890’s and its extensive photograph and manuscript collections on all things automotive, the Naples, Florida automotive research institute has become a major resource for historians, researchers, writers and academics. National and international interest of The Revs Institute’s programs, resources and renowned motorcar collection has led to the opening of the Collection to visitors.

“There has been an ever-increasing number of requests for tours of the automobile collection, and we will now be able to accommodate those eager to learn more about the cars we hold in our Naples facility,” Scott George, Vice President of The Revs Institute explained. “We hope that increased access to The Revs Institute’s collections will further enhance people’s understanding of the automobile, as one of the most significant creations of the twentieth century.”

“The automobile is, quite simply, the most significant technologic object of the 20th century,” says Miles C. Collier, President. “Our mission is to create awareness of the automobile’s role, past, present and future, in shaping the modern world. Through the preservation and conservation of important historic automobiles, through the collection of an extensive archive of documents and images, and the assembly of extensive book and periodical libraries, we comprise one of the most comprehensive historical automotive research facilities anywhere. And now, in partnership with Stanford University through the Revs Program at Stanford, we are also building an exciting online database that will allow access to select images and other archival material for the benefit of researchers, students and enthusiasts outside our respective institutions.”

Since the Collier Automotive Museum was closed in 1994, the Collection’s focus has been on developing a new ethic and philosophy toward the preservation of important historic automobiles. By creating educational programs targeted at curators, major collectors and opinion leaders, Revs was instrumental in shaping the accepted new paradigm that stresses preserving rather than restoring important collectible cars. Out of emphasizing the historic nature of important automobiles, the Collection’s mission emerged: using the automobile to trace the trajectory of modernity. While remaining accessible to scholars, students and researchers over the last twenty years, the Collection’s gradual development out of public view allowed the institute to use its time and resources to flesh out its current mission into today’s reality. During those years, the Collier Collection was carefully enlarged, many of the automobiles were conserved with cutting edge techniques developed at the Institute, the galleries were reinstalled with extensive interpretive materials to better reflect the mission, and the archive and research library were subject to major expansion and development.

In 2011, The Revs Program at Stanford was founded. “We think that the automobile provides the perfect focal point for teaching and research since it touches every academic discipline in some way,” said J. Christian Gerdes, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering and interim director of the Revs Program at Stanford. “Through the Revs Program at Stanford, scholars bring their passion for their individual fields to the automobile, using it to engage with students and to bridge disciplines. In this way, we want to connect every part of the university – from art history to engineering, urban studies to medicine – and share these connections with the world.”

“I expect you’ll see more and more great things on the Stanford Revs Digital Library web site. As we continue to build out the site, it will become richer and more engaging. Every day we add more images from the Revs Institute’s collections and more information about those images.” says Peter Mangiafico of the Stanford University Libraries. “Ultimately the site could grow to where it becomes a complete digital automotive museum accessible to researchers, scholars and interested lay people around the world.”

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About The Revs Institute

The Revs Institute for Automotive Research, Inc., a not for profit 501(c)(3) organization, occupies a purpose built facility in Naples, Florida. It provides serious researchers with resources to support studies leading to a greater level of understanding of the automobile, not only as a technologic object, but as an agent for social and economic change. It also supports an appreciation of those certain automobiles which, because of their outstanding design or engineering, are worthy objects in and of themselves and thereby deserve to be considered among the masterpieces of the human mind and spirit.

Housed in the Naples, Florida facility are automobiles from The Collier Collection. Over 100 of the world’s most significant automobiles are grouped into four collections: Automobility: the story of the road, the automobile and modern life; Vitesse: Sports Motoring and Motoring Sports, the story of the high performance automobile; Porsche: Designed to Excel, tracing the engineering thinking of one company over an extended period; Revs: Racing Cars and Racing Men, a look at the evolution of the pure racing car. Each object in the Collection meets rigid standards for historic, technical, aesthetic or social significance. Also maintained in the building are extensive book and periodical libraries, archives of photographs, movie film, letters and papers, engineering documents, ephemera such as brochures and advertisements and automobilia.

The Revs Institute will be open each week on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Tickets must be purchased in advance and can be reserved both online and via phone. Prices are as follows: General admission $17.00; faculty, students and active military $12.00; docent tours which give a more comprehensive look at the collection are available for an additional $3.00. These tours for up to 10 visitors at a time are available four times daily at 10:00 AM, 10:30 AM, 1:00 PM and 1:30 PM. For groups of 10 or more, please call (239) 687-REVS for group availability and reservations. Walk up visitors cannot be accommodated.

Ticket reservations and inquiries are now available. For more information, visit RevsInstitute.org or call (239) 687-REVS.

[Source: Revs Institute]