Cars, Trees & Traditions Adds Holiday Cheer to Walter P. Chrysler Museum Exhibits

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., November 1, 2010 /PRNewswire/ --

• Opening Reception, 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 19
• Family-Friendly Crafts, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Saturdays
• Vintage Trains Enhance 2010 Exhibit

The Walter P. Chrysler Museum, in Auburn Hills, will be at its festive best this holiday season with its sixth annual Cars, Trees & Traditions (CTT) exhibition, Nov. 20 – Dec. 30. The exhibit is spruced up for 2010 with 18 vintage model trains.

Cars, Trees & Traditions kicks off Friday, Nov. 19 with an opening reception from 6:30 – 9:30 p.m.

Cars, Trees & Traditions spotlights eight decades of holiday season celebrations through 23 decorated trees paired with Chrysler vehicles throughout the Museum. Evergreens on the Museum's two top floors feature authentic ornamentation from the early 1900s through the 1980s, while those in Boss Chrysler's Garage are embellished by theme.

CTT Opening Reception

The Nov. 19 opening reception is an evening of good cheer during which the public can preview CTT and get into the holiday spirit with:

• hearty hors d'oeuvre stations by Forte Belanger, spotlighting such Christmas symbols and traditions as the legend of apples; the tradition of garlic, mushrooms and pineapples and the symbolism of peanuts and wheat
• a wine tasting presented by BellaVino Fine Wine & Spirits, featuring 20 varieties available for purchase by the bottle
• a selection of wine-inspired original art from the studios of Thomas Arvid
• demonstrations of select vintage trains from 18 sets on exhibit from the private collection of John Loeding
• a capella performances of Christmas carols and popular classics by the Great Lakes Chorus of Sweet Adelines International
• a visit from St. Nick
• a silent auction of holiday decor and cheer benefiting local school children
• 20 percent discounts on collectibles and souvenirs from the Museum's gift shop w/complimentary gift wrapping

Opening reception tickets are $30 per person, with a cash bar, available online at www.wpchryslermuseum.org or by calling 248-944-0450.

New for 2010 - Vintage Trains

Cars, Trees & Traditions illustrates styles, events and products of holidays past through advertisements, graphics and images accompanying each tree, including a variety of historic photos of Detroit from the archives of Wayne State University's Walter P. Reuther Library.

Following the exhibition's narrative from one vignette to the next, guests see how vehicle progression – from horseless carriages to enclosed, more comfortable and better engineered models – helped change the ways in which Americans celebrated the season's festivities.

Vintage trains will enhance the decor of 18 CTT vignettes. The authentic, primarily O gauge sets are from the private collection of John Loeding of Lapeer, Mich. Spanning from 1911 through the late 1980s/early 1990s, the beautifully-preserved models include an Ives Steamer Passenger, a 1920s American Flyer Electric Passenger, a 1930s Lionel Steamer Freight, a 1947 Lionel Turbine, a 1950s Marx and a 1961 Lionel Military and Space sets. Loeding will also display later model Lionel Spirit of 76 and Great Lakes Express trains, as well as Polar Express and Thomas the Tank Engine sets for the youngest CTT visitors.

Saturday Crafts

Everyone in the family can test their creativity with holiday crafts du jour, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. every Saturday from Thanksgiving weekend through Dec. 18. Two to three child-friendly crafts will be offered each Saturday with regular Museum admission.

Cars, Trees & Traditions will be open for self-guided tours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday - Saturday and noon - 5 p.m. Sunday. The Museum is closed every Monday, as well as Nov. 25 and 26 and Dec. 24 and 25.

General Museum admission, which includes Cars, Trees & Traditions, is $8 for adults, $7 for seniors (62 and older) and $4 for juniors (6 – 12). Children 5 years old and younger are free. Admission is $4 per person for groups of 15 or more with advance registration.

To purchase CTT opening reception tickets – or for more about the holiday exhibition – visit www.wpchryslermuseum.org, e-mail [email protected] or call 248-944-0450.

SOURCE Walter P. Chrysler Museum