August 1 – October 1, 2026

Curated Items on loan from Bay Area museums, non-profits and private collections including History San Jose, Niles Silent Film Museum, Trotter Galleries and many others.

The Monterey Museum of History and Art is excited to present a unique exhibit, “Racing to Del Monte & Pebble Beach,” which will be open from August 1 to October 1, 2026. This thoughtfully curated collection explores the rich automotive history of California’s early motoring period, featuring exceptionally rare historic vehicles and artifacts from the “brass age” (1906–1909). Visitors can enjoy large-format photographs that vividly convey the exhilaration and essence of the region’s first automobile tours, dating back more than 125 years.

Partnering with History San Jose, the display includes the pioneering travels of the first California Auto Club President in his new vehicles, preserved by infamous photographers of the Bay Area including Frank Davey on original silver plate prints. These significant items cover notable dates including the time surrounding the San Francisco earthquake in 1906, offering a distinctive view of how those early car journeys influenced local history. The exhibit maps out famous routes from San Francisco and San Jose to Monterey, spotlighting the Del Monte Race Track, Pebble Beach, and picturesque stops along the way. It highlights the birth of automobiling, with tales of racing at Del Monte, drives along 17 Mile Drive, and legendary hill climbs in San Jose, Carmel, and other areas.

Among the featured vehicles loaned from History San Jose are:

• The first car produced in San Jose, the 1899 Osen & Hunt,
• A 1907 Mitchell, and others
• Mitchell motorcycle and bicycle,
• Several other rare automobiles from the era.This exhibit provides a special opportunity to experience California’s auto heritage and the inventive spirit that launched the region into a new era of motor travel and competition.

In the upstairs gallery:

Visitors will enjoy various pictorial displays of automotive photography illustrating the 1906-1909 pioneering motor car journeys, driving tours, competitive races, and social gatherings from San Francisco and San Jose to Monterey’s Hotel Del Monte, its race track, and Pebble Beach’s 17 Mile Drive.

Each thread will tell a visual story through rare local photographs regarding the challenges of driving, the evolving road surfaces, the iconic beauty of the area on the road, the lack of services, and many “time captured” landmarks familiar to visitors today.

Themes include:

• Historic automobile milestones and “firsts” in Monterey and Pebble Beach
• Men and women drivers winning hill climbs and receiving trophies
• Special luncheon events celebrating new auto tours and the “Mitchell Jubilee”
• Memorable moments and records set on the Del Monte Race Track
• Photographic essays of the early route along 17 Mile Drive
• Rarely seen scenes at Hotel Del Monte and throughout Monterey
• Local architecture impacted by the San Francisco earthquake—shown before and after

On display:

• Antique cars, memorabilia, and collectibles associated with the events
• Trophies, coin purses, event programs, maps, auto badges, marques, and signs

Vehicles to be exhibited:

• 1899 Osen & Hunt (first car made in San Jose, loaned from History San Jose)
• 1907 Mitchell (symbolic “Mitchell Jubilee” entrant, loaned from History San Jose)
• 1905 Mitchell bicycle and motorcycle (showcasing alternate transportation)
• 1903 Haynes and Apperson (rare alternative model)