Being a business traveler comes with a lot of drawbacks, but one of my favorite parts of the “day job” is getting to explore those places which lie off the beaten path. You know the type I’m talking about: attractions like the world’s largest ball of twine, maybe, or anywhere you might not consider to be an actual destination. Still, if you happen to be passing by anyway you might as well stop and check it out, right?
The Bruce Weiner Microcar Museum, formerly of scenic Madison, Georgia, was just that type of place.
I first learned about the pride of Madison while flipping through a copy of Southern Living magazine about ten years ago. Apparently a man named Bruce Weiner had made his fortune working as an executive for Dubble Bubble gum, and saved enough money to indulge his passion for collecting microcars. These vehicles are basically scaled-down automobiles which originated in Europe back in 1945, a result of fuel shortages following the end of World War II. Microcars are actually still around today in the form of Smart cars, although most people of my generation are probably more familiar with Steve Urkel’s sweet BMW Isetta.
If the promise of cool cars wasn’t enough to lure me to beautiful downtown Madison, the opportunity to learn more about the life and times of a chewing gum magnate sealed the deal. Even though the museum was only open a few days each week, my well-timed pit stop was definitely worth the price of admission. At the time of my visit in 2010, Mr. Weiner had managed to acquire the world’s largest collection of microcars.
Check it out for yourself:
Sadly, this cool museum is no more. In 2013, the contents were sold at auction and dispersed to other microcar collectors around the world. I was very happy to learn that the museum still has an online presence, though, and their virtual tour is definitely a great way to pass the time. And to answer your question, yes, the museum even had a couple of those crazy little Shriner cars…
