Night at the Museum

Registration for Night at the Museum is now closed. We look forward to seeing you at the event.

Night at the Museum (NATM), an annual fundraising event benefitting the AACA Museum, Inc., is planned for October 6, 2021, 6-10 pm. The event coincides with the start of the AACA Hershey Fall Meet, which attracts automotive enthusiasts from around the globe. Night at the Museum celebrates the Museum’s mission and accomplishments aimed at preserving and presenting motoring history. In addition, it provides the perfect platform to honor and recognize individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the automotive hobby.

Honoring Jim Schmidt

This year the AACA Museum Automotive Heritage Award honoree is Jim Schmidt. Jim is a lifelong antique auto enthusiast and has accumulated an extensive and eclectic collection of mostly American-made vehicles. The noteworthy collection contains a large number of low-mile unrestored original examples. Jim’s restoration activities started at age 14 when he paid $50 to rescue a 1928 Ford Model A Sport Coupe from the junkyard. He restored the car and still owns it. Turning his interests to the Ford Thunderbird, Jim performed a frame-off restoration on a 1957 model, became an early and active member of the Classic Thunderbird Club International (CTCI), and founded National Parts Depot (NPD) in 1976. NPD has evolved into a leading restoration parts supplier for classic American cars and trucks. Throughout this journey, Jim and NPD have always believed in giving back to the hobby in both support and philanthropy.

Great food and entertainment with country style

The night will surely be one to remember. Once again, C&J Catering provides delicious food in a relaxed atmosphere that brings “Cars and Country Music” together. As a special treat, we welcome a special performance by Troy Engle & Southern Skies.

Troy Engle’s resume reads like a who’s who of Bluegrass and Country Music. He has played everywhere from the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, TN to Bluegrass Festivals all across North America, with artists like Patty Loveless, Larry Sparks, The Isaacs, and Buddy Jewell. He’s written award-winning bluegrass hits with Dixie and Tom T. Hall, and composed music for TV Shows like The Voice, American Pickers, Duck Dynasty, and Pawn Stars.

Now he has stepped out from the shadows and into the Museum’s spotlight, to shine the light on his own original music. Troy and his ace Bluegrass band “Southern Skies” released their first Bluegrass album with the same name. Troy sang and wrote all 12 songs on the project, played mandolin, banjo, fiddle, dobro, guitar, upright bass, strings, and drums on it!

Who benefits?

The easy answer … everyone. As a Smithsonian Affiliate, the Museum offers visitors a world-class transportation experience through interactive exhibits, educational opportunities, entertaining events, and hands-on activities. Dedicated to education and preserving transportation heritage, the Museum was opened in 2003. The 20th anniversary is fast approaching, and the Museum continues to flourish as one of the top automobile museums in the United States.