The museum features over two dozen automobiles from 1886 to 1994 Concept car. The first gas-powered car by Karl Benz to a 1981 DeLorean. Each car highlights advances in technology and history in auto manufacturing. The museum comes alive with the sights and sounds from over 100 years ago. Dictaphones recorded and preserved sounds for the first time in history with the inventions of Thomas Edison, Elridge Johnson, and Alexander Graham Bell. Phonographs still provide ways to enjoy the sounds of our past 125-plus years later. Over 40 different categories of collections are displayed including extensive cameras, automobiles, bells, irons, purses, trains, clocks, spittoons, posters, cameras, cast iron toys, typewriters, household appliances, music machines, telegraphs, telephones, and phonographs. Our Mission: The museum was founded in 1997 to create a space for our community to share its history and for visitors from around the world to learn about advances in technology. To appreciate the stories of success and failures of early industrial pioneers that shaped our history today. We are dedicated to the preservation of not only the antiques but also the spirit of innovation. James Cooley and his wife, Carmen of 50 years handpicked every item in the museum, preserving the items as well as its history. Carmen and her daughter Carmen currently run the museum, Frank the Trainman, the oldest model trainstore in the country and their 501C3 nonprofit together as a family. (SDTA is about diversity and we are a women owned and operated business and my mother is a immigrant as well). Hours of operation: Monday- Friday 11:00am-4:00pm Saturday & Sunday 11:00am-4:00pm Adults $10 | Children $2 4233 Park Blvd. San Diego, CA 92103