The Larz Anderson Auto Museum grew out of a Sunday tradition by wealthy socialites Larz and Isabel Anderson at their Brookline, Massachusetts home.  The Andersons would open the doors to their spectacular Carriage House on Sunday afternoons and share the marvel of a mounting collection of antique American and European vehicles.

The Anderson’s collection began with the purchase of their first vehicle, an 1899 Winton 4-hp Runabout.  Today this vehicle remains on permanent display in the Museum’s lower gallery.  Throughout their lives the Andersons continued to purchase and subsequently retire vehicles to the Carriage House until the death of Isabel Anderson in 1948.  The Andersons purchased a new car nearly every year, acquiring thirty-two brand new motorcars during the course of their lives.  Fourteen of these vehicles and many of their original horse-drawn carriages remain in our permanent collection.