Racing through history: Museum exhibit displays Porsche’s design from past to present

As soon as you reach the bottom of the staircase inside the N.C. Museum of Art, it’s evident that Porsche by Design: Seducing Speed is a different kind of art exhibit. Immediately to the right of the stairs sits a brand new, red Porsche Cayman S. This car isn’t part of the exhibit; it’s simply a tease of the exquisite, rare and beautiful sports cars that await exhibit viewers. 

But the red Porsche, which will be raffled off and given away, only shows a glimpse of the more than 100 years-in-the-making evolution of the sports car brand, as Ferdinand Porsche began to develop cars more than 100 years ago.

The exhibit features 21 vehicles in the old museum building and the $18 entrance fee is waived for students Fridays between 5 and 9 p.m. with a student ID.  

A Porsche formally owned by Janis Joplin sits in the new building of the museum and is painted in various colors including what appears to be a self-portrait of Joplin and her band painted on the vehicle. People can view the car free of charge.

The exhibit is split into rooms that contain wall-to-wall sports cars, racecars and historic cars sitting on top of small platforms. Each is surrounded by storyboards that explain the vehicle, its owners and its historical reference. Dan Neil, N.C. State alumnus and automotive columnist for the Wall Street Journal, wrote some of the content displayed. Neil is also a recipient of the Pulitzer Prize. 

The exhibit is laid out like a tour of the history of Porsche, both as a historic carmaker and as a family. Each room contains just a few cars, with the exception of the middle room, which is much bigger and really makes it obvious of the different models of design that have been produced by the company. It shows the family progression as well, with pictures of the different generations of the Porsche family standing with their creations.

Additionally, projected videos of the cars in action cover the walls of the largest room, and the sound of engines echoes throughout the exhibit.

But Porsche’s legacy isn’t the only thing that makes this exhibit different. Visitors of this showcase can freely take photographs, something that is very rare in an art museum, according to Barbara Wiedemann, director of publications and managing curator for Porsche by Design.

“All of the lenders agreed that photography is okay,” Wiedemann said.

Wiedemann said she is excited to see the pictures posted on social media sites and was thrilled to see different perspectives from people pop up online.

Some of the classics include a 1938 Type 64 Berlin-Rom Racer, a 1962 Porsche Type 804 Formula One racecar and a rare 1969 Type 917 16 cylinder SPYDER Prototype which has only left the museum in Germany one other time, according to Wiedemann. 

There are many modern vehicles as well, including the 2010 Type 911 GT3 R Hybrid Race Car Prototype, which has 672 horsepower and a top speed of 175 mph, and is artistically placed in front of an image of the first ever hybrid-electric for-production car from 1901 designed by Ferdernand Porsche, according to Wiedemann.

Each car has a reason for placement. One car, a 1971 Porsche Type 917, isn’t fully restored so that the scrapes and scars on the vehicle can be seen as evidence to its experiences on the track. Some cars were once owned by celebrities, such as the black 1958 Porsche Type 356 Speedster 1600 Super, owned by the 20th century film star Steve McQueen. His is one of the first cars that can be seen when walking in. 

McQueen was well known for his love of cars and racing. He even made a movie, “Le Mans,” which is about the world-famous 24-hour race in France.

The movie star’s son, Chad McQueen, was given the car by his father and has already visited the museum. 

The exhibit seems to be impressing both casual fans and car enthusiasts, such as Raymond Jones from Australia, who had just happened to hear about the exhibit when he was visiting Raleigh.

Jones said he was surprised that the exhibit was in Raleigh.

“I did not know what to expect because I attended on a word of mouth recommendation, but Porsche by Design is an accurate and appropriate title,” Jones said in an email. “As a Porsche owner and racer, I have enormous respect for the engineering and technical excellence that make the marque special.”

Jones said that he was pleasantly surprised with the exhibit and even saw a car he owned, the 997 Sport classic. The particular car he owns is one of only three in Australia and 250 worldwide, according to Jones.

“You do not have to be either a Porsche fan or a ‘car nut’ to appreciate the uniqueness and excellence of this global brand,” Jones said.

The exhibit will be displayed at the museum until Jan. 20.