Where were you in 1968? And what we’re you driving?

The California Automobile

 Museum will take a detailed look at the tumultuous year – and the cars that were part of it – in its “1968” centerpiece exhibit, kicking off Sept. 22 and running through May 12, 2013.

The exhibit is sponsored by Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln.

The showcase will include sweeping, colorful walls with information and photos of cars of the era, automotive magazines, popular culture of the times and a timeline of key 1968 events, many of which occurred in the Golden State. Special events and displays will celebrate the music of the late 1960s, clothing styles, auto racing, automotive advertisements and car toys.

Interactive features also are planned.

And of course, a revolving display of 1968 cars will be the center of attention. Museum staff plans a lineup that will include such memorable models as the Pontiac GTO, Dodge Charger, Chevy Nova, Ford Mustang, Plymouth Road Runner, Ford Torino and various foreign makes.

In line with the museum’s mission to teach the story of the automobile and its influence on our lives, exhibit storyboards will include detailed information of the cars and significant occurrences of 1968, a year that saw Richard Nixon elected president, activism on college campuses and ongoing debate about the war in Vietnam. A special museum program will reach out to area educators and middle- to high school-age students.

Overall, the exhibit hopes to rekindle memories of those who remember 1968, and educate those who might not have yet been born but want to learn more about the turbulent year.

The California Automobile Museum features scores of motor vehicles of all stripes – from early horseless carriages, to opulent classics, to racing machines to contemporary makes. Special exhibits and education classes are also part of the experience. The museum has one of the most extensive docent programs in the nation.

The California Automobile Museum at 2200 Front Street is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and every third Thursday until 9 p.m. For more details, call (916) 442-6802, visit www.calautomuseum.org or visit the museum on Facebook.

By Mark Glover

Mark Glover, a board member of the California Automobile Museum in Sacramento, has been a professional newspaperman for more than 35 years, the past 28 for The Sacramento Bee in California’s capital city.