Middle of Nowhere
I found this spot by accident (I don't remember how); it's in the middle of nowhere, in the Chiriaco Summit, about an hour from the Arizona border. This is another place for military vehicles. But the cool part is it's mostly tanks, trucks, amphibious vehicles, and various things I can't identify.
Here is a link as to why it is here. It's an interesting story. Lots of history.
Great research spot for these types of vehicles and to just get shape language to play with. This is not a government-funded museum. It's a little funky (in the best way). These are the best museums for sketching. The vehicles are just out in the field in the back and a small hangar. Not roped off.
One of the exhibits I love is "The Big Map. It's a huge 3D "map". It shows the area this training facility encompasses. And it was huge. But it really gives you a sense of where places are with each other. From their website:
Here is a link as to why it is here. It's an interesting story. Lots of history.
Great research spot for these types of vehicles and to just get shape language to play with. This is not a government-funded museum. It's a little funky (in the best way). These are the best museums for sketching. The vehicles are just out in the field in the back and a small hangar. Not roped off.
One of the exhibits I love is "The Big Map. It's a huge 3D "map". It shows the area this training facility encompasses. And it was huge. But it really gives you a sense of where places are with each other. From their website:
"One of our first exhibits was the Metropolitan Water District's Big Map. Built-in the 1920's to depict the 50,000 square miles of land surrounding the route of the proposed aqueduct, the 250,000 pieces were taken to Washington, D.C. to lobby Congress for the funds to build the aqueduct. Without the water from the aqueduct, Gen. Patton could not have located the DTC where he did."
Inside, they have a weapons wall. I'm not a gun guy, but I like drawing them. There are also weapons and artifacts throughout the building.
General George S. Patton Memorial Museum 62-510 Chiriaco Rd Chiriaco Summit, CA 92201