FUTURE EXHIBITIONS
SUBJECT TO CHANGES
BEST Shown: Winners from the Audrain Collections
Exhibition on view September 19, 2026 – January 10, 2027
Today’s world of the concours grew out of the French tradition of displaying the most up to date coach-built automobiles built in the early 20th century. Manufacturers and wealthy owners would present their cars as expressions of fashion, technology and status.
A Concours d’Elegance today is a celebration of exceptional automobiles, where beautifully preserved, restored, and historically significant cars are presented and compete for awards. Cars are displayed in carefully curated classes and judges evaluate them according to criteria such as design & beauty, styling, authenticity, provenance and historical significance.
As the Audrain’s mission statement conveys ─ “Preserving, Celebrating, & Sharing Automotive History”. The most important automobiles from around the world come together not merely to be admired, but to have their beauty and place in history celebrated. In today’s concours world, the goal isn't just to preserve old cars, it is to make their stories relevant to the next generation.
STEAM Power: Stationary, Marine & the AUTOMOBILE
Exhibition on view January 16 – May 9, 2027
Steam-powered vehicles, boats, and stationary engines played a pivotal role in the early industrial revolution. The first successful steam-powered vehicle, the "Steam Wagon," was built in 1769 by Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot, though it had limited success. In the 19th century, steam engines became popular for automobiles, with innovators like Newport Engineering Works, Sylvester Roper, and Francis and Freelan Stanley contributing to advancements. In the later 19th Century steam continued to revolutionize marine transport by the likes of Nathanael Greene Herreshoff in Bristol RI. Stationary steam engines, developed in the early 1800s, were key in powering factories, mills, and pumps, helping drive industrialization before the rise of internal combustion engines. The Corliss Steam Engine Co. was one of many in Providence RI, a part of steam power’s New England history.