Hot rods, classics on display

Newport is well-known for its historical and cultural attractions. A museum that showcases rare and distinctive automobiles, ranging from custom-built vehicles of the 1920s to hot rods from the 1970s hopes to join that list.

The Audrain Automobile Museum opened last October in the historic Audrain Building, at 222 Bellevue Ave. The nonprofit business was the idea of Nicholas Schorsch, CEO of AR Capital and a longtime collector of rare automobiles. Schorsch owns the building, which was under renovation when the idea for a museum was born, according to museum Executive Director David de Muzio.

Some of the 165 cars in the museum collection are in Schorsch’s collection, others are loaned from various collectors, according to de Muzio.

The first-floor museum showroom can display 17 vehicles at any one time. It opened with a display of prewar vehicles from the 1920s and 1930s. The current exhibition, Customs and Hot Rods, will be displayed through Sept. 26.

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Attendance has been growing steadily. Up to 200 people now visit daily, said de Muzio. •

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