The Weekly 3

A few years ago, I did my first sweepstakes for Miles Through Time Automotive Museum. I always thought it would be cool to be able to give away something substantial and create a special, exciting moment for someone.

Of course, like most things I’ve done, I had no idea what I was doing. At the time, no vehicles had been donated that we could give away, and I definitely didn’t have the ability to purchase a car to give away.

Then I came across some really cool-looking board track racer replica motorcycles on eBay. I thought these things were so cool that I wanted one in the museum as well, so I bought two of them.

I probably shouldn’t have purchased two, but my idea was to raise enough funds that it would cover the cost of both bikes, and we’d get to keep one. I promoted the sweepstakes as giving the winner the option to choose which board track racer they wanted. The black one or the red one, and you can see them HERE.

To my surprise, we did not raise enough funds to cover the cost of both bikes. That would have been a major issue, but amazingly, the winner donated the 1920 Indian board track replica back to the museum. 

That act of generosity saved me big time. In an attempt to salvage my sweepstakes, I did a second round and gave away the other bike. In the end, we did raise enough to cover the costs of the replica motorcycles and kept one in the end, but I got very lucky.

Technically, the third sweepstakes I did ended last year. This time, the prize, a Jeep Wrangler, was donated to the museum, which was a way better option. Of course, the unexpected curveball was that the winner chose the cash option. 

This wasn’t a huge deal because we did raise enough to cover the cash option, but giving away money defeated the point of the sweepstakes. In the end, the Jeep was auctioned off on Cars & Bids, where it sold for enough to cover the amount given away and then a few thousand more.

Miles Through Time Automotive Museum didn’t raise anywhere near enough to be able to construct the new building the museum requires. In the end, we raised just over $40k before all the deductions from credit card processing and software charges. 

This amount is nothing compared to the six and seven digits I see getting raised for some vehicles at other museums, but the amount we did raise had a huge impact on ensuring the museum has some funding. 

When admissions is your main source of revenue, and the only other random source comes from donations, revenue generated from sweepstakes is a huge help, which is why so many museums do them.

The San Diego Automotive Museum has had some recent renovations done, and the most recent exhibit is Formula 1 Stories. I was able to visit the museum on my way back from driving the donated e21 BMW. I didn’t even get stranded there as I did at Petersen on the same trip. If you want to help support the museum, they are giving away a 2026 Ford Bronco.

The Rolls-Royce Foundation Museum is one I have not had an opportunity to visit in person, but I’m a fan of Rolls-Royce and would love to have a big, luxurious British car on display at Miles Through Time someday.

Interestingly enough, the museum is doing a sweepstake, but they aren’t giving away a Rolls-Royce. Instead, they are giving away a 1992 Bentley Turbo R, which is also a cool car.

The California Automobile Museum is also doing a sweepstake, and they are giving away a red 1965 Porsche 356C. Miles Through Time Automotive Museum used to have a car that looked just like it, temporarily on display. You can’t go wrong with a 356.

Use the promo code AMG30EXTRA for 30% more entries on any of these sweepstakes, and there are more under the EXTRAS tab on the website. You can click SWEEPSTAKES. This is just another way you can help support museums and perhaps have a chance to win a new car.

If you want to see more, visit the Weekly 3.

Plan your next trip, discover your new favorite, or find the nearest museum

 Sean Mathis
Creator of Automotive Museum Guide
Founder of Miles Through Time Automotive Museum

P.S. Make sure you follow AMG on Facebook and join the FB Group to see what’s going on at all the museums.