The NEWLY expanded Gilmore Museum Store, located in a single story building near
the Museum’s Gas Station, serves as the first point of contact for visitors.
Here you'll purchase your admission tickets, find the best in automotive books,
diecast collectibles, and clothing, and see the one-of-a-kind Gnome Mobile movie
set from the 1967 Walt Disney movie.
The Barn borrows its name from its original location – Kalamazoo County’s G
Avenue rather than from Gift Shop or Gnome Mobile.
In 1963 work began in earnest to systematically disassemble, label each board
and move this structure to the rapidly growing museum grounds. When it was built
at the turn of the last century the barn stood a full two-stories, yet only the
top floor could be preserved once it was rebuilt at the museum.
G Barn could easily have derived its name from the 1967 Walt Disney movie, the
“Gnome-Mobile”, which featured a 1930 Rolls-Royce Sedanca Deville. Today, the
car used in that film, starring Walter Brennan and Ed Wynn, is here on display
next to the authentic movie set of the car's back seat.
After filming had ended Mr. Gilmore purchased the Rolls Royce directly from his
friend Walt Disney, and as an added bonus Disney donated the original oversized
movie set. This is an exact re-creation of the rear seat of the 1930 Rolls Royce
which is actually almost four times larger than life.
On the walls of G Barn you will find a display telling the history of Donald
Gilmore and the Gilmore Museum. Look close and you will even find personal
letters to Mr. Gilmore from President and Mamie Eisenhower.
Click the following links for shopping (in the new window select "Shop"):