THE PARKING MUSEUM

ABOUT THE MUSEUM:

The Parking Museum was created in 2023 after years of collecting unique and historical parking artifacts. All items in this virtual exhibit are original and owned by The Parking Podcast. To support the museum as a patron and be included on our patron wall, click the Patron button below. We hope you enjoy your visit!

 

Toymax My Pet Monster Toy Holding a Parking Meter with Tag, 2001

 
 

My Pet Monster is a character that began as a plush doll first produced by American Greetings in 1986. It has horns, blue fur, a fanged smile, and wears breakaway orange plastic handcuffs. In 2001, this version holding a parking meter was released.

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Vintage Central Parking Garage Matchbook, 1930s

 
 

The Central Parking Garage in Indianapolis, Indiana, was an early commercial parking garage and one of the first to offer a rental car service from Saunders Drive-It-Yourself, the first rental car company in the United States.

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Duncan Miller Parking Meter Vintage Print Advertising Song Pamphlet Book, 1940s

 
 

Based on the song selection, we estimate this advertising pamphlet was produced sometime in the 1940s. Duncan Miller Parking Meter eventually became Duncan Solutions which still operates in the parking industry today.

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Five & Dime Parking Salt and Pepper Shakers, 2000s

 
 

Five & Dime General Stores are reminiscent of an old five and dime stores. Five & Dime stores carry everyday convenience store necessities and other knick knack’s like this parking themed salt and pepper shaker.

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Wellston Parking Inc. Stock Certificate Book, 1950s

 
 

Very little is known about Wellston Parking Inc. other than it was selling stock in the 1950s.

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Playmobil Meter Maid Still in Box, 1987

 
 

In 1987, Playmobil released the 3349 Meter Maid toy complete with satchel, ticket book and meter.

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HONKTAP Signage from first ever Scan-to-Pay Deployment in Parking History, 2019

 
 

In 2019, Honk Mobile became the first company to introduce scan-to-pay/tap-to-pay technology with their launch of HONKTAP. Since this innovation, millions of customer around the world has been able to pay for parking faster and easier with scan-to-pay options thanks to Honk Mobile.

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Autographed Uncle Shoup I Want You Poster, 2024

 
 

Inspired by the Uncle Sam "I want you for U.S. Army" poster, this Dr. Shoup inspired "I Want You to Eliminate Parking Minimums" poster is one of only one print signed by the artist, Marianne Werner.

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More… True Stories From The Quirky World of Parking, Autographed 1st Edition, 2023

 
 

Autographed first edition of the Larry Cohen authored memoir, More… Trust Stories From The Quirky World of Parking.

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Parking Thank You Note from American Broadcast Journalist, Chris Wallace, 1996

 
 

While the negative side of parking is what often makes the news, parking professionals love to celebrate the positive such as this thoughtful thank you note from Emmy Award winning broadcaster, Chris Wallace.

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You Suck at Parking™ Unopened Nintendo Switch Game, 2023

 
 

You Suck at Parking™ is the only racing game where your goal is to stop. Colorful yet uphill, challenge the world, and customize your ride in this ever-evolving parking simulator. You Suck at Parking™ is a singleplayer and multiplayer racing and arcade game available on the Nintendo Switch.

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Pittsburgh Parking Authority PayByPlate Marketing Key Tags, 2012

 
 

In 2012, the City of Pittsburgh became the first American city to adopt, on more than a pilot basis, pay-by-plate technology. The Pittsburgh Parking Authority handed out these key tags for customers to write down their plate number to help when paying at the parking kiosks.

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City of Portland, Oregon Vintage Parking Ticket, 1928

 
 

This vintage parking ticket was issued to a Ford in the City of Portland, Oregon nearly 100 years ago. 

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"Parking" Vanity Plate from Parking Author Larry Cohen, 2003

 
 

This "Parking" license plate belonged to author Larry Cohen and was featured in his book, "The Quirky World of Parking".

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Vintage Office Chair Parking Meter, 1950s

 
 

This gag gift required "Salesmen, Relatives, Loafers, Politicians and Organizers" to pay 5 cents per 5 minutes for an office meeting.

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Department 56 Snow Village Parking Meters with Box, 1989

 
 

In 1989, Department 56 added parking meters to their series of hand-crafted, ceramic Snow Villages. The parking meters are now retired and no longer in production. A sign of things to come?

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Town of Las Vegas, New Mexico Police Department Parking Violation, 1966

 
 

Interesting that the town of Las Vegas, New Mexico had a progressive parking fine structure in place. The first parking ticket was $1.00 and the second parking ticket was double the amount at $2.00. We wonder how they kept track if this was a particular vehicle’s first or second parking ticket?

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Ankunftszeit German Parking Disc, Unknown Date

 
 

The concept of the parking disc first emerged in Paris in the 1950s. Several years later, the device was introduced in Germany where the German government considered it an effective tool to put an end to long-term on-street parking.

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Town of Las Vegas Meter Parking Permit, 1970

 
 

A vintage parking meter permit from the Town of Las Vegas.

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The Parking Garage Seinfeld Script Autographed by Costanza Actor Jason Alexander, 1991

 
 

Script of the 23rd Episode of Seinfeld, The Parking Garage, where the cast gets stuck in a parking garage for hours when they forget where they parked, signed by Costanza actor Jason Alexander.

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Every Unopened Individual Matchbox Meter Made Enforcement Vehicle Model, 2015-2020

 
 

Matchbox has produced five individual parking-themed toy cars marketed as "Meter Made".

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Digital Luke Machine Church Key, 2008

A church key in the shape of a parking meter created by Digital Payment Solutions to promote their Luke kiosks based on the character Cool Hand Luke. 

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Unopened Micro Racers Parking Garage, 1987

 
 

This unopened Micro Racers set comes with a parking garage and two die cast micro racers. 

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Piece of Solar Roadway’s Glass, 2014

 
 

This hexagon shaped piece of glass with a road texture was a scaled-down early prototype of Solar Roadways®’ Solar Road Panel used in the world’s first solar parking lot.

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Unopened Parker Brothers Free Parking Board Game, 1988

 
 

Free Parking is a Parker Brothers card game inspired by the "Free Parking" space of the Monopoly board game.

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Autographed Josh Williams Card

 
 

Parking Guidance System became the first parking company to sponsor a Nascar Xfinity Series driver when they announced a promotional partnership with DGM Racing No. 92 Josh Williams.

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The 40 Year Old Ticket, 1974

 
 

This 1974 Minersville Police Department parking ticket made national news in 2018 when it was paid anonymously with a note reading "I've been carrying this around for 40+ years always intending to pay.”

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Parker Alarm Timer, 1950 (Est.)

 
 

A vintage Parker Alarm Timer created in the 1950s to remind users when their parking meter was about to expire.

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Piece of the 2023 NYC Parking Garage Collapse, 2023

 
 

A piece of concrete from the Anne Street Parking Garage that collapsed on April 18, 2023, resulting in the tragic death of parking professional Willis Moore.

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New York World's Fair Parking Permit, 1939

 
 

An original parking permit from the 1939 New York World’s Fair.

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Matchbox Motorcity Municipal Parking Garage,1989

 
 

This Matchbox municipal parking garage set (complete with box and all parts) from 1989 was designed for matchbox cars and even came with a vehicle lift.

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The High Cost of Free Parking Manuscript, 2004

 
 

Autographed manuscript of the Donald Shoup authored book, The High Cost of Free Parking, that started the parking reform revolution. 

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Pigeon Hole Parking of Texas Stock Certificate, 1956

 
 

A stock certificate from Pigeon Hole Parking of Texas, a robotic parking valet company, which went public in 1951 and out of business in 1971.

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Autographed ASSMAN License Plate, 1995

 
 

This replica New York vanity license plate from the show, Seinfeld, is signed by the Kramer actor, Michael Richards.

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Pigeon Hole Parking Matchcover Advertisement, 1960s

 
 

An advertisement on a match box cover for a Pigeon Hole Parking robotic parking garage at the Penn Harris Hotel in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

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Morrissey Garage Brick, 1919

 
 

An original brick from the oldest standing parking garage in the United States, Morrissey Garage, until it was demolished in 2015.

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New York World's Fair Parking Lot Ticket Map, 1939

 
 

A map on a parking lot ticket to help customers find their vehicle at the 1939 New York World’s Fair.

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Autographed Hope for Parking Reform Poster, 2023

 
 

Inspired by the Obama Hope Poster, this Dr. Shoup inspired Hope for Parking Reform poster is one of two prints signed by the artist, Marianne Werner.

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“Patent Pending”, Very Early Edition of Monopoly, 1936

 
 

Free Parking has been in the realms of pop culture even since this 1936 "patent pending" early edition of Monopoly.

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The Quirky World of Parking Autographed First Edition, 2021

 
 

Autographed first edition of the Larry Cohen authored parking-cult classic memoir, The Quirky World of Parking.

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Disneyland Opening Day Parking Ticket, 1955

 
 

Disneyland parking receipt claim ticket from 1955 has similar contract language found on today’s parking claim tickets.

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Cool Hand Luke Parking Meter, 1967

 
 

This is City of Jacksonville parking meter from 1967 as filmed in the movie Cool Hand Luke.

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Piece of Steve Jobs Turtleneck, 1991

A piece of Steve Jobs trademark turtleneck worn by Steve at the 1991 PC Forum gathering. Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak started Apple in the parking garage of Jobs’s childhood home.

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