Revs Institute, an automotive museum, library and research archive in Naples designed by BSSW Architects, is a finalist in USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards program.
Nominated by USA Today’s travel experts in the category of Best Attraction for Car Lovers, Revs Institute houses Miles Collier Collections, a collection of over 100 influential automobiles that meet rigid standards for historic importance, rarity, technical, aesthetic or social significance. Revs Institute attracts a global audience of automotive enthusiasts, preservationists and industry scholars.
Located at 2500 Horseshoe Drive South in Naples, BSSW designed the three-story, 80,000-square-foot facility specifically around its contents, which include more than 100 rare automobiles as well as an extensive archive and library of books, periodicals, photos, ephemera, brochures, advertisements and multilingual technical publications.
The building itself is pressurized and climate-controlled, and features an advanced air filtration system to nearly eliminate dust and airborne contaminants that can harm automobiles and artifacts. Revs Institute has four gallery areas, a theater, gift shop, library, lobby and repair shop.
The museum’s dark interior walls serve as backdrops for stunning images of historic moments in automotive and racing history. BSSW’s design creates a structured traffic flow that takes visitors on guided journeys through automotive history as told through labels positioned adjacent to each automobile or artifact.
“One of our firm’s areas of expertise is historic preservation, which typically refers to the building itself,” said Dan Summers, BSSW’s president and principal architect. “In this case, we designed a modern, functional facility that not only preserves the Institute’s rare contents, but also brilliantly showcases each exhibit so visitors can appreciate these true works of art.”
BSSW, founded in 1980, offers a full complement of architectural services that include interior design, planning, programming, building information modeling, sustainable design and feasibility studies. BSSW Founding Partner Chuck Schmitt and Partner Ken Lamers designed Revs Institute’s original building in 1986, and in 2003, Vice President and Principal Architect Kevin Williams designed a major addition. Today, Summers and architects David Bamesburger and Oscar Prieto are designing another major addition to the growing museum.
Revs Institute, a registered 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, ranks as the No. 1 “Thing to Do” in Naples by TripAdvisor. In 2018, Road and Track Magazine named Revs Institute the USA’s top Automotive Museum.
“Revs Institute is honored to have been selected by USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards for 2020,” said Scott George, chief curator of Revs Institute. “It is a great pleasure to be working with BSSW again. We are continuing our combined efforts to create a timeless and seamless design addition that reflects the true legacy and spirit of our mission.”
USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards spotlight America’s favorite attractions, destinations, restaurants, hotels and other travel-related categories.
Voting for Best Attraction for Car Lovers ends July 6, and USA Today will announce winners on July 17. To vote, please visit 10Best.com/Awards/Travel/Best-Attraction-For-Car-Lovers-2020/The-Revs-Institute-Naples-Fla.
About BSSW Architects
BSSW Architects, Inc. is a full-service architectural firm founded in 1980 with the same principles that guide the business today: dedication to serving the best interest of clients and the community. The Fort Myers, Florida-based company has served as the lead architect on more than 120 major projects across Southwest Florida, including schools, government facilities, public libraries, hotels, resorts and private communities. BSSW Architects employs a complete team of architects, planners, interior designers and support staff to bring projects from the concept stage through completion. For more information, visit BSSWarchitects.com or call 239-278-3838.
About Revs Institute
Widely regarded as one of the top automotive museums in the world, Revs Institute, in Naples, Florida, USA, is dedicated to the study and celebration of the automobile. It exists to foster a new level of understanding of the automobile, not only as a technological device, but as an agent for social and economic change, worthy to be considered among the masterpieces of human creativity.
Housed in the institute is a collection of over 100 influential automobiles that meet rigid standards for historic importance, rarity, technical, aesthetic or social significance. Revs Institute also has an extensive archive and library of books, periodicals, photos, ephemera, brochures, advertisements and multilingual technical publications.
We welcome journalist inquiries. The library is available as a resource to those interested in automotive history. Revs Institute is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization, housed in an 80,000-square-foot, purpose-built facility.
For more information, including hours, tour times and ticket prices, visit RevsInstitute.org or call (239) 687-7387. Advance reservations only. Regrettably, walk up visitors cannot be accommodated.
