Writer and entrepreneur, Christian Stephenson, shares some very interesting plans for the Isle of Wight.
He’s hoping to build an American classic car museum on the Island, showcasing a diverse range of cars, against the backdrop of memorabilia and art.
‘Route IOW’
Named ‘Route IOW’ in homage to iconic Route 66, this “sizeable attraction” includes plans for a 100-seater cinema offering back-to-back screenings of car-themed films and television shows.
There’ll be a 1950’s style diner, a children’s play area and a stretch of road where Christian says it’ll be possible to see the exhibits in action, and even take a ride.
£2,000,000 crowdfunding target
Chris is hoping to raise some of the necessary investment capital with a crowdfunding campaign. With a £2 million target, the campaign is ambitious to say the least, but Stephenson is confident it can be achieved.
He says,
“I think people will want to get on board with this, because as far as I’m aware, there isn’t another museum devoted exclusively to American cars anywhere in the UK.”
Why crowdfunding?
Crowdfunding is Christian’s preferred option to raise money for the project, because he hopes to create an inclusive environment.
Her says,
“When people invest, they feel a sense of involvement, so in a very real sense, this won’t just be a private venture, but a museum of the people.”
Location not yet secured
It has not yet been decided exactly where on the Isle of Wight the museum will be situated, but Christian says he’s keen to work with the Isle of Wight council to minimise any environmental impact and any disruption to local residences and businesses.
He explains the intention,
“If possible, is to re-purpose an area of existing development that has fallen into disuse, thereby benefiting the local community.”
Launches next week
Route IOW is tentatively scheduled to open in April 2021. The crowdfunding campaign has now launched on the Indiegogo platform
See the crowdfunder here
Follow the progress of the campaign on Twitter and Facebook and see full detail of the plans below.
Click on the full screen icon to see larger version.
Article edit
7.3.2019 – Link to crowdfunder added
Image: Clem Onojeghuo under CC BY 2.0
