Gensler has just revealed the design for a museum housing the world’s largest collection of vehicles used in James Bond films, backed by the prestigiously named Ian Fleming Foundation. But it’s not in London, Monte Carlo, or even Russia (with love), it’s in tiny Momence, Illinois, located 50 miles outside of Chicago.
Museum of Bond Vehicles + Espionage
Slated to open in 2012—the 50th anniversary year of the first James Bond movie, ‘Dr. No’, the museum will house the collection of the Ian Fleming Foundation, including the world’s largest stockpile of vehicles used in the 23 Bond films. Its cache includes the Lotus Submarine Car used in ‘The Spy Who Loved Me’, the Aston Martin Volante seen in ‘The Living Daylights’, the BMW R 1200 C Motorcycle used in ‘Tomorrow Never Dies’, and the Bomabardier Rev 800 MXZ Ski-Doos from ‘Die Another Day’.
The museum will come up at a site that previously belonged to a car dealership. Visitors to this museum will be greeted with the front glass cleverly sporting an etched ‘007’ logo made up of the names of actors and movies. The Museum of Bond Vehicles + Espionage could help revitalize Momence, a 3,000-person city that missed the development boom from Interstate 57 when it chose to locate 20 miles to the west. If this draws in 20,000 people a year, like they’re planning on, Momence will see a major resurgence, says Gensler’s design director for the project, Brian Vitale.
Museum of Bond Vehicles + Espionage
Museum of Bond Vehicles + Espionage
Museum of Bond Vehicles + Espionage
