Beijing Auto Museum unveils its collection--the authorized replica of the Benz Patent-Motor Car during the celebration of the 130th anniversary of the invention of the automobile in Beijing on January 29 (XU BEI)

The Beijing Auto Museum celebrated the 130th anniversary of the invention of the automobile through a series of vivid exhibitions on January 29. Visitors can now feast their eyes on the history and future of automobiles.

Before the invention of the modern car, people generally traveled in animal-drawn or steam-powered vehicles. But the time and effort spent on horse-drawn carriages and the poor thermal efficiency of steam engines left ambitious and innovative inventors dissatisfied.

Carl Benz

In 1885, Carl Benz (1844-1929) installed a single cylinder four-stroke gasoline engine with a water cooling system into a three-wheeled vehicle. On January 29, 1886, he applied for a patent, which marked the beginning of the era of automobiles. Bertha Benz (1849-1944), Carl's wife, contributed a lot to the promotion of the new technology, too. She was the first person to drive a car for a long distance, and helped to make people aware of the importance of the car.

The invention of cars inspired the search for speed and better technology, and impressed upon people the power of ideas, exploration, and technology.

During the celebration, auto fans will also have a close look at the culture of automobiles through Chinese-French and Chinese-American themed exhibitions, as well as enjoy the best of the museum's collection, which will be shown at the conference of the International Council of Museums in Italy this July.