MicroCar museum showcases 'goofy-looking' vehicles from post-war Europe

[upbeat music]

Attendee 1: What is this little doohickey?

Ingrid Krause: Thank you for coming!

Attendee 2: [laughing] It’s crazy!

Attendee 3: I can see how it would be fun. [laughing]

[car door closing]

Ingrid Krause: We have a collection of microcars. I have them from Spain, I have them from France, I have them from Italy, Germany.

This is like a German, Spain.

Attendee 4: I like it, it’s wonderful.

Ingrid Krause: They are in mint condition. They’ve been sitting inside. I’m Ingrid Krause, and I own the Midwest Microcar Museum in Mazomanie, Wisconsin.

Attendee 5: Holy cow, the whole roof flips over on this one.

Ingrid Krause: You’ll see, it is made for adults, except once you try…

Attendee 5: Oh, dear! [both laughing] This thing is right in the way.

Ingrid Krause: It’s picture time!

Attendee 5: Now, do you want to jump back out again, or?

Ingrid Krause: We started with the Messerschmitt.

Attendee 5: Dave, come and help me get out! [all laughing]

Ingrid Krause: The Messerschmitt is a funny-looking car. It’s a fun car. It’s a sort of a nostalgia.

This is my East German corner. I grew up in Germany. Post World War II, there were hundreds of small car manufacturers. You have to realize, after the war, Europe was in shambles. And so people were just happy to have something.

There too, we have the motorcycle engine in the back. You’ll see it.

Attendee 6: Whoa.

[engine popping]

Driving one wheel. Wow.

Ingrid Krause: You don’t really buy ’em as an investment. You buy ’em because they’re funny, and we kind of got a kick out of it. And then it got to be a hobby gone rogue.

We liked the building. We just wanted to store the vehicles. Then everybody said, “Oh, come on. Just open up so everybody else can see it too.” We thought it was fun. And now, I just open when I feel like opening.

Attendee 7: That’s nice.

Ingrid Krause: I like the interactions with people. I think it’s fun. I have met very nice people all along.

This is the Trabant. We kind of like goofy-looking cars, and to be honest, they’re all goofy-looking. And you get a smile on your face.

Attendee 7: Thank you for coming.

Ingrid Krause: It was fun. Yeah. And if you have a smile on your face just looking at those, there’s something right about it.

[bright music]

[birds chirping]