Tag: Museum

Halifax auto dealer celebrates love for the Rolling Stones at Steele Wheels Motor Museum

Halifax-based auto dealer Rob Steele has been a lifelong fan of the Rolling Stones and he’s found a way to incorporate the band’s travelling memorabilia exhibit, UNZIPPED, into an event space he built called Steele Wheels Motor Museum located in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

And as any Stones’ fan knows, Steel Wheels is the name of one the Stones’ albums and a subsequent tour, so Steele Wheels is somewhat of a double entendre.

“It really is,” Steele said. “It’s funny you say that. Sally Woods (wife of Stones’ bassist Ron Woods) said the same thing. It’s totally a coincidence. We were trying to think of a name for what this place would be called and the marketing department came up with it. I’d been a Stones fan for a long time, so it’s sort of a play on words.”

Steele has purchased a few paintings by Woods and through his musician’s representatives, he brought the memorabilia exhibit to Steele Wheels for its first inaugural event which will run from December 17-March 19. The exhibit features more than 300 original objects from the band’s personal collection. Steele said he saw the exhibit five years ago in London, England. The exhibit has touched down in several international cities, including Canadian stops in Kitchener and Winnipeg.

“It’s quite a fascinating exhibit, even if you are not a Stones fan, and that’s a frequent comment we’ve heard because the costumes are there, the instruments, song sheets, an iron stage design from various tours, it’s interesting to see,” Steele said.

UNZIPPED

The exhibit also includes rare auto fragments, video footage, personal diaries, costumes, posters and album covers. There are also works of art from the likes of Andy Warhol, Alexander McQueen, Prada, Dior and Martin Scorsese.

The museum is the product of a warehouse with a