PINELLAS PARK, Fla. — It’s been a while since the Tampa Bay Automobile Museum has been able to rev its engine. Two months, to be exact.

“It’s hard for the staff, because they don’t make any money, so some of our staff went on unemployment,” co-owner Olivier Cerf said.

“[I am] very happy, very happy," Cerf said. "People can come in and relax, we only allow 25 people in the museum. They do have to wear a mask, no one will be allowed in if they don’t have a mask, so we’re trying to keep everybody safe.”

He said the coronavirus shutdown was hard. But he’s excited to welcome people back to learn not just about cars, but about history.

You may have seen some of these antique cars riding around Pinellas County over the last two months while the museum was closed. Now you can come check them out up close and personal because the museum is back up and running.

“This museum is special because first of all, it has cars that most people have never seen — cars around engineering. cars with front-wheel drive from the 1920’s, 30’s,” Cerf said.

He went on say he misses the smiles his antique car collection brings to the community and looks forward to seeing the community again the old fashioned way.

“It makes my day. It’s very simple. It makes my day,” Cerf said.

The museum is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m - 4 p.m. For more information about the museum, visit https://www.tbauto.org.