by Damon Carson

President

Kiddie Rides USA

Denver, CO

Wells Fargo Bank’s History Museums welcome visitors from around the world. The museums are found  in nine cities throughout the U.S. On display are original Concord Coaches, Wells Fargo’s Banking and Express documents, artifacts, early photos, gold coins, mining tools, ore, balance scales, working telegraphs and Western fine art.

Beverly Smith, vice president of historical services for Wells Fargo, thought it would be fitting to add coin-operated stagecoach rides to the exhibit floors to provide something for kids.

To procure these coin-operated stagecoach rides, she turned to Kiddie Rides, USA, Denver, CO. Smith sent exact painting instructions so the miniature stagecoaches would replicate the iconic Wells Fargo coaches. She even requested a custom Wells Fargo Bank jingle be incorporated into the sound box that plays while the rides are operating.

“Dozens of kids enjoy the stagecoach kiddie rides each week in our museums,” comments Smith. “The stagecoach kiddie rides are cool for several reasons. Obviously, the fact that the rides fit our theme is first and foremost. Parents are really happy to know there is something in the museum for little kids to enjoy. They also tell us they love the stagecoach ride, and they think it is great that we have a real, restored antique artifact from the 1950’s. It is a chance for a kid to ride on something their parents rode when they were kids. It connects the generations via a positive memory.”

Interestingly, when <em>The Today Show</em> chose to do a special on Kiddie Rids USA, it was the Wells Fargo Museum in Los Angeles that they dispatched a reporter and camera crew to for the story.

As we say around here, “For half a century kiddie rides have captured pop culture in miniature.” That means that there are rides to fit about any theme out there. It seems like more and more of our sales come because the buyer is looking to fit a specific theme whether it is at a hotel, a zoo, a restaurant, a museum, whatever.

With a stagecoach kiddie ride, the Wells Fargo Bank Museum team found a perfect way to provide something for the kids while appealing to the adults, all while fitting the theme of the museum. eb