Learn about the history of the car in 36 minutes.

Social distancing measures taken to slow the spread of the coronavirus have forced most museums to close indefinitely. However, the Petersen Automotive Museum is trying to keep things going with a series of videos and live broadcasts.

If children need something to distract or educate themselves, the museum has produced a 36-minute video about the history of the automobile industry.

It is difficult to pinpoint the beginning of the history of the automobile - one such example is Nicolas-Joseph Cugot's artillery tractor, powered by a ferry in 1769.

However, the first automobile in the true sense of the word is generally considered to be the Benz Patent Motorwagen of 1886, built by Karl Benz.

With its three-wheeled layout and steering, the Benz would seem to have little in common with the modern automobile. However, it was the first automobile to combine a number of important features, including a four-stroke internal combustion engine, carburetor, spark plugs, and radiator. [In 1888, Karl Bertha's wife drove this automobile 65 miles from Mannheim to Pforzheim, Germany.

This automotive history lesson goes on to examine some 40 automobiles, from the Ford Model T to the Volkswagen minivan, and provides a history of technology over more than a century.

The full video is well worth the price of admission. The Petersen Automotive Museum also offers a virtual tour of its secret vaults for $3, although the exhibit galleries are not open to the public until March 31. This is an opportunity to see rare cars that are not normally open to the public, and a chance to support the museum during this difficult time.