The Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles reopens today (7 December) following a multi-million dollar redevelopment marking its 20th anniversary.

The museum closed in October 2014 in readiness for an extensive US$125m (€112m, £80m) transformation both inside and out.

The original 1960s building has been painted a bright red and fitted with a ribbon-like stainless steel exterior shell, designed by architects Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates. More than 800 LEDs accentuate the sculptural facade of the structure, which is designed to create a feeling of both elegance and motion.

The museum’s interiors have been gutted, with spiralling staircases replacing escalators to create an additional 15,000sq ft (1,393sq m) of exhibition space. Architectural metal experts Zahner, structural engineers Saiful Bouquet and construction company MATT Construction worked on the refurbishments.

Now, more than 100 vehicles are displayed in galleries across three themed floors. Hot rods, race cars and famous Hollywood motors – including the Aston Martin, Jaguar and Land Rover used in the new James Bond film SPECTRE – have been added to the museum’s expanded permanent collection.

Interior designers House & Robertson and Scenic Route have reworked the galleries to include better lighting, digital displays and learning stations telling the stories of the cars, plus the relationship between man and machine through the ages.

Other new attractions include a room of networked Xbox-powered racing simulators called the Forza Motorsport Racing Experience and a glass-fronted studio for Pasadena’s Art Center College of Design, where students will design new cars in view of visitors.

Visitors will also experience a new augmented reality experience, courtesy of Pixar Animation. When activated, characters from the film Cars will guide visitors around an exhibit explaining the science and physics of car technology.

The Petersen Automotive Museum was founded by magazine publishers Robert and Margie Petersen in 1994.