STERLING HEIGHTS, MICH. -- Families link their past and present with objects that are both precious and symbolic.

Photographs of ancestors long gone are displayed alongside snapshots of babies just born; heirlooms passed through the generations are given prominent spots in the living room; everyday items of special meaning (even if they seem worthless in the eyes of outsiders) are placed lovingly on the mantel, bookshelves or refrigerator door.

So it is with companies, especially those striving to regain the glory of their past -- like the family of brands that make up General Motors Corp.

Last month, the auto maker opened the GM Heritage Center, about 37 kilometres north of its headquarters in downtown Detroit, as a repository of the legacy that connects its history with the present. The Heritage Center is the automaker's first attempt to assemble a full family history, in the form of mechanical artifacts from all of its divisions, in a single location.

Through much of the mid-20th century, GM was not only the world's largest auto maker, but also the one whose designers routinely turned out cars that epitomized what was cool on four wheels. But lacking a corporate museum like such as those operated by Chrysler and Ford, GM simply tucked its family treasures away in dusty corners of its far-flung operations.

As a result, the company had no trophy case to show its employees and salespeople, no gallery to inspire its designers. GM employees who happen to be under the age of 40 have no firsthand knowledge of the elegant prewar Cadillacs, the exuberant Chevy Bel Airs of the '50s or the stunning Buick Riviera of 1963 and may associate GM most closely with its sad Chevettes, grotesque Eldorados and bizarre Azteks.

The home for GM's newly assembled collection is an unusual outpost, an 81,000-square-foot industrial building next to the company's technical centre. There aren't any signs to welcome visitors, and despite a gala opening party, the museum will not be open to the public.

"At first, the centre will be open to GM employees, scholars and the media," said Thomas Kowaleski, vice-president for communications. "Later, once the bugs are worked out, we'll decide if we want to open it to the public."

On opening night, there were about 180 vehicles on display, selected from the 600 cars in the full collection, representing more than 100 years of production.