1600 South Wayne Street
Auburn, IN 46706
Features: Some of America's most artistically classic vehicles are housed in an Art Deco gallery that was a world-famous 1920s-'30s showroom. Besides the marques in the establishment's name there are examples of Packards, Cadillacs, Rolls Royces and other high-end makes.
Automotive Heritage Museum
1500 North Reed Road (US 31 North)
Kokomo, IN
(765) 454-9999
Features: More than 100 antique and classic vehicles built in the period 1895 to the mid 1970s, including Packards, Hupmobiles and the Haynes autros built in Kokomo.
4790 West 16th Street
Indianapolis IN 46224
(317) 492-6784
Features: About 75 cars are on display at any one time in the 30,000 square feet of exhibition space. Highlights:
The Marmon Wasp that won the inaugural Indianapolis 500 in 1911 with Ray Harroun at the wheel, and was featured on a postage stamp in the U.S. Postal Service's Transportation Series; four two-time winning cars, the Boyle Maserati (Wilbur Shaw 1939-40), the Blue Crown Spark Plug Special (Mauri Rose 1947-48), the Fuel Injection Special (Bill Vukovich 1953-54) and the Belond Special (Sam Hanks 1957 and Jimmy Bryan 1958), plus more than 30 Indy 500-winning cars.
Kokomo Auto Heritage Museum
The Johanning Civic Center
1500 North Reed Road, US 31N
Kokomo, IN 46901
(765) 454-9999
Features: The city is the home of the Haynes auto, first built in 1893 by inventor Elwood Haynes. It is regarded as America's first gasoline-powered car. The car, named the Pioneer was successfully road tested on July 4, 1894. The Pioneer is now housed in the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. This museum displays more than 100 antique and classic autos representing dozens of makes and models. Included are displays of automobile components and accessories manufactured in Kokomo since 1894.
Kruse Automotive & Carriage Museum
5634 CR 11-A
Auburn, IN 46706
(260) 927-9144
Features: The classics on display range from a Duesenberg to custom hot rods built by Carl Casper, winner of more than 100 car show and competition awards. Also, several novelty cars such as one of the Batmobiles of TV and movie fame.
LaPorte County Historical Museum
2405 Indiana Avenue, Suite 1
La Porte, IN 46350
(219) 324-6767
Features: Several dozen vintage and classic autos that were part of the now-closed Door Prairie Auto Museum. Located in an expanded facility that opened in August 2006.
National Automotive and Truck Museum of the U.S.
1000 Gordon M. Buehrig Place
Auburn, IN 46706
(260) 925-9100
Features: This is a non-profit museum with emphasis on post-World War II cars and trucks, although it does have vehicles on display from 1908 high wheelers to current production pickups. The facility also houses the NATMUS Model Car/Truck & Toy Museum.
Rag Tops Museum
209 West Highway 12
Michigan City, IN 46360
(219) 878-1514
Features: This tribute to the convertible covers 65 cars displayed as a “tour through time,” with vehicles being shown amid mannequins and memorabilia. Primarily cars from the 1950s and '60s, although it sports a '70 Plymouth Superbird.
201 South Chapin Street
South Bend, IN 46601
(574) 235-9714
Features: This actually is two museums in one -- the Studebaker National Museum and the Center for History -- available for the price of one ticket. The Bullet Nose Gallery houses a Raymond Loewy-designed 1950 Champion convertible, distinctive for its front-end “Bullet Nose” treatment that was new for 1950. Hydraulic lifts in the lower level hold vehicle storage in double-decker fashion that makes all parts of the vehicles observable. The museum also is home to the largest presidential carriage collection known to exist, with carriages belonging to Presidents Lincoln, McKinley, Harrison and Grant, the latter seen here.
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