IMPORTANT NOTE: Given the heavy impact on all types of activities within the U.S. because of the coronavirus pandemic, be sure to call ahead to see if your intended destination is open.
Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum 6030 Barber Motorsports Parkway Birmingham AL 35094 (205) 699-7275 Features: More than 900 vintage and modern motorcycles -- believed to be the largest such collection in North america -- as well as a collection of Lotus and other race cars. Approximately 500 motorcycles on display at any given time. Bikes range from 1904 to current-year production, from 16 countries that represent 143 marques.
Car Nut Museum 161 Bankhead Highway
Winfield, AL 35594
(205) 329-1505 Features: Contains 16 antique cars, a selection of antique motorcycles and bicycles and what purportedly is the largest pinball machine in the world.
International Motorsports Hall of Fame Speedway Boulevard, adjacent Talladega Superspeedway Talladega AL (256) 362-5002 Features: The IMHOF's Motorsports Museum spans three buildings and an enclosed courtyard. Its collection of racing vehicles and memorabilia from 1902 to the present is valued at more than $15 million. Among the items on display are the fastest boat in the world, the rare Ford Talladega Torino that Alabama native Donnie Allison raced in the Winston Cup series, the STP Dodge Charger that Richard Petty drove to a career-record 31 victories, and the Budweiser Rocket car that was the first to break the sound barrier on land.
Mercedes-Benz U.S. International Visitors Center 1 Mercedes Drive Tuscaloosa AL 35490 (888) 286-8762 Features: Tours will resume early next year, when visitors will be able to take a virtual tour of the manufacturing process, and see vintage Mercedes, Benz and Daimler vehicles in Daimler's only U.S. automobile manufacturing plant.
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Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum Wedgewood Resort 212 Wedgewood Drive
Fairbanks, AK 99701
(907) 450-2100 Features: Fountainhead calls itself "The farthest north automobile museum in America." Tough to argue with that claim. It features 70+ historically significant American cars and emphasizes the heritage of the automobile during Alaska’s post-Gold Rush era. The collection includes such rare vehicles as a 1899 Hertel, 1904 Stevens-Duryea, 1917 Owen-Magnetic, 1921 Heine-Velox, 1933 Auburn V-12 dual ratio custom speedster and 1938 Elto Midget. Several of the autos are the only examples of their marques known to remain, including an 1898 Hay Motor Carriage, 1906 Compound, and 1920 Argonne.Also, huge photos of Alaskan motoring history.
Museum of Alaska Transportation & Industry 3800 West Museum Drive Wasilla, Alaska 99687 (907) 376-1211 Features: The museum's mission is the collection, conservation, restoration, exhibition, and interpretation of artifacts relating to Alaska’s transportation and industrial history. Its scope is statewide and the collections reflect that, encompassing Eskimo skin boats to jet aircraft.
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Buddy Stubbs Motorcycle Museum 13850 North Cave Creek Road
Phoenix, AZ 85022
(602) 971-3400 Features: This collection is on the grounds of a sprawling Harley-Davidson dealership. More than 100 rare machines are on display, representing several dozen manufacturers.
Franklin Automobile Museum 1405 East Kleindale Road PO Box 40444 Tucson, AZ 85717-0444 (520) 326-8038 Features: This facility springs from the donation of his adobe home and his car collection by the estate of Thomas H. Hubbard, who died in 1993 at the age of 67. He was a well-known Tucson auto restorer and car history buff widely recognized as a leading authority on the Franklin automobile. His collection, besides 16 Franklins, includes a 1909 REO, a 1939 Lincoln Zephyr and a 1957 Porsche coupe. A '33 Franklin Coupe is shown here next to the museum/home's entrance.
Gammons Gulch Movie-Set Museum 331 West Rockspring Lane Benzon, AZ 85602 (520) 212-2831 Features: On this site where numerous movies, commercials and TV scenes have been shot, the Old Western Town portion is a mix of the 1880s to 1930s containing a collection of antique and vintage cars along with movie memorabilia. It also is a frequent site for collector car club events.
Hall of Flame 6101 East Van Buren St. Phoenix, AZ 85008 (602) 275-3473 Features: Nearly an acre of fire history exhibits, with more than 90 restored pieces of fire apparatus dating from 1725. Mostly American items, but there are examples from Europe and Japan. Sponsored by the National Historical Fire Foundation.
Penske Racing Museum 7125 East Chauncey Lane Phoenix, AZ 85054 (480) 538-4444 Features: Celebrates four decades of the famous racing enterprise with an 8,000 square foot facility that includes two floors plus a mezzanine with a collapsible glass wall. Eleven of Penske Racing's winning Indy 500 cars are on display, along with 18 other racing and vintage cars, Team Penske trophies and other memorabilia.
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Ft. Smith Trolley Museum 100 South 4th Street Fort Smith, AR 72901 (479) 783-0205 Features: The Fort Smith Streetcar Restoration Association is dedicated to the preservation and appreciation of electric powered streetcars, railroad equipment, transportation and other technology that existed during this period in history, and to providing a unique educational experience to the visiting public.
Museum of Automobiles Petit Jean Mountain 8 Jones Lane Morrilton, AR 72110 (501) 727-5427 Features: Its collection includes some very unusual vehicles such as a 1904 Oldsmobile French Front, a 1912 Paige Beverly touring car, a 1916 Smith Motor Wheel, a 1933 Auburn V12 Boat Tail Speedster and a 1914 Cretors Popcorn Wagon commercial truck seen here. The museum also serves as headquarters for the Mid-America Old-Time Auto Association.
Four States Auto Museum 217 Laurel Street Texarkana, AR 71854 (870) 772-2886 Features: This facility, located on a site that once was a gathering place for horse-drawn wagons driven by shoppers, is devoted to renovating and preserving all manner of vehicles and paraphernalia.
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Alford Auto Museum 599 East Main Street El Centro, CA (760) 353-3920 Features: Predominately American-Made cars such as Fords and Franklins. The Model “A” Ford Rich Alford bought when he was in high school is included in the exhibit outside. All cars are in running condition and have been restored to their original state.
Antique Gas and Steam Engine Museum 2040 North Santa Fe Avenue Vista, CA (760) 941-1791 Features: Dozens of workhorse machines powered by, obviously, gasoline or steam engines. A visible history of American manufacturing devices.
Automobile Driving Museum 610 Lairport Street El Segundo, CA (310) 909-0950 Features: More than 70 antique, classic and special interest cars are on display, including a 1955 Packard Caribbean once owned by the actress Jean Peters (a gift from Howard Hughes) and a 1936 seven passenger Packard Phantom,
purported to be a gift from President Roosevelt to Joseph Stalin. Rides in select vehicles are given on Sundays.
California Auto Museum 2200 Front Street Sacramento, CA 95818 (916) 442-6802 Features: More than 150 cars are in the current collection ranging from an 1886 Benz Patent-Motorwagen Replica to a 2011 Nissan Leaf. Some cars are available for visitors to sit in.
Chandler Vintage Museum of Transportation & Wildlife Oxnard, CA Features: This was home to the late newspaper mangate Otis Chandler's extensive collection of vintage and rare automobiles, motorcycles and trains as well as fine art and wildlife. The inventory was sold off in 2008. See an update here.
J.A. Cooley Museum North Park San Diego, CA Features: This is a small facility in one of the city's older neighborhoods. It has 15 cars from 1886 through 1933 plus 25 categories of antiques represented by collections such as model trains, cast iron toys, spittoons, tools, cuckoo clocks, license plates, World War I posters, phonographs, typewriters, and cameras.
Hays Antique Truck Museum 1962 Hays Lane Woodland, CA (530) 666-1044 Features: The collection includes more than 100 makes of old trucks, representing 94 different manufacturers such as Fageol, Freightliner, Mack, Sterling, Oshkosh, Peterbilt, Chevrolet, Dodge, and the one and only 1916 Breeding Steam Truck.
Marconi Automotive Museum 1302 Industrial Drive Tustin, CA 92780 (714) 258-3001 Features: A $30 million collection includes exotic cars, auto memorabilia, and convention and event space. Included are cars, motorcycles and such special groupings as "Ferrari Row," a line of Ferraris that includes a sapphire-blue Ferrari FX (seen here), the only one in the world. Many of the event proceeds help fund the Marconi Foundation for Kids.
Murphy Auto Museum 2230 Statham Boulevard Oxnard, CA 93033 (805) 487-4333 Features: This facility was opened in 2002 as a non-profit collection of more than 50 cars in the classic, milestone and special interest niches, including a collection of Packards from 1927-1958.
NHRA Motorsports Museum Fairplex Gate 1 1101 West McKinley Avenue Pomona, CA Features: The Wally Parks NHRA Motorsports Museum opened in 1998. The 28,500 square foot building on the edge of the Los Angeles County Fairplex is intended to highlight the impact of motorsports on our culture. Hot rods, customs and race cars are featured.
Nethercutt Collection and Museum 15151 Bledsoe Street Sylmar, CA 91342 (818) 367-2251 Features: This is an upscale facility with a dress code. No jeans or shorts, for example. Besides classic cars, the collection has more than 1,100 hood ornaments, many crafted from Lalique crystal. Among its 200 showpiece cars are a 1933 Duesenberg SJ Arlington Torpedo "Twenty Grand." a 1932 Maybach Zeppelin Sport Cabriolet and a 1934 Packard 1108 Dietrich Convertible Sedan, the "Orello."
Petersen Automotive Museum 6060 Wilshire Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90036 (323) 930-2277 Features: The museum covers four stories. Permanent exhibits, including dioramas and experience settings, are on the first. The second is comprised of five large changing exhibition galleries with displays of race cars, classic cars, vintage motorcycles, concept cars, celebrity and movie cars, and automotive design and technology. The May Family Children's Discovery Center is located on the third floor. It's an interactive hands-on learning center that teaches children basic scientific principles by explaining the fundamental functions of a car. An all-glass penthouse conference center, founder's lounge and kitchen cover the fourth floor. Changing exhibits cover such topics as "Presidents, Popes & Potentates."
San Diego Automotive Museum Balboa Park 2080 Pan American Plaza San Diego, CA 92101-1636 (619) 231-2886 Features: An exotic and extensive collection that ranges from the first Fiberglas dune buggy to the Nash Metropolitan -- America's smallest-ever production car, three-wheelers, desert racing vehicles and motorcycles.
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Clive Cussler Museum 14959 W. 69th Avenue Arvada CO 80007 (303) 420-2795 Features: Cussler, author of multiple best-selling novels, frequently includes exotic cars and other transportation in his books. This seasonal museum is a collection of cars he owns, some of which have been described in his books. Among the prizes: a 1932 Stutz town car (seen here), a 1953 Allard J2X sports car, and a 1936 Pierce Arrow Berline with a Pierce Arrow Travelodge house trailer.
The Dougherty Museum U.S. 287 Longmont, CO (303) 776-2520 Features: The collection includes restored cars powered by steam, electricity and early internal combustion engines. Most of the cars are in running order. Some unusual cars include a 1908 Silent Waverly (seen here), a 1909 Fuller, a 1910 Lozier, several Ford Model A's and several horse-drawn carriages.
Forney Museum of Transportation 4303 Brighton Boulevard Denver, CO 80216 (303) 297-1113 Features: Amelia Earhart's "Gold Bug" Kissel, Aly Khan's Rolls Royce Silver Ghost, plus "Anything On Wheels," such as the Forney Locomotive, the Big Boy and other train engines, as well as dining cars, cable cars and more as part of a 500-item collection of antique cars -- such as the 1912 Renault opera coupe seen here, trains, tractors, carriages, cars, buggies and bicycles. The exhibits also include wax figures of the likes of W.C. Fields.
Matthews Collection 5889 Lamar Street Arvada, CO 80003 (303) 456-0041 Features:
Harry Mathews, a suburban Denver auto dealer, has a collection of more
than 20 racing cars he allows car clubs and other special groups to
visit by appointment. The collection includes Porsche, Ferrari,
Mercedes, Jaguar, Lotus and McLaren marques.
Shelby American Collection 5020 Chaparral Court P.O. Box 19228 Boulder, CO 80308-2228 (303) 516-9565 Features: The collection represents the race heritage of Shelby American and has on display some of the most famous cars it ever built. The museum also is host to displays of period autos, tools and memorabilia.
Stanley Museum Lower Stanley Village P.O. Box 788 Estes Park, CO 80517 (970) 577-1903 Features: This is a sister facility to one in Kingfield, ME. Its exhibits range from history and ghost story tours to virtual tours in a presentation format. With the addition of the museum's 1909 Model R Stanley Roadster, the museum ramped up the significance of the Stanley steam car, its place in automotive and transportation history and an introduction to how it works.
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Connecticut Firemen's Historical Society 230 Pine Street Manchester, CT 06040 (860) 649-9436 Features: The museum is located in a 1901 firehouse and exhibits a wide variety of firefighting equipment and memorabilia ranging from leather fire buckets used by the first settlers, to early motorized fire apparatus. Also on display, a horse-drawn hose wagon and a steam-operated pumper.
Gasoline Alley Automotive Museum 58 Buckley Highway Stafford Springs, CT 06076 (860) 684-2678 Features: (No website.) All sorts of automobilia is on display -- gas pumps, oil cans, signage, etc. -- plus such cars as a 1946 Fordf Sportsman, one of only about 700 manufactured.
Golden Age of Trucking Museum 1101 Southford Road Middlebury, CT (203) 577-2181 Features: In addition to continually changing exhibits on trucking, the museum has a display of Crosley cars and collectibles, a 35-minute movie about moving the Edaville Railroad from Carver, MA, to Portland, ME, art displays, stock cars from the now-closed Danbury Race Arena, antique trucks ranging from the early 1900s to 1974, plus a trio of cars made in Connecticut -- a Locomobile, a Trumbull and a Barker.
Photomobile Model Museum 1728 Highway 198 Woodstock, CT (203) 974-3910 Features: Dedicated to solar electric small-scale car, boat, plane, train and maglev vehicles. Highlight: New England solar car.
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Magic Age of Steam Route 82 Yorklyn, DE 19736 (302) 239-4410 Features: Steam-powered cars, locomotives and other vehicles are represented in this facility, dedicated to the "Age of Steam" in America from the end of the Civil War until the early 1920s. It includes the largest collection of steam-powered autos in the world, an exhibit of miniature stationary steam engines and tiny railroad locomotives, and the 7" gauge coal-burning Auburn Valley Railroad, all located on the grounds. Seen here is the 30-horsepower 1912 Stanley, a 7-passenger touring car that holds the record for the longest trip ever made in a steam car -- 8,328 miles during the summer of 1972.
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Elliott Museum 825 N.E. Ocean Boulevard Hutchinson Island Stuart, FL (772) 225-1961 Features: Founded by inventor Harmon Elliott as a tribute to his father, Sterling, also a prolific inventor. Collectively, they were awarded 222 patents. Many of them had to do with vehicle design, an dthe collection includes Sterling’s quadricycle and the Elliott family’s Stanley Steamer car. Plus, the facility holds a transportation gallery and life-size dioramas of turn-of-the-century shops and residences. The museum is owned and operated by the Historical Society of Martin County.
Ft. Lauderdale Antique Car Museum 1527 SW 1st Avenue (Packard Avenue) Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33315 (954)779-7300 Features: The museum is a reproduction of a Packard showroom from the 1920s. On display are 22 Packards from the 1900s to the 1940s, all in working order. The 18,000 square foot building is also stocked with thousands of pieces of memorabilia as well as a gallery dedicated to President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing 13700 SW 16th Avenue Ocala, FL 34473 (877) 271-3278 Features: This is drag racing's Mecca, devoted to the legendary namesake dragster driver and the sport as a whole.
Sarasota Classic Car Museum 5500 North Tamiami Trail Sarasota, FL 34243 (941) 355-6228 Features: This 53-year-old facility recently underwent a renovation. The 60,000 square foot facility sits on four acres near the Ringling Museum of Art. It houses more than 100 automobiles, including classic models, one of only five Cadillac station wagons ever made, John Lennon’s Mercedes Roadster, and one of Don Garlits' dragsters. Also on premises is an antique game arcade with machines that are operable and cost just a few cents.
Tallahassee Antique Car Museum 3550A Mahan Drive Tallahassee, FL 32308 (850) 942-0137 Features: A large collection of classics from around the world. Perhaps the most prized possession is an 1894 Duryea, perhaps the oldest known surviving fully manufactured pre-production model. It is in running condition. A forensic examination of the underside of the original floorboard reveals that the pencil writing of the words “flywheel” and “Sprocket” were by J. Frank Duryea, the original designer of the Duryea automobile.
Tampa Bay Auto Museum 3301 Gateway Centre Boulevard Pinellas Park, FL (727) 579-8226 Features: If you want to see some very unusual marques, models and memorabilia, try this facility. Examples? How about Peugeot Darl 'mat, Salmson S4E, Talbot Lago T 15 Q L 6, Avion Voisin-C7 Chastness, Tracta A, Hotchkiss Gregoire, Allard P1, Fardier de Cugnot, Kubelwagen Type 82 ... . Convinced?
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Georgia Racing Hall of Fame Museum 415 Highway 53 East
Dawsonville, GA 30534 Features: The museum recognizes prominent members of the state's racing heritage. It includes the Elliott Family Legacy Room and a display of vintage and NASCAR vehicles.
Stone Mountain Antique Car and Treasure Museum Stone Mountain Memorial Park 2542 Young Road Stone Mountain, GA 30088 (404) 981-0194 Features: Among 40 display cars are a Tucker, a 35K series Lincoln and a handmade car from a Buck Rogers sci-fi film, the body of which is a shortened '37 Ford.
Bruce Weiner Microcar Museum 2950 Eatonton Road Madison, GA 30650 Features: Open by e-mail appointment only. This an unusual collection, devoted to tiny autos spurred by post-World War II desires to get Europe back on its feet. The collection is primarily focused on cars of the late 1940s-pre-1964 range with engine sizes of 700cc or less (many are 250cc and 50cc) and two doors or less. The microcar or "bubble car" came to symbolize this period of renewed energy and pulling together.
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Classic Car Museum The Studio in Queens’ MarketPlace Hawaii, HI (808) 886-8822 Features: This is the state's first classic car museum. It opened on February 15, 2010. It displays restored vintage automobiles and is working on an exhibit to display a custom built Rolls Royce once owned by the late martial arts legend Bruce Lee.
Hawaiian Island Camaros P.O. Box 63 Pearl City, HI 96782 Features: While there is no museum facility in the state, this islands-wide organization conducts a variety of events for Camaro aficionados. The main event is the annual Camaro Cruise.
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Grant's Antique Cars & Museum 5603 Franklin Road Boise, ID 83705 (208) 342-8800 Features: (No website)
Idaho State Historical Society Transportation Museum Boise, ID 83705 (208) 334-2844 Features: (No website)
The Vintage Wheel Museum 218 Cedar Street Sandpoint, ID 83864 (208)263-7173 Features: The museum has more than 50 authentic displays centered around a collection of restored antique cars, horse-drawn vehicles, and steam engines.
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Chicagoland Historical Bus Museum 9901 South Sayer Avenue, Chicago Ridge Aurora, IL 60598-6203 (708) 250-6970 Features:Exhibits and programs demonstrate the vital role bus transportation has played in the growth of the Chicago area as well as the U.S. Preservation and restoration of buses, bus equipment and artifacts. Exhibits provide an interactive, educational experience for visitors of all ages.
Historic Auto Attractions 13825 Metric Drive Roscoe, IL (815) 389-7917 Features: Created by race car driver Wayne Lensing, whose Lefthander Chassis company makes short-track racing chassis. He collects special interest vehicles, with 70 now on display accompanied by graphic illustrations and historical information.
Volo Auto Museum 27582 Volo Village Road Volo, IL 60073 (815) 385-3644 Features: A varied collection of more than 300 cars, including Hollywood cars (the original Batmobile from the 1960s television series; the '77 Pontiac Trans-am Blackbird Special Edition from "Smokey and The Bandit,the '67 Shelby Mustang that was used in "Gone In 60 Seconds," the Flintstone car, etc.), pre-1950 classic cars and muscle cars.
Wheels o' Time Museum 11923 North Knoxville Avenue PO Box 9636 Peoria, IL 61612-9636 (309) 243-9020 Features: This is a time capsule you can walk around in -- antique cars (mostly Packards), household items, tools, machinery, musical instruments -- in other words, a large and eclectic grouping of items owned by 55 collectors.
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Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum 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.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum 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.
Studebaker National Museum 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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Iowa 80 Truckstop Trucking Hall of Fame 755 West Iowa 80 Road I-80, Exit 284 Walcott, IA (563) 284-6961 Features: This spot, which bills itself as the world's largest truckstop, has nearly 22,000 square feet of display space devoted to several dozen trucks at one time with room for storage of other trucks not on current display. Among items on display are a 1910 Avery, a 1961 B-61 Mack, the first Mack AC ever produced, a 1924 White wrecker featured in the movie "Fried Green Tomatoes," a rare half-cab Kenworth, and a 1912 Saurer, the only remaining American-built Saurer.
National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum One Sprint Capital Place P.O. Box 542 Knoxville, IA 50138 (800) 874-4488 Features: Between Knoxville Raceway and the Hall of Fame & Museum, this town claims to be the capital of sprint car racing in America. Numerous events are held at the Hall, which has displays recording sprint car history.
Schildberg's Antique Car Museum East Iowa Street Greenfield, IA (641) 743-8444 Features: This small but varied collection is from the estate of Dennis Schildberg, a local auto collector and restorer.. The cars are used for community events, and the exhibit is open by appointment by calling the local Chamber of Commerce at the number listed here.
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Highbanks Hall of Fame
National Midget Auto Racing Museum P.O. Box 264 Belleville, KS 66935 (785) 527-2526 Features: The museum, a new facility, is aimed at preserving traditions of dirt track racing. It contains displays about racing personalities, memorabilia, and displays race cars.
Kansas Auto Racing Museum 1205 Manor Drive
Chapman, KS 67431
(785) 922-6642 Features: Concentrates on the history of racing in Kansas as opposed to trying to duplicate NASCAR or another series. Extensive film and still-photo collection, examples of different types of race cars.
Kansas City Automotive Museum 15095 West 116th Street Olathe, KS 66062 (913) 322-4227 Features: This is an interim venue for an organzation planning a larger, more expansive facility in the Kansas City area. It features more than
30 cars in a 12,000-square-foot display space. It highlights
significant KC automotive history such as 1965 Le Mans winner
Masten Gregory (known as the "Kansas City Flash"), the Ford Winchester plant, and
Greenlease Cadillac.
REO Antique Auto Museum Lindsborg, KS 67456 (785) 227-3252 Features: Displays are in the annex to a 1930 service station complete with antique hand-operated gas pumps. The museum was opened in 1988 to exhibit the private Applequist auto collection. It specializes in the vehicles produced from 1905 to 1936 by Ransom Eli Olds. The Museum has 13 REO cars, 7 REO trucks, 1 REO fire engine, and well as Ford, Black, Dodge, Chevrolet, Plymouth and Cadillac models from 1905 to 1948, plus a Thunderbird and a DeLorean.
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Calvert Auto Museum P.O. Box 245, Highway 95 Calvert City, KY 42029 Features: (No Web site.) Displays 35 vehicles representing 10 different marques, ranging from a 1914 Ford touring car to a 1937 Cord, with most of the autos from the 1920s.
National Corvette Museum 350 Corvette Drive Bowling Green, KY 42101 (270) 745-8019 Features: Every Corvette is made in the plant here, which is open for tours, and the museum is adjacent to it. The 68,000 sq. ft. building houses more than 50 Corvette models and one-of-a-kind concept cars spanning the history of Corvette since its inception in 1953. Also includes thousands of related photos, movies, videos, advertisements, scale models and rare memorabilia. Inside includes full-scale dioramas showing Corvettes in period settings. The one-millionth 'Vette ever built (seen here) also is on display.
Ranier Racing Museum Prestonburg, KY (606) 886-1341 Features: Opened in March 2006, named for local businessman and NASCAR race car owner Harry Hale Ranier. Racing memorabilia and cars, including the 1983 Daytona 500 tropy won by Cale Yarborough in a Ranier-owned car.
Swope's Cars of Yesteryear Museum 1100 North Dixie Avenue Elizabethtown, KY (270) 765-2181 Features: Several dozen classic cars, including some seldom-found models as a 1910 Brush, 1910 Hupmobile Runabout, 1923 Dodge Business Sedan, 1923 Packard Sport Touring, 1931 Chevrolet Convertible Cabriolet, 1931 LaSalle Convertible Rumble Seat Coupe, 1936 Rolls Royce Phantom III, 1938 Dodge 5 Window Coupe and a 1953 Jaguar XK 120 Sports Car.
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Ark-La-Tex Antique & Classic Vehicle Museum 601 Spring Street Shreveport, LA 71101-3645 Features: The facility is in a former 1920s Dodge car and Graham truck (seen here) dealership. Exhibits include both antique and classic vehicles, including motorcycles and antique fire trucks.
Bonnie & Clyde Ambush Museum 2419 Main Street Gibsland, LA (318) 843-1934 Features: For those with a taste for the American gangster lore of the 1920s, this is the place to see.It is dedicated toBonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, the rogue Romeo and Juliet of the Depression era, and located in the former Ma Canfield's Cafe where the pair got their last sandwich, then drove down the road into an ambush by lawmen. The museum has the bullet-riddled death car, a collection of photos, one of Clyde's Remington shotguns pulled from the car, some items of clothing, replicas of Bonnie and Clyde's tombstones set in a simulated graveyard, a large mural showing the death scene, and other icky stuff.
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Boothbay Railway Village Route 27, P.O. Box 123 Boothbay, ME 04537 Features: What began as a village restoration has morphed into an eclectic collection of transportation memorabilia and village history. The car collection includes such attractions as a circa 1830 one-horse shay, an 1860 carriage built in Farmington, ME, an 1897 Haynes-Apperson Surrey, a 1904 curved dahboard Oldsmobile, a 1923 Ford Model T depot hack, a 1926 Franklin Victoria sport touring car, a 1929 Packard Model 640 limousine, a 1939 Lincoln Zephyr 12 cylinder, a 1941 Willys Americar Speedway Sedan and a 1962 Rolls Royce.
Cole Land Transportation Museum 405 Perry Road Bangor ME 04401 (207) 990-3600 Features: This is a repository of vehicles and memorabilia that chronicle all areas of transportation in Maine's history. That includes a collection of more than 2,000 photographs, the largest display of snow removal equipment under one roof in America, and 10 fire trucks ranging from a 1910 hand tub to a 1948 Ahrens Fox.
Jay Hill Auto Museum Route 4, Jay Hill Jay , ME 04239 (207) 897-5257 Features: (No Web site.) Small exhibit of antique vehicles.
Owls Head Transportation Museum Route 73 adjacent Knox County Airport Owls Head, ME (207) 594-4418 Features: The facility deals with more than 100 historic aircraft, automobiles, bicycles, carriages and engines on permanent display. The aircraft collection contains replicas and originals representing the first century of flight, from Cayley’s unmanned glider (1804) to the legendary Curtiss Jenny of the barnstorming era. The auto collection spans the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and includes the 1963 Prototype Mustang and a 1935 Stout Scarab, called the world’s first mini-van. Only six were made.
Seal Cove Auto Museum PO Box 190 Pretty Marsh Road Camden, ME 04843 (207) 244-9242 Features: One of the largest, if not the largest, collections of brass cars, containing more than 100 rare autos -- such as the 1907 Chadwick seen here -- and about 30 antique motorcycles.
Skyline Farm Carriage Museum 95 The Lane North Yarmouth, ME 04097 (207) -829-9908 Features: Housed in one of Maine's first indoor riding rings, the horse-drawn carriages and sleighs represent the types of vehicles used for personal tranportation prior to the 1920s.
Stanley Museum 40 School Street P.O. Box 77 Kingfield, ME04947 (207) 265-2729 Features: This is a sister entity to the Stanley in Estes Park, CO, established in 1981 and located in the Georgian-style Stanley School built in 1903. Kingfield is the birthplace of the Stanleys — important to note because the steam car for which they're most often remembered was built in Watertown, MA. The Museum commemorates and preserves the heritage of the Stanley family that created the famous Stanley Steamer automobile. The exhibits cover all facets of Stanley family history and memorabilia — airbrush painting and photography, violins and examples of Stanley steam cars from 1905, 1910, and 1916.
Wells Auto Museum Route 1 Wells, ME (207) 646-9064 Features: More than 80 cars covering 1900-1963. Some of the gems are a 1963 Studebaker Avanti, a 1949 Cadillac Fleetwood, and a 1907 Stanley Steamer. Also, a collection of nickelodeons, antique arcade games, license plates and toys.
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Baltimore Streetcar Museum 1901 Falls Road P.O. Box 4881 Baltimore, MD 21211 (410) 547-0264 Features: The "youngest" streetcar on display is No. 7407, built by the Pullman-Standard Car Manufacturing Co. in 1944 for the Baltimore Transit Company. It's the star of a collection commemorating this very cityfied mode of transportation.
Collector Car Museum 7500 Rickenbacker Drive Gaithersburg, MD 20879 (301) 987-0960 Features: Deals heavily in restoration and sales, but has a collection on display, ranging from 1960s-'70s muscle cars to unusual models.
Fire Museum of Maryland 1301 York Road Lutherville, MD 21093 (410) 521-7500 Features: (No web site.) A collection of firefighting equipment and memorabilia that chronicles the history and evolution of firefighting throughout the state.
Wheels of Yesterday Route 50 Ocean City, MD Features: The museum, open since 1997, is located on the outskirts of the tourist city and is open year-round. The oldest vehicle in the collection is a horse-drawn rural mail delivery wagon dating from 1830. The oldest car here is a 1904 Oldsmobile Model R. Several marques long gone from the automotive scene are represented, including a '26 Essex, a '49 Packard, a '51 Willys Jeep station wagon and a '55 Hudson Metropolitan (seen here).
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Collings Foundation, The PO Box 248 Stow, MA 01775 (978) 562-9182 or (978) 568-8924 Features: Both pre-war classic cars and racing machines and classic aircraft. From the “Brass Era,” a 1901 Oldsmobile Curved Dash and a 1916 Stanley Steamer Mountain Wagon; from the “Roarings ‘20s,” a 1921 Marmon Model 34 Speedsters’ from the “Classic Era,” a 1927 Rolls Royce Springfield Phantom 1 Phaeton and a 1929 LaSalle Model 2H, to name only a few examples in the collection.
Larz Anderson Auto Museum 15 Newton Street Brookline, MA 02445 (617) 522-6547 Features: A continuing exhibit tells the history of the French motor car in "L'automobile: A Century of Innovation and Style." Includes autos made by Delahaye, Delage, Facel-Vega, Voisin, Renault, Citroen, DeDion, Leon Bollee, Bugatti, Peugeot, Rochet-Schneider, Gardner-Serpollet and others. The actual vehicles on display will change as the exhibit continues for one year.
Josiah K. Lilly III Automobile Collection Heritage Museums & Gardens Sandwich, MA (508) 888-3300, ext. 121 Features: This collection is housed in a two-story replica of a Shaker Round Barn on the grounds of an extensive campus of history and horticultural attractions on the west end of Cape Cod. Among the vehicles on display: actor Gary Cooper's 1930 Duesenberg, a 1932 Auburn Boattail Speedster model 8-100A, a 1922 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Pall Mall Phaeton, a 1912 Mercer Raceabout and a 1909 White Steam Car Model M, one of the first official cars of the White House, owned by President William Howard Taft.
National Streetcar Museum 25 Shattuck Street Lowell, MA Features: This is an offshoot of the Seashore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, ME. It's an exhibit describing the history of urban rail transportation and how its rebirth is helping to revitalize American cities.
Toad Hall Simmons Homestead Inn 288 Scudder Avenue Hyannis Port, MA 02647 (508) 778-4934 Features: A collection of more than 50 classic sports cars, mostly English with some Japanese and European ones thrown in -- and all of them are red. There are a dozen Lotuses, a half-dozen MGs, Triumphs and Jaguars, and a smattering of Austin Healeys, TVRs, Datsuns, and Ferrari, Mazda, Morgan, AC, Daimler, Sunbeam, Mini Cooper, etc.
Walker Transportation Collection Beverly Historical Society and Museum 117 Cabot Street Beverly, MA 01915-5196 ( 978) 922-1186 Features: As the collection curators put it, "If it moved or existed within, around, or above New England, the collection most likely has a photo of it." The collection covers trains, streetcars, trolleys, trucks, buses, cars, ships, and planes — all forms of transportation.
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Automotive Hall of Fame 21400 Oakwood Boulevard Dearborn, MI (313) 240-4000 ext. 228 Features: This visitor attraction and educational resource is a repository for automotive history shown through visual and interactive exhibits, automobiles and artifacts. School groups are admitted free of charge with advance arrangements.
Automotive Heritage Museum 100 East Cross Street Ypsilanti, Mi 48198 (734) 482-5200 Features: Located in the nation's last Hudson dealership, with records dating back to 1927. Apex Motors, which produced the "ACE" car from 1920-1922, was located on South River Street and Preston Tucker whose family owned the Ypsilanti Machine and Tool Co. developed and built the prototype for his "Tucker Torpedo."
• Corvair Museum
Part of the Ypsilanti Automotive Heritage Collection.
Bay City Motor Co. Museum 201 Second Street Bay City, MI 48708 (866) 822-2216 Features: Vintage, classic, neoclassic, muscle, and specialty vehicles abound. Among the marques represented are BMW, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge (2), Ferrari, Ford, Hudson, Jaguar, Lincoln, Mercedes-Benz, Mercury and Studebaker.
Walter P. Chrysler Museum One Chrysler Drive Auburn Hills, MI 48326-2778 (888) 456-1924 Features: This facility named for the auto pioneer is located on the DaimlerChrysler Headquarters campus. Although much of the collection deals with Chrysler Corp. marques including Plymouth, DeSoto, Dodge, Imperial and Chrysler, there are others dotted here and there -- such as Willys, Rambler Hudson and more.
Detroit Historical Society 5401 Woodward Avenue Detroit, MI (313) 833-7935 Features: This all-things-Detroit organization includes, naturally enough, numerous exhibits and artifacts concerning the auto industry.
Henry Ford Museum 20900 Oakwood Boulevard. Dearborn, MI 48124-4088 (800) 835-5237 Features: "The Henry Ford," as its members call it, prides itself on reflecting major parts of American history with five distinct attractions spread over the 90 acres of Greenfield Village. It includes such support activities as the Benson Ford Research Center and the Henry Ford IMAX Theater. In addition to explaining the history of Ford's innovative automaking techniques, there are numerous special displays such as the Montgomery, AL, city bus (seen here) on which Rosa Parks refused to sit in the segregated area in 1955, helping touch of the civil rights movement.
Gilmore Car Museum 6865 Hickory Road Hickory Corners, MI 49060 (269) 671-5089 Features: This is not the sort of place you'll see in a half-hour. Nearly 200 vehicles are on display in restored historic barns. Exhibits range from a 1899 Locomobile, to the classic Duesenberg or the rare Tucker '48, and from the Model T to the muscle cars of the 60s.
Model T Automotive Heritage Complex 411 Piquette Avenue Detroit, MI (313) 872-8759 Features: The home of the Ford Model T was in this Piquette Avenue plant, now well preserved and largely unchanged from its original 1904 appearance. The third floor has never been painted since Ford Motor Company left in 1910. It houses the secret Experimental Room where Henry Ford developed the innovative Model T. Another exhibit spans five bays, showing the Model T during various stages of assembly. This exhibit explains the stationary assembly process with which cars were produced before the moving assembly line. Various Model Ts and other Piquette-era Fords are on display throughout.
Motorsports Hall of Fame of America Novi Expo Center I-96 & Novi Road (exit 162) P.O. Box 194 Novi, MI (800) 250-7223 Features: The hall's board of directors has temporarily suspended public operations at its temporary location in the Expo Center to allow staff and volunteers to concentrate on moving to an appropriate new home. A site selection task force is working on site acquisition and development. Updates will be posted on the Web site.
R.E. Olds Museum 240 Museum Drive Lansing, MI 48933 (517) 372-0529 Features: This facility is named for Ransom E. Olds, founder of REO and, later, Oldsmobile. Displays range from the 1880s through the curved-dash Olds era to today's concept cars. The museum., named one of the nation's 10 best by Car Collector magazine, also houses noth the oldest and the fastest Oldsmobiles, and rare models from REO, Star, Durant, and Viking. Includes buggies, bicycles, trucks, engines and memorabilia.
Alfred P. Sloan Museum 1221 E. Kearsley Street Flint, MI 48503 (810) 237-3450 Features: The Sloan deals with science, local history and genealogy. But its Buick Gallery deals with classic autos -- more than 25 classic and concept Buicks, Chevrolets, and other locally built automobiles. Featured vehicles on exhibit are the 1910 Buick Bug race car, 1951 Buick XP-300 and 1954 Buick Wildcat II concept cars, and a Hellcat Tank Destroyer built by Buick during World War II.
Wills Ste. Claire Auto Museum 2408 Wills Street Marysville, MI (810) 987-2854 Features: This former WWII munitions factory houses an evolving collection of vintage autos and memorabilia and serves as a center for hobbyists. The collection includes such Wills models as a 1926 seven-passenger sedan and a '26 roadster.
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Ellingson Car Museum 20950 Rogers Drive Rogers, MN 553http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.bold.gif74 (763) 428-7337 Features: The museum has 100 vehicles, including cars, trucks and motorcycles, from the early 1920s through the muscle cars of the '60s and '70s, including one of the cars used in the TV series "The Dukes of Hazzard" (seen here). Historic videos, pictures, memorabilia and a doll collection also are on display.
Minnesota Street Car Museum
The Minnesota Streetcar Museum
P.O. Box 14467
University Station
Minneapolis, MN 55414-0467
(952) 922-1096
Roaring 20's Auto Museum Highway 55 Brooten, MN 56316 Features: (No Web site.) The exhibits of vehicles and memorabilia support the name of this small, eclectic collection.
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Antique Car Museum Highway 82 Carrollton, MS 38917 (662) 237-9301 Features: (No website) This has many antique cars and antique memorabilia. Some of the cars have been in movies, such as "My Dog Skip."
Mike Brown Racing & Classic Car Museum Routes 306 and 109 Iuka, MS 38852 (662) 424-3343 Features: A display of restored classic antique automobiles. Some unusual items: a 1936 Auburn Boatail Speedster, the '84 Pontiac Richard Petty drove to his 200th NASCAR win, Indianapolis 500 and NASCAR pace cars, and a 1920 Ford Model A.
Tupelo Automobile Museum Otis Boulevard
Tupelo, MS
(662) 842-4242 Features: Featured are 120,000 square feet of automobile displays and open viewing restoration bays. More than 100 antique, classic and collectible automobiles are chronologically displayed, beginning with an 1886 Benz and ending with a never-driven 1994 Dodge Viper. Also on view is a Lincoln once owned by Tupelo native Elvis Presley. Elvis was known for giving cars as gifts. The 1976 Lincoln Mark IV on display (seen here) was given to Jerry Kennedy, captain of the Denver Police Vice and Drug Control Bureau, who was in charge of security for Elvis when he appeared in Denver. Elvis purchased the care for $13,386.69 and gave it to the police official.
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Auto World Museum 200 Peacock Drive Fulton, MO (573) 642-2080 Features: The Backer Collection consists of more than 120 vintage cars, trucks and other vehicles dating from 1903 to 1993, and 84 of them are displayed here among historic settings and exhibits of memorabilia reminiscent of the times the cars were new.
Kansas City Auto Museum (opening spring 2014)
3100 Broadway, Suite 1420
Kansas City, MO 64111
(816) 756-1144
Kemp Auto Museum 16955 Chesterfield Airport Road Chesterfield, MO 63005 (636) 537-1718 Features: The core of this facility is a lineup of Mercedes-Benz models collected over a 30-year period by founder Fred Kemp Sr. More than 40 are on display at this museum that opened in 2005.
Memoryville USA 2220 North Bishop Avenue Rolla, MO 65401 (573) 364-1810 Features: After years of restoring cars and antiques, this has turned into a 56,000 square foot facility that houses a huge restoration shop as well as an antique auto museum (originally known as Autos of Yesteryear). Among its exhibits are a 1913 Indy race car, John Wayne’s 1917 Federal truck and the late iconic news commentator Paul Harvey’s 1938 Nash Lafayette.
National Museum of Transportation 8015 Barrett Station Road St. Louis, MO 63122 (314) 965-7998 Features: The Earl C. Lindburg Automotive Center at the museum of was redesigned so its glass and steel exterior resembles a contemporary auto dealership. Its premier exhibit is titled “It’s an Automobile Life: Car Culture in St. Louis and Beyond.” It includes St. Louis’ oldest express delivery truck, a 1908 Galloway; a 1959 Ford experimental gas turbine truck, and a 1901 St. Louis Automobile made by the St. Louis Motor Carriage Co., the first successful automobile company west of the Mississippi River.
Ozark Auto Show and Museum West Highway 76 Branson, MO 65616 (417) 334-4191 Features: (No website)
St. Louis Car Museum 1575 Woodson Road St. Louis, MO 63114 (314) 993-7104 Features: Cars are selected for display in a 48,000 square foot, carpeted, climate controlled showroom. Among the gems are a gorgeous 1956 Studebaker Golden Hawk (seen here), a 1967 Alfa Romeo Duetto, a 1980 Porsche 911 SC Targa and a 1940 Cadillac Series 75 Convertible Coupe.
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Archie's Car Museum
115 South Garfield Avenue
Terry, MT Features: (No website) Founded in September 2010 by Doug Braun to house much of his 100-vehicle vintage car collection as well as a large collection of vintage U.S. license plates.
Miracle of America Museum 36094 Memory Lane Polson MT (406) 883-6804 Features: This multi-faceted museum is devoted to all sorts of Montana memorabilia. Among its transportation artifacts are a rare 1943 motorized toboggan, an alcohol-fueled ice racer, a 1930 Model A Ford "Snowbird" (seen here) used for mail delivery and other vintage seasonal vehicles.
Montana Auto Museum Old Prison Museums 1106 Main Street Deer Lodge, MT 59722 (406) 846-3111 Features: More than 150 cars are on display, from classic Chevys and muscle cars to a Schacht high wheeler and a 1903 Ford with tonneau and wicker side baskets. Also, see a DeSoto Airflow, Model T's, V-8 Fords, a Chevy Nomad, a Mustang Mach I, a Chevelle Super Sport, a Seagrave fire truck, a Diamond T logging truck, an Indian motorcycle, and a Ferrari.
Oscar's Dreamland Yesteryear Museum
4745 Hesper Road
Billings, MT 59106
(406) 656-0966 Features: (No web site.) Founded by the late Oscar Cooke to house his immense collection of tractor seats (300), antique cars and trucks (30), original frontier buildings (10), construction and military equipment, airplanes and airplane engines, boat motors, hand tools, antique watches, steam engines and tractors, wagons, drilling equipment and much more. The collection now exceeds 10,000 items and requires 152,000 square feet of indoor display space as well as 18 acres outdoors.
Yellowstone National Park Park Heritage & Research Center Gardiner, MT Yellowstone National Park (307) 344-7381 Features: A collection of 30 horse-drawn and motorized vehicles, ranging from stagecoaches operated by the park to the first car — a Ford Model T — allowed in the park.
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Chevyland USA Exit 257 of I-80 Elm Creek, NE (308) 856-4208 Features: More than 100 Chevrolets, all restored or in original condition, are shown in this collection located about 10 minutes west of Kearney.
Harold Warp's Pioneer Village 138 East Highway 6 Minden, NE (308) 832-1181 Features: This is a collection of 25 buildings offering everything from a money wrench exhibit to "the world's second oldest Buick," the world's largest collection of restored farm tractors, several hundred autos and other memorabilia.
Sawyer's Sandhills Museum 440 Valentine Street Valentine, NE 69201 (402)376-3293 Features: (No website) Exhibits include a 1907 Cadillac roadster, 1911 Austro-Daimler, 1909 Buick, 1909 Flanders and 1916 Paterson touring car.
Stuhr Museum 3133 West Highway 34 Grand Island, NE 68801 (308) 385-5316 Features: This complex is called "The Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer" and covers many aspects of prairie life. The 200-piece Antique Auto and Farm Machinery exhibit includes an 1880 threshing machine, early steam engines, tractors, and numerous examples of horse-drawn and tractor-drawn farm implements, hay rakes, cultivators, plows, potato planters, and more. It also includes 15 antique automobiles, including buggies, a 1909 Model T, a 1913 Overland and a 1903 American.
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Imperial Auto Collections Imperial Palace Las Vegas, NV (702) 794-3174 Features: More than 250 cars are displayed in the 125,000 square foot showroom. Among some of the models on display: Elvis Presley's 1929 Duesenberg J Derham Phaeton, Marilyn Monroe's 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood, and such rarities as a 1933 Pierce Arrow Silver Arrow and a 1961 Aston Martin DB4/GT Zagato valued in excess of $3 million.
Don Laughlin's Classic Car Collection Riverside Resort & Casino 500 South Casino Drive Laughlin, NV (702) 298-2622 Features: This free-admission collection includes a changing array of rare and unusual vehicles, from limos once owned by notorious historic figures, to movie cars, to the battered motorcycle Steve McQueen rode to get away from it all.
National Auto Museum 10 South Lake Street Reno, NV 89501-1558 (775) 333-9300 Features: This is the famous Harrah Collection, which includes period street settings and clothing to enhance the classic auto displays. In addition to a large number of classic cars, there also are numerous celebrity-owned models (such as James Dean's 1949 Mercury Series 9CM 6-passenger coupe seen here) and vehicles featured in various films.
Nevada Vintage Race Car Museum 250 SunPac Avenue Henderson, NV 89015 Features: The museum contains vintage races cars from different eras and includes sprint cars, midgets, Indy Race League (IRL) cars and engines, as well as aircraft models depicting various eras in aviation history. It also has an extensive gallery of motor sports and aviation photos, artifacts, trophies and memorabilia.
Carroll Shelby Museum Las Vegas Motor Speedway Las Vegas, NV Features: This facility, located at the entrance to the speedway, honors the racing legend who set record as a driver, owner and race car developer. Shelby set land speed records in 1954 at Bonneville, won the 24-hour Le Mans in 1959, created the legendary Shelby Cobra, and then, in 1991 after heart transplant surgery, created the Carroll Shelby Children's Foundation dedicated to providing assistance for acute coronary and kidney care for children in need.
Sunbelt Classic & Antique Automobile Museum Bruce Street & Washington Avenue Las Vegas, NV Features: An esoteric collection of such unusual display models as Frazer, Willys, Jeep, LaSalle, Hudson, Crosley, Dual Ghia (seen here) and other models along with the usual Ford, Chevy, Chrysler and other familiar makers' works.
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Alton Motorsports Company 12 DOT 3 Street (off of Route 28 North) PO Box 60 Alton, NH 03809 (603) 875-7575 Features: True, this is not really a museum, but in a state with a lack of auto museums it deserves mention in this guide because of its 10,000 square foot showroom that houses an extensive inventory of owned consigned motorcycles, rods, classics and muscle cars. Obviously, open to the public.
Carrol St. Auto 68 Carroll Street Manchester, NH 03102 (603) 627-5595 Features: Like Alton Motorsports (above), this is not really a museum but it gets a mention because of its large browse-around inventory of classic and muscle cars such as Mustangs, GTOs, Chevelles, Chargers, Road Runners, Camaros, Novas, etc.
Wright Museum 77 Center Street Wolfeboro, NH (603) 569-1212 Features: This is a museum complex with three separate and distinct buildings. The Home Front and theater, the two-story educational building or Visitor's Center and the military building which houses memorabilia from all branches of service from WWII including a large collection of military vehicles from this era -- tanks, halftracks, jeeps, an ambulance, motorcycles and the only existing operational American tank to cross the Rhine River in Germany.
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CWJ Classic Automobile Museum 18 Claremont Road Bernardsville, NJ (908) 221-0908 Features: The museum organizes rotating installations of American automobiles and art exhibitions that illustrate the role of the car in defining the social and economic climate of the country. It also has a collection of American convertibles from the 1940s, '50s and '60s that frequently are on display.
Space Farms Zoo and Museum 218 Route 519 Sussex, NJ 07461 Features: Despite its name, this museum and
zoo dedicated to conserving wildlife and preserving American history also has
50 vintage cars and motorcycles as well as antique wagons and
carriages. Open daily May 1 through October 31 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Vintage Automobile Museum of New Jersey 18 Bay Avenue Point Pleasant, NJ 08722 732-899-0012
Features: Currently closed due to damage by Hurricane Sandy. The website will update potential visitors as repairs are made.
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Antique Auto Barn National Parks Highway 16-180 Carlsbad, NM 88220 (505) 885-2437 Features: (No website)
J&R Vintage Auto Museum 3650 NM Highway 528 Rio Rancho, NM 87124 (505) 867-2881 Features: A collection of about 70 vehicles, including a Packard Gallery, several cars that competed in The Great American Race, and a large array of die-cast automotive-related toys. Overall, cars range from a 1902 Oldsmobile to a '48 Diamond-T truck (seen here) to a '69 Mercury Cougar.
Route 66 Auto Museum 2866 Will Rogers Avenue (Historic Route 66)
Santa Rosa, NM 88435 (575) 472-1966 Features: More than 30 street rods, classic cars and vintage vehicles are on display. Curio shop sells car-related souvenirs.
Russell's Truck & Travel Plaza and Museum Exit 369 of I-40 at the Texas-New Mexico border Glenrio, NM Features: You won't find this collection on many museum lists, but it's worth stopping in. In addition to being a large truck plaza, it has a nicely-arranged free display of classic cars, trucks, automotive paraphernalia and model cars. Clicking on the title above will take you to a video shot by a trucker who says she was struck by the collection the first time she stopped in.
Unser Racing Museum 1776 Montaño NW Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, NM 87107 (505) 341-1776 Features: Memorabilia and race cars documenting the competitive history of one of the major family dynasties of the field.
YesterDave's Auto Museum 10601 Montgomery Boulevard NE
Albuquerque, NM 87111 (505) 293-0033 Features: (No website) A small but nicely varied collection that includes several cars once owned by Elvis Presley and a 428 Cobra autographed by Carroll Shelby.
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