See Corvettes in Kentucky, muscle cars in Florida and Model T's in Michigan
Article Source: msnbc.com
from:msnbc.com12 car museums worth a detour
Seeded on Thu Jul 22, 2010 10:18 AM EDT (msnbc.com)
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You missed a fabulous gem, the Nethercutt Collection in Sylmar, CA which has a fabulous collection of cars including one of the best Bugattis in the world. By the way, the museum open to walk-ins and is free. They don't even request donations. They also have an amazing collection of mechanical musical instruments and crystal hood ornaments which they show to public in groups by appointment.
Rick, you beat me to the punch on this one! The Nethercutt Collection consists one of the most astounding collections of high-end cars I've ever seen. The cars are Mr. Nethercutt's private property and most are in perfect physical and mechanical condition.
The museum asks that visitors observe a reasonable dress code, so visitors should check out that issue ahead of time, and not show up in shorts, tank-tops and flip-flops. Once you experience this car collection, you'll understand why.
You both beat me to it. By far one of the best collections out there.
My wife was upset that we stopped on our honeymoon, untill she walked in the door. My wife is not a big car gal, but she loved it.
Worth the time, and like Rick said, Its FREE. I tried to make a donation, and was told they DO NOT accept donations.
The Don Garlit's Museum in Ocala, FL is also one that has some real classics. Hot rods and dragsters from the seventies; it really takes you back.
What about the Gilmore Car Museum near Kalamazoo MI? Fabulous collection!!
Absolutely! I'm looking forward to "Volvos at the Gilmore III" mid-August. I went to the last one in 2008 and had a GREAT TIME. Should've stayed longer to see more of the museum.
You can register for it at www.vcoa.org
A third vote for the Gilmore. You can go to the Henry Ford, go to the Gilmore (about 2 hours and ten minutes west), then stop in at the Air Zoo in Kalamazoo (which has a ton of planes and rockets and related stuff) before you drive ninety minutes to the Studebaker Museum in South Bend.
And how about the Floyd Garrett Muscle Car Museum in Sevierville, Tennessee. What a great place!
Gatlinburg TN 10 miles to the south has much better attractions but the Muscle Car Museum is very good. Just avoid Pigeon Forge
You left off one of the finest, the Nethercutt Mueseum in Sylmar CA.
Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg Museum in Auburn, Indiana
Another vote for the Auburn, Cord & Dusenberg Museum in Auburn, Indiana. It is just a ten minute ride off the route from Indianapolis to Dearborn if you are touring Midwest museums. The autos are gems.
The Auburn, Cord % Duesy is one of my favorite museums of all time. My first time there, I thought it was only the first floor and I was perfectly happy with the stop and entrance fee, and then I went upstairs....whoa!! Where else can you see over 100 million dollar plus cars on display???
http://www.automobilemuseum.org
MSNBC travel always messes up these articles; they left the Wright Paterson AFB off the list of great airplane museums.!.!.! duh...
I'll vote for the ACD museum, too. The fact that it is in an actual original dealership, the most beautiful I have ever seen for a car dealership, is icing on the cake. The perfectly level floor for chassis building was amazing to me, and the upstairs display was unexpected! Definitely worth a look on your way up to michigan even if you aren't a car nut.
But i still adore the Henry Ford Museum. It's still my Mecca.
Three of my favorite cars are Auburns, Cords & Duesenbergs. The museum is a real "Duesy".
Yes Yes Yes! The Auburn Cord Duesenburg is one of the best car exhibits Ive ever seen. The Auburn Kruse park may have had the largest collection of all types of autos Ive ever seen in one place. This however was only at the 2 big auctions a year at the park. With "Mr." Kruse's crooked buisiness practices this may not ever happen again. Depending on how this all turns out his greed may turn out to have effectively killed the city of Auburn, IN. I plan on taking my children there before the ACD museum is just a memory
I'm with you, the Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg is a great one as is the NATMUS museum right behind it. Also, the Saratoga Automobile Museum is a great one. Not too many cars, but they treat them like art and change exhibits regularly.
The Volo Auto Museum in Volo, IL, makes for an interesting family outing.
I was actually kind of surprised they didn't make the list. Not only do they have awesome cars, but the histories of the cars they display, whether it's their movie-car selection or those like Princess Di's Rolls limo, are really something to be seen. Where else can you see the Dr. Seuss "Cat in the Hat" car along with a strand of Abraham Lincoln's hair?!
I do agree with the inclusion of the Corvette Museum in Bowling Green. It should also be mentioned that a few years ago, they dramatically increased the size of the museum.
My sister-inlaw and here husband are visiting this weekend and since he is a big motorhead the Volo Auto Museum is one place I know he will enjoy.
They have many great antique cars plus a lot of "made for TV" autos.
* The Knight Rider Pursuit Kitt, One of the original Batmobiles, One of the many General Lees, Speed Racer, Monster Garage's Switchblade worlds fastest Mustang-powered lawnmower, The "Great Race" Torpedo, Porsche 948 from "Risky Business" and many, mnay more.
Aren't the Volo cars for sale? The other museums are true museums and cars are not for sale.
Thanks for the info. I just checked it out and I'm going to make sure we go there this summer. My boys (any maybe my daughter) will love it! Looks like fun!
Wait till you see the new LeMay Auto Museum being built in Tacoma, WA. It'll be a wowser. Over 5000 cars in the collection.
The Lemay is a hidden gem among auto museums. The current collection will satisfy anyone. I'm looking forward to the new 'Lemay' in Tacoma too.
Alexander City, AL has a muscle car museum.
You missed the Auburn, Cord, Deusenberg museum in Auburn, Indiana. Remarkable is all I can say about those cars.
Absolutely right. The ACD Museum in Auburn is a pantheon of great American cars prior to WWII. Includes Deusenbergs that are both works of art and among the fastest cars ever made. Don't miss it if you are driving from Michigan toward Indy.
Have enjoyed the Pioneer Auto Museum in Murdo, South Dakota. Lots of interesting cars, motorcycles and miscellaneous (could take our dog in!).
It is terrific! Been there a few ties when I visit the state. Have you seen the one in Marmarth, DK? Dory's Antique Auto Museum. Really terrific place. Nice lady runs it- Janice Abrahams I think is her name. They have SOOO much there and she knows the history of every exhibit I think as well as the history of the town and county. While you are there , arrange a visit to the Marmarth Research Foundation. Nice young paleontologist Tyler Lyson run a live field research expedition teaching interested people to become real field digging paleontologists. They are working on a museum there for the MRF finds I understand . This is the fellow who found the dino mummy featured in the National Geographic special. But check out the museums - car and dinos. Nice people there!
In 1993 I walked through two warehouse-museums where a developer named Jimmy Morris (I believe) had amassed the largest collection of pre-1930 Cadillacs and Dusenburgs, with a healthy sprinkling of other grand cars of the era - all near 100 pt restorations - in the US. Since he was in his early 80's then, I've wondered since about the collection. Does any reader know?
minnesotan2 i was hoping that museum would show up. it is a great place with a lot of variety.
I suppose they had to set a practical limit on the number of automobile museums included in the article, but it really should have also included the San Diego Automotive Museum, which is a phenomenal exhibit. And right in the middle of so many other magnificent museums, too.
The Studebaker Museum in South Bend, IN is pretty amazing. This museum has everything Studebaker from carriages, wagons, and cars.
I agree, the Studebaker Museum is great. It includes many concept cars that never made it to production and President Lincoln's carriage used until his death. Worth a visit!
Even prior to the new LeMay museum being built, the collection is still awe-inspiring. One of, if not THE largest privately owned car collections in the world, you can get up close and personal with these cars. Presently they are stored and displayed in buildings that used to be an old Catholic school but just to walk among these greats of the automotive past takes your breath away. Come see it today in Spanaway (Tacoma), Washington. You won't be disappointed.
Seconds on the Auburn, Cord, Deusenberg museum in Auburn, Indiana and the Gilmore Museum in Kalamazoo. The Auburn mueum is housed in one of the former car dealerships and the Gilmore musuem is a wonderful parklike setting with cars outside, inside the barns and rolling around the grounds.
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Pioneer Village, Minden Nebraska
I agree that the Harold Warp, Pioneer Museum is a true mid america gem - although the auto section is just a minor part of the prarie history. from a trip 20 years ago, it had a nice variety of cars, but no real rarities or ones with a special provenance. For truly rare cars with a "history", it is hard to beat the Greenfield Village - many years ago they used to have a Spring sports cars in review which drew out many of the classic race cars, factory prototypes(that survived) in the area.
The Bruce Weiner Microcar Museum is absolutely fascinating.
The Houston Art Car Museum! How can that not be top of the list.
Larz Anderson Museum in Brookline, Massachusetts. Great museum, great building, terrific lawn events. http://www.larzanderson.org/
How about the Studebaker Museum in South Bend, Indiana?