A Food Fun Travel Guest Post
Automotive museums offer history, innovation and regional culture in every corner of the country. From rare classics to futuristic supercars, the experience includes American ingenuity and international flair.
Lifelong gearheads and history buffs can enjoy unforgettable stories, hands-on exhibits and unforgettable sights at the best car museums in the United States.
Where Can You Find the Best Car Museums in the United States?
Each museum offers a unique spin on automotive history and culture, whether in a large city or a small town. Regardless, you’ll embark on a memorable journey throughout the automotive industry. Here are 12 of the best car museums nationwide.
1. Volo Museum
The Volo Museum is a family-friendly attraction in the heart of the Midwest. This automotive gallery showcases rotating displays of modern and classic collector cars. Stroll the grounds to see over 300 vendors and 75 acres of planes, trains and automobiles. The collections are filled with cherished moments and nostalgia for automobile enthusiasts.
Volo Museum’s vast collections include vintage cars and hundreds of enjoyable classics. From a 1909 Model T to a 1929 Packard, the vehicles are practically a time machine to the past. There are five showrooms displaying these cars, with some available for purchase. Volo Museum also has kid-focused attractions like Disney parade cars, pedal cars and movie collections.
Key features
| Open 362 days a year | Eclectic blend of automobile exhibits |
| Five showrooms of vintage cars | Expansive aviation collections |
2. California Automobile Museum
The California Automobile Museum has been a Sacramento, California, staple since the late 1980s. Its extensive collection of over 130 vehicles means hours of fun for each visit. While it features permanent exhibits, the museum also hosts rotating and special exhibits for your enjoyment. If you have a classic car, you can donate it for a display.
Half of the displays are owned by private exhibitors, whereas the California Automobile Museum owns the other cars. Exhibits include early 20th-century vehicles, such as a 1904 Ford Model C Runabout and an 1886 Benz Patent-Motorwagen replica. Auto enthusiasts can also enjoy newer additions, ranging from a 2011 Nissan LEAF to a 1997 General Motors EV1.
Key features
| Monthly rotating exhibits | Featured exhibits and special events |
| Rides in museum cars on third Sundays | Car donations welcome |
3. National Corvette Museum
The National Corvette Museum is dedicated to Chevrolet’s famous sports car. Visitors can enjoy the facility across from the General Motors Bowling Green plant, where the Corvette is manufactured. You can sign up for tours to get an immersive manufacturing experience. The museum and the plant are the ultimate resources for Corvette history.
Corvette enthusiasts can enjoy immersive exhibits, including the pop culture collection. The newest display features beloved models, such as Elvis Presley’s 1959 Stingray Racer. From C7 Corvette concepts to “Hawaii Five-0” classics, you can enjoy nostalgia and futuristic technologies. Besides cars, you can also see sports car-inspired guitars from Les Paul and Paul Reed Smith.
Key features
| Over 70 Corvettes on display | Plant tours available |
| Year-round events | Permanent and rotating exhibits |
4. National Packard Museum
The National Packard Museum is among the best car museums, offering a glimpse into defunct manufacturers. This Ohio institution commemorates the Packard Motor Car Company, a luxury vehicle automaker. Packard produced high-class cars for over 50 years before shutting its doors in 1956. However, the nonprofit organization’s mission is to preserve the car’s legacy.
Since 1999, the National Packard Museum has been in the historic district of Warren, Ohio. The featured exhibit allows guests to sit inside a genuine Packard vehicle and interact with its features. Enjoy the video screen on the dashboard, featuring highlights from 1949. Check out the Legacy Hall Exhibit, which includes cars dating back to 1900. In addition to exhibits, the museum has a gift shop offering apparel and souvenirs.
Key features
| 23,000 square-foot facility | Original and restored Packard automobiles |
| Single-admission tickets and memberships | Special rates for school field trips |
5. Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America celebrates generations of racing history across disciplines. From stock cars to drag racing, you can learn about the drivers and owners who shaped their sports. The museum is located at the Daytona International Speedway, so be sure to plan a visit during your trip to the big track.
The 15,000-square-foot facility features vehicles and artifacts from NASCAR and other prominent American motorsports organizations. Each year, the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America houses the most recent Daytona 500 champion’s car. If you’re curious about stock cars, you can hop in a Cup Series Toyota Camry and get your picture taken.
Key features
| Open every day except major holidays | Immersive experience inside a NASCAR Cup Series car |
| Free admission for children aged four and under | Memberships with discounts on MSHFA events |
6. Revs Institute
The Revs Institute is another Florida museum dedicated to unique automobiles. This Naples location is a nonprofit museum and library, and it prides itself on automobile knowledge. Visitors can embrace the extensive inventory of automobile archives and artifacts. The working facility features over 120 cars across its 80,000 square-foot space. You can also enroll in hands-on classes made for adults and teens.
Miles Collier’s collections make the Revs Institute one of America’s best car museums. These exhibits include highlights from the 20th century, such as a 1956 Porsche 550A or a 1914 Mercedes Type 18/100 Grand Prix. Auto enthusiasts and industry scholars from around the globe visit the museum to see these vehicles.
Key features
| Over 120 cars on display | Home to the Miles Collier collections |
| Located near the Naples Airport | Instructor-led automotive arts classes |
7. LeMay – America’s Car Museum
LeMay – America’s Car Museum is one of the largest automobile museums nationwide, featuring over 300 vehicles and engaging exhibits. It’s conveniently located off I-5, making it an easy drive for road trips. Since 2012, the LeMay family has displayed thousands of vehicles and artifacts for the public’s enjoyment. Each collection embraces America’s automotive history and its 20th-century dominance.
This famous Tacoma museum takes you through automotive history, from Duesenbergs and Lincolns to Route 66 legends. Five permanent exhibits highlight the LeMay family’s exhibitions, so visit each one for blasts from the past. Visitors can experience an international flavor through the British Invasion display. Jaguar, Lotus and Mini vehicles remind you of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.
Key features
| Over 300 vehicles on display | On-site café, banquet hall and meeting spaces |
| Adjacent to the Tacoma Dome | Memberships available for special events and experiences |
8. Gilmore Car Museum
The Gilmore Car Museum is one of the best car museums in the rural United States. Visitors drive through the natural beauty of western Michigan before arriving in Hickory Corners, a small town near Kalamazoo. The large facilities house vintage and collector vehicles across 90 acres. Donald S. Gilmore’s car collection started as a hobby before transforming into a must-see attraction.
The museum takes pride in the size of its collection, which comprises over 400 vehicles across the campus. It features over 209,100 square feet of exhibition space, making it one of the largest car galleries in America. The Gilmore family has something for everyone, as its extensive collections encompass a wide range of automotive history. Motorcycles, muscle cars and recreated gas stations highlight the Michigan location.
Key features
| Over 400 cars on display | Handicap-accessible amenities |
| Model T driving experience | Two on-campus restaurants |
9. Lane Motor Museum
The Lane Motor Museum is conveniently located between downtown Nashville and the city’s airport. If you enjoy unique and unorthodox vehicles, it’s an excellent stop on an automotive-centric vacation. Visitors come for unusual European vehicles, whether amphibious machines or microcars. Collections include authentic late-19th-century cars and replicas.
America’s most extensive European automotive collection includes 150 cars and motorcycles. Dymaxion, Peel and Alfa Romeo are just some of the manufacturers found in the Tennessee museum. Lane’s rotating exhibits include Competition Classics, which celebrates relics from the racing past. Another popular gallery is one dedicated to video games, such as Forza’s MG Metro 6R4.
Key features
| Over 150 unique cars and motorcycles | Free admission for members and children five and under |
| Wheelchair-friendly exhibits | America’s largest collection of European vehicles |
10. Tampa Bay Automobile Museum
The Tampa Bay Automobile Museum takes visitors back to simpler times with over 70 vintage cars and vehicles. The Central Florida exhibition hall features unique exhibits that can only be found in this location. Imagine seeing a 1935 Georges Irat or an 1899 Société Parisienne without having to travel to France. While some vehicles are on display only, others are available for sale.
It’s among the best car museums in the United States due to the Fardier de Cugnot exhibit. This section showcases the first self-propelled vehicle, invented by Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot in 1770. The Tampa Bay Automobile Museum has a functional replica on its grounds, featuring over 250 years of automotive history. Besides the Fardier de Cugnot, guests can enjoy old electric cars, motorsports legends and microcars.
Key features
| Over 70 vintage vehicles | Vintage cars for sale |
| Vintage posters and lithographs exhibit | Rare Fardier de Cugnot display |
11. Barber Motorsports Museum
The Barber Motorsports Museum features a racecar collection and a world-renowned track on its premises. Visit the famous grounds just outside Birmingham, Alabama, for a fantastic family-friendly experience. George Barber started the gallery in the late 1980s, focusing on motorcycles. Auto enthusiasts travel from around the globe to see a 1959 Ducati 200SS and a 1946 Harley-Davidson Knucklehead.
While motorcycles are its focus, the Barber Motorsports Museum houses rare racecars. From Lotuses to a 1964 Ferrari F-158, the museum has world-famous motorsports memorabilia. Each year, the facility hosts the IndyCar series to display the country’s top open-wheel drivers. In addition to IndyCar, the museum hosts year-round racing events for all motorsports enthusiasts.
Key features
| America’s largest motorcycle collection | Open daily year-round |
| Annual IndyCar Series race | Educational programs for kids |
12. America on Wheels
America on Wheels is one of the best car museums for learning about the nation’s history. Visitors learn about the cars, trucks and motorcycles that shaped American history, spanning the late 19th century to the present. Three galleries house over 75 vehicles, with rotating automotive exhibits. Stop by on Wednesday or Friday for a 45-minute tour.
America on Wheels features permanent exhibits with a 1914 Model T and a 1918 Mack AC fire truck. Informative and friendly staff make the experience memorable, as first-timers and seasoned gearheads can appreciate the automotive displays. For additional education, consider the Special Restoration Center tour, held inside a fully restored historic building.
Key features
| 75 vehicles across three galleries | Free entry for seniors on the first Thursday of the month |
| Open year-round with extended hours | Located near the Lehigh River |
Methodology to Determine the Best Car Museums
Before determining America’s top car museums, it’s essential to understand the contributing factors. Here are seven criteria used to judge these attractions.
| Collection size | The exhibits should cover a variety of makes, models and eras. |
| Historical significance | Museum visitors want to see rare and historically important vehicles on display. |
| Visitor experience | The experience must be accessible to visitors of all abilities while incorporating interactive elements. |
| Educational programs | Adults and children can benefit from guided tours, workshops and lectures. |
| Exhibit quality | Curators should carefully organize the exhibits to tell stories. |
| Artifact preservation | Museums must implement smart conservation and restoration practices. |
| Technological integration | Digital guides and augmented reality enhance the visitor experience in museums. |
Putting the Best Car Museums on Your Travel Itinerary
The country’s top car museums offer a glimpse into automotive history, thanks to immersive experiences and carefully curated displays. Each gallery displays innovation, culture and dedication to manufacturing excellence. While some focus on American ingenuity, others display the best from Europe and other continents. Regardless, your experience is worth the admission price.
