20 Best Car Museums In The US You Must Visit

Until he died in 2000, Howard LeMay had the largest private car collection in the world.

Upon his death, some of those were kept in private hands (and can now be found in a museum dedicated to his vehicles), and others got shipped off to America's Car Museum, which the city of Tacoma funded to ensure that the public would retain access to these stunning vehicles.

There are 250 other vehicles in the America's Car Museum collection, and they cover everything from the earliest motor vehicles (the 1913 Daimler Type 20 Touring is our favorite) to more modern offerings.

Every so often, a major vehicle exhibition will roll through this one of the top car museums in the US.

Tickets are $22 for adults and $16 for youths. Opening times vary throughout the year.

In our opinion, this is one of the coolest vehicle museums in the US, mostly because we are children at heart, and any museum featuring a real Batmobile has our vote!

There are plenty of exhibits within the Petersen Automotive Museum. They have exhibits dedicated to Porsche, Tesla and have plenty of vehicles from film & television to feast your eyes upon too!

Our favorite exhibition here is the original Petersen classic vehicle collection (i.e., up there with the oldest car collection in the US), which features sexy vehicles like the Bugatti 1939 Shah and the 1956 Jaguar XKSS. Honestly, there’s something for everybody in this museum! 

Tickets cost $19.95 for adults and between $10.95 and $12.95 for children, depending on age. The museum is open every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

We don't know about you, but we've always loved Reno.

Sure, it isn't as bright and dazzling as nearby Las Vegas, but every trip to Reno we have ever had has been huge amounts of fun - especially when that trip involves a visit to the National Automobile Museum. It genuinely is one of the best car museums in the US. 

The museum is packed with lots of brilliant cars, including movie vehicles (featuring cars from Titanic, and more), vehicles owned by Frank Sinatra & Elvis Presley, and lots of amazing vehicles that you'd struggle to find at other museums e.g., the 1892 Philion (Steam) Road Carriage. There are hundreds of vehicles to explore here, plus regular exhibitions too.

Adult tickets are $15, and youth tickets are $10. Opening times vary throughout the year. You can only buy tickets directly from the official website.

If you love European vehicles, then one of the best auto museums in America is the Lane Motor Museum.

It is the largest collection of European cars in the United States, and they are constantly expanding this collection.

The Lane Motor Museum covers much of European vehicle history. There are your standard cars. You know, the ones that people all know.

Then you have some experimental vehicles that probably should never have seen the light of day.

For example, European vehicle manufacturers spent a lot of time developing the micro car concept, and the Lane Motor Museum has a ton of these on show. On top of this, they also have motorcycles, bicycles, and other unique vehicles.

The museum is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. It is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every other day of the week. Entrance for adults is $12, and children are just $3.

No prizes for guessing what type of vehicles are housed in this museum! If you want a massive collection of Corvettes covering the entire history of the brand, then the National Corvette Museum is where you need to be.

There is no sense in us detailing all the exhibits here. If you can imagine a Corvette, it will be found at the museum.

This includes older Corvettes, plus new models introduced into the range. The entire museum is about preserving one of the best-known American vehicle brands.

Opening times vary massively throughout the year, so check the official website for current timings.

Entrance fees are $17 for anybody over the age of 13 and $12 under. It is an additional $10 per person to use the Corvette Simulator.

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame is a bit different from some of the other classic car museums in the USA that we have already mentioned.

This is because the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame isn't just about showing off the vehicles that have raced on the track but also celebrating the top drivers who operate those vehicles.

This is a complete history of the track. You have vehicles that have raced there, memorabilia, parts of the old track, old helmets, and more.

It is perfect if your love of cars extends to what, at the time, were some of the fastest vehicles to operate.

On top of all of this, you can also tour the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Walk around, and you’ll be part of the history of this stunning location.

Adult tickets are $15 and children are $8. This is for museum entry. There is an additional fee to tour the track. You should book on the official website to get the best deal. Opening times vary throughout the year.

The Henry Ford isn’t just one of the top automotive museums in the US but boasts several other attractions too.

We'll focus specifically on the whole vehicle part here, but bear in mind that the museum often has various non-car-related attractions there. For example, there is currently an exhibit on Nelson Mandela.

At the heart of the museum is the Henry Ford Museum of Innovation, which will take you through a journey of the most innovative minds in American history, including some of their inventions.

You also have Greenfield Village, where you can explore the workshop of the Wright Brothers or be driven around in a real Model T.

However, the real highlight is the Ford Rogue Factory Tour, where you can see exactly how Ford vehicles are made. This is a working factory, and it is awe-inspiring.

Ticket prices and opening hours vary depending on the part of the museum that you wish to visit!

The Larz Anderson Auto Museum has the oldest car collection in the United States.

While it certainly isn’t one of the largest car museums in the US, it has been around for a long time and attracts many visitors. Basically, all modern car museums in the US have this museum to thank.

The museum almost always has a rolling car exhibition on one of the floors. The real highlight is the Anderson collection, which can be found on the lower level of the museum.

It is a bit smaller than it used to be but still boasts beautiful vehicles like the 1899 Winton and the 1906 CGV.

All the cars in this collection are certainly on the older side of things, making this one of the best vintage car museums in the US. 

It costs $12 for an adult to enter (anybody over 12) and $6 for children.

Opening times vary throughout the year, depending on the extra exhibition being run at the museum. You can always check current opening times on the official website.

There are some incredibly unique exhibits to discover at the Mullin Automotive Museum.

But, unfortunately, it will require a bit of planning if you want to head to this museum as it is only open a couple of days per week. More on that soon, though.

It would be impossible for us to go through all of the exhibits you can find here, so we'll give you a few highlights.

Many people attending the Mullin Automotive Museum will beeline for the Bugatti section (includes vehicles and Bugatti furniture) or the Le Mans diorama.

However, our highlight is the 'Lady of the Lake' exhibit, which showcases a 1925 Bugatti submerged in a lake for over 75 years. It has never been restored, resulting in a rather beautiful and unique vehicle.

The museum is only open Fridays and Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $16 for adults and between $12 and $14 for children, depending on age.

At the time of writing, tickets still need to be purchased in advance from the museum. You are not able to buy them at the door. It is unknown whether this is something that will change in the future.

The Revs Institute is regarded as one of the best car museums in the US, and we would have to agree. This is because the museum isn't just a showcase of vehicles but a dive into the history of motoring in the US.

The museum is jam-packed with unique vehicles starting from the 1800s all the way up to 1999.

You have micro cars, steam-powered vehicles, and stunning sports cars. No matter what type of vehicle you are interested in, we can assure you that you won't be disappointed wandering through The Revs Institute.

In addition to this, The Revs Institute is a curator of stunning photography of vehicles. Their complete collection of 700,000 images can be found online.

The museum is open 3 days per week - Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. It opens from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

However, you can only enter on the hour and half-hour, so plan accordingly. We suppose this is to ensure that areas of the museum don't become too crowded.

Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for students, and free for anybody under the age of 8.

The Volo Auto Museum is unique in that it is split into two. You, of course, have the museum part. However, the Volo Auto Museum also deals with vintage car sales, attracting collectors from all over the world.

The Volo Auto Museum is actually 7 museums rolled into one, not all of which include vehicles.

The vehicle museum has vintage cars galore, trains, snowmobiles (which we suppose are a kind of vehicle), and even vehicles designed for children.

The real highlight, however, is the fact that the Volo Auto Museum boasts the largest collection of vintage Disneyland parade vehicles in the world. Most never leave Disney, and to see so many of them under one roof is stunning.

Opening times and ticket prices vary, depending on the part of the museum you are entering. Remember, this is 7 museums in 1!

The Newport Car Museum showcases vehicles from all over the world.

Although, there is a huge focus on American vehicles. For example, one of our favorite galleries at the Newport Car Museum is 100% dedicated to American muscle cars. Our next favorite is the Corvette Gallery.

There are tons and tons of vehicles on display here, and the Newport Car Museum curator has made it a goal to ensure that the museum tries to cater to as many interests as possible.

At times, this can cause the museum to seem a little less focused than other car museums, but it also ensures an epic selection of vehicles to feast your eyes upon.

The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every single day. Adult tickets are $20, and child ticket prices range from $16 to $20, depending on age.

There are over 170 vintage cars on display at the North East Classic Car Museum and a few vintage motorcycles.

On top of this, there is a section dedicated to vintage aircraft engines. We know that this will not appeal to everybody, but if you love your car tech, you'll probably love to look at those vintage engines too.

A lot of the museum is dedicated to vehicles manufactured in New York. Our favorite vehicles can be found there.

However, we also love the vast selection of pre-war vehicles that you can see in the museum. They are lovingly preserved.

Admission is $15 for adults and $8 for children. The museum is open from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every single day.

Many of the automotive museums in the US are just a collection of vehicles you can gaze at, which is fine. We love that. We're there to look at vehicles, after all. Seal Cove Auto Museum does things a little bit differently.

Obviously, the vehicles are on display, but the museum tries to chart the history of the US through automobiles, e.g., the rise of women's rights, the age of industry, etc. We love it.

It is impossible to state which vehicles you'll see on your trip to the museum as it changes the vehicles it has every couple of years. This means that there is always something new.

Unfortunately, the opening hours are limited (it doesn't open for anything other than group tours from November to April), and opening hours can be sporadic when it is open.

However, if you are lucky enough to visit the museum, prices are affordable. Tickets are $10 per adult and free to anybody under the age of 18.

This is one of the most famous car museums in the United States if you are interested in sports cars.

The museum is home to over 75 historically significant sports vehicles from a range of different vehicle manufacturers. In addition to this, you have some exhibits dedicated to the most successful racers in history.

One of the cool things about this museum is that they will hold demo days for their vehicles throughout the year. You’ll have to check their schedule to find out more.

Ticket prices are $15 for adults and free for children under the age of 18.

The museum is closed on Mondays and opens Tuesdays to Fridays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays & Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

As you can probably guess from the name, America's Packard Museum is a very specific museum.

It is dedicated only to Packard vehicles and boasts the most extensive collection of them in the world.

The museum is all about showcasing the Packard brand of vehicles and the top models throughout the generations.

Along the way, you'll get a ton of history about the Packard brand, including its history and top vehicles.

Over 50 vehicles are housed here, including actual World War II Packard vehicles and more.

Adults are $10, and children are free (with ID of their age). The museum is only open in the summer, Tuesdays to Sundays, from 12 to 5 p.m.

The Blackhawk Museum is the most famous museum in Danville. The classic car collection is just a small part of it, with the rest of the museum dedicated to cultures from around the world.

The Don Williams Automobile exhibit showcases some of the rarest vehicles in the world, including some fantastic concept vehicles that cannot be found in any other museum on the planet.

In fact, many of them can't even be found in private collections; they are just that rare! Our highlight of the museum is the collection of modern supercars, just because we love supercars.

Adults are $20 and children $15 (over 6). This will give you access to the whole museum, not just the classic car collection. Opening hours vary throughout the year.

The Gilmore Car Museum is home to over 300 vintage cars and motorcycles.

While most people visit this museum to enjoy the classic muscle cars, we love so much more than that.

This includes a history of black American travel in the US (back when black people were severely limited about where they could go) and a vast collection of Disney pedal cars. There is even a complete recreation of a 1930s Shell gas station.

On top of all of this, the museum offers regular vintage vehicle rides, so you could be driving in some of the most beautiful, classic vehicles in history. Well, at least be a passenger in them.

Adults are $20, and children (over the age of 7) are $12. Opening times vary throughout the year.

Many automotive enthusiasts call this the best auto museum in the world, and it regularly tops lists as being one of the best in the US. So, if you can visit just one automotive museum in the US, it may need to be this one.

As you can probably guess from the name, this museum only focuses on vintage vehicles.

While it does have a few classics here, the main focus is on rare cars, some of which can only be found in this museum, i.e., they are the last surviving specimens.

Much effort is placed on showcasing Alaksa-built vehicles and the history of motoring in Alaska.

Surrounding the vehicles, you’ll also find a collection of vintage clothing from the relevant era, helping to complete the overall look of the museum.

Anybody above 13 is $18, and children are $10. Opening times vary throughout the year.

The Toyota Experience Center is dedicated to the history of Toyota, and a huge number of vehicles are on display. Plus, a bit of memorabilia from the history of the brand.

Obviously, this is a museum you'll probably only want to visit if you are a fan of Toyota. On the plus side, entering is 100% free, but opening times vary throughout the year.