From Aston Martin to Willys: The Best Car Museums on Earth
Inside the Porsche museum
Whether you’re into the latest exotics, extravagant classics, original American muscle, or have an appreciation for the bizarre, there’s a car museum that caters to your tastes.
Visiting museums in person is the best way to experience them, but since traveling the globe in search of automotive lore is impractical, we’re proud to present you with the websites of some that should be on the top of your “to visit” list. In no particular order, here they are:
1. The Porsche Museum, Stuttgart, Germany
Open since January 2009, this is perhaps the most state-of-the-art auto museum in the world. Divided into three main areas, visitors can follow the chronological history and development of Porsche.
2. The Volo Car Museum, Volo, IL
No, not Volvo. The Volo Car Museum in Illinois makes the list because of its Hollywood collection, featuring the original Batmobile, K.I.T.T., the General Lee, and many more.
3. The National Packard Museum, Warren, OH
Compare their website to Volo’s and you’ll get a sense of how vastly different car museums can be. From the 1903 Model F to the 1958 Packard Hawk, these are true classics.
4. Hostetler’s Hudson Auto Museum, Shipshewana, IN
Three words: 1954 Hudson Hornet. Okay, one number and two words, but this car alone is worth the visit!
5. National Auto Museum, Reno, NV
Cars from 1892 all the way to 1994 grace the halls of this automotive hodgepodge. Want to see what a 1937 Airomobile Experimental looks like? How about a gold-plated 1981 Delorean? These, plus Ferraris, Fiats, and more await you in Reno!
6. The Aston Martin Heritage Trust Museum, Oxfordshire, England
Housed in a 15th-Century barn, some of the best (Lagonda, anyone?) British cars ever assembled are here.
7. Galleria Ferrari, Maranello, Italy
It’s a Ferrari museum at the home of Ferrari. Do I need to say any more? Well, okay: From famous F1 racers to nearly mythical sports cars, this is pure automotive heaven. (If you don’t speak Italian, look for the “English version” button on the website.)
8. Lamborghini Museum, Sant’Agata Bolognese, Italy
I just figured, you know, since you’re in Italy, you might as well check out the other Italian supercar maker.
9. The Henry Ford Museum, Dearborn, MI
A 9-acre display floor with 40-foot ceilings does justice to the automotive spirit that invented the American auto industry.
10. The National Corvette Museum, Bowling Green, KY
I just put this one up here for my die-hard muscle-car horsepower-loving friends. I easily could have mentioned this Mustang museum or a Camaro museum, but I couldn’t find one. If you know of one, let me know!
Do you have a favorite car museum?
—tgriffith
Car Minded, Classic & Vintage Cars, Domestic Cars, Exotic Cars, Foreign Cars, General Chat
The Lars Anderson Auto Museum, in Brookline, MA, is home to “Americas oldest car collection” (not sure why they put that in quotes, but…):
http://www.larzanderson.org/