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Larry Edsall, a longtime automotive journalist who writes for The New York Times, Detroit News, Autoweek, and other publications, said:
Americans still do road trips in their automobiles, and one great way to spend some time along the route is by visiting car museums that celebrate our country’s love affair with its automobiles. My experience is that, large or small, each museum is full of interesting cars with amazing stories that folks at the museum are eager to share with their visitors.
The following seven car museums offer something for everyone, from the true classics to vintage motor homes restored to their original 1950s splendor.
Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum
The Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum is housed in the company’s former showroom.
Auburn, Indiana – People think of Detroit as the home of the American automotive industry. But automotive manufacturing used to be centered in Indiana. Its abundant hardwood provided good frame material for brass-era cars.
Indiana was home to more than 100 automobile manufacturers, including the Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Company. The Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Museum occupies the company’s former showroom. It pays homage to the automaker responsible for the first self-lubricating chassis and first front-wheel drive production car: the L-29 Cord.
Model J Duesenbergs fill the ground floor. Visitors can see Gorden Buehrig’s design studio. Among the significant Cords on display are an 812 Custom Berline and a custom-bodied L-29. There is also a special display of Indiana-built automobiles.
Around the corner from the ACD Museum is the National Auto and Truck Museum. Its collectible automobiles are displayed in the automaker’s former service building.
Studebaker National Museum
The Studebaker Museum has a collection of 120 private and commercial vehicles.
South Bend, Indiana – Studebaker’s history dates back to the Studebaker brothers’ mid-1800s blacksmith shop. The automaker retained Raymond Loewy, one of the world’s greatest industrial designers, as its chief stylist in 1936. Under Loewy, the company flourished, producing legendary models such as the Golden Hawk and sleek Avanti.
The Studebaker Company opened its original museum in the late 1800s. Its current location opened in 2005 with an extensive collection of both private and commercial vehicles. About 70 of the museum’s 120 vehicles are on display at any given time. The museum also houses the archives of both the Studebaker Corporation and the Packard Motor Car Company.
Nethercutt Collection
The Nethercutt Museum displays the collection of J.B. Nethercutt, who spent his life collecting automobiles, furniture, and musical instruments.
Sylmar, California – This treasure trove of antique, classic, and exotic American and European automobiles comes from the collection of cosmetics magnate J.B. Nethercutt. It includes more than 250 automobiles dating from the late 1800s to the turn of the 21st century.
A 1937 Talbot-Lago in the classic era collection is worth a visit by itself. Also check out the 1923 Hispano-Suiza, 1931 Bugatti, 1932 Maybach, 1933 Duesenberg, 1956 Mercedes-Benz Gullwing, and 1967 Ferrari Spyder.
The Shady Dell
Bisbee, Arizona – Visitors don’t need to worry about finding a place to stay when traveling to this outdoor museum in southern Arizona. All of the vintage travel trailers at the Shady Dell are for rent and restored to their full 1950s splendor. A 1951 Royal Mansion features leopard carpet and martini glasses. A 1949 Airstream and a 1950 Spartan Manor have their original interiors down to the coffee percolators. Each trailer is located on a small grassy yard with lounge chairs.
Hall of Flame Fire Museum
Phoenix, Arizona – The Hall of Flame Fire Museum in downtown Phoenix, Ariz., includes hand-drawn, horse-drawn, and motorized fire-fighting vehicles dating back to 1725. The museum was founded in the early 1960s. It also contains displays of fire helmets, fire extinguishers, and fire alarm systems.
National Corvette Museum
Bowling Green, Kentucky – A trip to the National Corvette Museum tops the bucket list for true fans of America’s sports car. It’s located just a mile from the General Motors Corvette Assembly Plant. Special exhibits and permanent galleries outline the Corvette’s evolution and celebrate its impact on racing, technology, and popular culture. There’s even a display dedicated to the sinkhole that opened under the building’s famous Skydome and swallowed eight Corvettes in 2014.
Researchers and restorers may access the museum’s extensive library and archives to review blueprints, technical manuals, and other historic documents and artifacts.
Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing
Ocala, Florida – From its launch 40 years ago, “Big Daddy” Don Garlits’ museum’s honorable mission has been to preserve the history of drag racing for all. Visitors can trace the evolution of Garlits’ famous “Swamp Rat” dragsters. Many of his personal cars are there, too, including his first car, a 1940 Ford Tudor. The Museum isn’t just about Big Daddy. His collection includes many of the historic Top Fuelers that lined up against him during his long and illustrious career. Dragsters are long and skinny, and Garlits has packed his museum full of them.
