What are the best antique and classic car museums across the United States?

Antique and classic car museums are popular pastimes in the United States. Throughout the years, the automobile industry has changed designs and the materials used to make these vehicles. As a result, people like to visit these display and witness history in person. If you want to see how the automotive industry has changed over the years, get in your car and make a museum road trip.

The Petersen Automotive Museum

One of the country's most memorable place experiences is the Petersen Automotive Museum in Las Angeles, California. The showroom is home to over 100 priceless cars spread across 25 galleries. Recently renovated, the building, located at 6060 Wilshire Boulevard at Fairfax Avenue, is encased in stainless-steel ribbons over Pantone 187 C. The Petersen Automotive Museum calls this “Hot Rod Red,” a red compared to the famous undersides of Louboutin’s stilettos.

At this time, Petersen is not open to the public. A date for reopening has not been released, but they are offering daily live-stream tours of the facility. You can sign up for these on their website.

America’s Vehicle Museum

America’s Car Museum is home to the Lemay Collection, which once contained 3,000 vehicles. It is at 2702 East D. Street in Tacoma, Washington, just south of Seattle. Some of the cars currently on display include a 1918 Liberty Cadillac 1257X, Duesenberg SJ, and a 1983 Mercury Colony Park. There is something for the entire family to do at America’s Car Museum. For a little extra, the family can enjoy slot races.

The gallery is currently closed to the public, and all major events have been canceled. To keep updated on the museum's reopening or virtual encounters, join the email list on the museum's website.

Barber Vintage Gallery

When you want to take the family on an adventure that offers a little more than antique or classic cars, make your way to Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum. Located at 6030 Barber Motorsports Parkway in Birmingham, Alabama, the family will see many vintage cars and motorsports available. The Barber Vintage Motorsports display offers over 216 manufacturers from 20 countries.

If you are looking to plan a trip, make sure to check out the museum’s Facebook page. Right now, the gallery is not open to the public, but updates will be made available online as they become available.

Blackhawk Auto Library

The Blackhawk Auto Museum is located at 3700 Blackhawk Plaza Circle in Danville, California. It is a non-profit that houses around 90 classic cars, ranging from a 1911 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost to a 1958 Pininfarina-bodied Lancia Flaminia coupe to a 1970 Dodge Challenger convertible.

The gallery is currently closed to the public but plans to reopen. The display can be reached via email if you have any questions or immediate concerns. They will also post regular updates on their website and social media pages.

California Automobile Display

The California Automobile Museum was founded as the Towe Ford in the 1980s. Since then, it has expanded to include and embrace other marques. Inside, you will find Malcolm Forbes’s old Lamborghini Countach, and so does the Kawasaki KZ1000P motorcycle that appeared in the TV show CHiPs. There are over 120 cars that span close to 120 years of history.

The museum is currently taking donations to stay in business. It cannot be open at the moment and has not released a date for reopening.

Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing

Opened in 1976, the Don Garlits Museum of Drag Racing is located at 13700 SW 16^th Avenue in Ocala, Florida. With just under 300 cars inside of two buildings, a tour of the galleryvtakes up to three hours. it is also home to the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame.

The drag racing building of Don Garlits gallery of Drag Racing preserves the history of drag racing. Garlits was the first drag racer to pass the 170 to 270 mile-per-hour mark in the quarter-mile drag race. The museum is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily and is closed on Christmas and Thanksgiving.

The Henry Ford

When you hear the name Henry Ford, you automatically think of the Ford Model T. The Henry Ford Museum is situated next to the Ford Motor Company at 20900 Oakwood Boulevard in Dearborn, Michigan. Here, you will find many historical sites, including the lab where Nikola Tesla worked.

The museum is closed through the end of June. Multiple package deals are available for purchase on their website. Once reopened, activities will resume, including riding in a Ford Model T.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame is located at 4750 West 16th Street in Indianapolis, Indiana, the capital of the state. The museum is situated inside the 2.5-mile historical oval track dedicated to automobiles and auto racing. For a small additional fee (under $10), you can take a lap around the Indianapolis Speedway, which is narrated.

If you want to visit the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame, right now is not the best time. Due to CDC regulations, it is currently not open to the public. However, as soon as the green light is given, it will speed back to business.

Lane Motor Museum

Nashville, Tennessee, is home to a lot of different family activities, one of them being the Lane Motor Museum. The Lane Motor is located at 702 Murfreesboro Pike and is home to one of the few galleries in the United States that specializes in European cars. England’s answer to the Vespa-based Piaggio Ape called the Reliant Ant is on display, as is the propeller-powered 1932 Helicron.

Due to the Tennessee mayor’s “Safer at Home” order, the museum is closed to the public until the order is lifted. Once this happens, the cancelations will be rescheduled, and business will resume as normal for the public.

Larz Anderson

Larz Anderson and his wife Isabel bought their first collectible car, an 1899 Winton 4-hp Runabout, and this was how their collectible car journey began. By the time Anderson’s wife died in 1948, they had already acquired quite a collection. The carriage house where the vehicles are kept to this day is the museum's home and is located at 15 Newton Street in Brookline, Massachusetts.

Among the Winton, you will find a Radford-bodied ’59 Rolls-Royce shooting brake and the “Polliwog,” which is the name of a 1924 Renault Torpedo. Even though the showroom is not currently open, you can still learn more about the museum, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places on its website.

National Auto Museum

With over 200 cars on display, the National Auto Museum is one piece of historic Reno, Nevada. Located at 10 South Lake Street, the Museum is home to the infamous Bill Harrah car collection. it has also had a gold-plated De Lorean on display. There is also a movie theatre available that shares artifacts from every era.

The museum plans to open in early June, but it is currently not open to the public. Once it opens, its exhibits and family activities will be back in operation. It even offers banquet space options.

Simeone Foundation

Located at 6825 Norwich Drive in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum. Rated it with the best historical value, educational contribution, and educational contribution, the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum is number one. The collection even contains the only Shelby Cobra Daytona coupe left worldwide.

Due to CDC regulations at this time, the museum is not open. They are hoping to reopen soon, but in the meantime, the website is being continuously updated. If you want a peek at their collection, browse their gallery.

Volo

The Volo Museum has a little bit of anything for an auto enthusiast. The Volo Auto offers auto sales, and a Jurassic Gardens, which are coming soon. it is located at 27582 Volo Village Road in Volo, Illinois. You can see older heavy equipment as well as a replica fiberglass Harrier jump-jet that was used in True Lies and The Avengers. They also have Zsa Zsa Gabor’s 1979 Rolls-Royce Corniche on display. They also have old jukeboxes on display.

The museum is open seven days a week from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and is just 50 miles north of Chicago. It is easy to reach via the Metra train. Every year, the museum draws 250,000 visitors.

Newport Car Museum

If you are looking for a variety of classic cars, the Newport Car Museum has what you are looking for. Their exhibits range from Fords to Corvettes, and Shelbys to cars of the world. Nestled at 1947 West Main Road in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, the Newport Car Museum is the true Gem of the New England coast.

Right now, the museum is experiencing a temporary closure due to government regulations but hopes to reopen for the summer season. To stay up to date on all the news for the Newport Car Museum, visit its social media page.

Take an Auto Museum Road Trip

Taking the family to visit auto museums across the country can show them what car life was like before the Tesla or other exotic and luxury vehicles. Most of these museums offer family-oriented activities that the kids will enjoy. Taking a trip to visit these museums can be an inexpensive way to spend time with the family and get some extra learning during the summer months. A-1 Auto Transport is a proud supporter of auto museums and the rich heritage they give to society. If you need to find something fun to do, travel to your local car museum and soak up the history.