There was a thread some time ago from a man who was moving to Texas and wanted to know what to see on the way there. Some car related museums were mentioned. I found this list of car museums in my local paper that I thought might be of interest. Granted they are all in the Ohio and Michigan, but still...

On the Auto Industry's Home Turf, Museums With Broad Appeal

BYLINE: By MICHELLE KREBS

DETROIT'S role as the epicenter of the American auto industry has attracted a wide variety of worthwhile collections to the area.
Here is a list of museums to visit in Ohio and Michigan, states that have played a huge role in the development of the American automotive industry. The list will also appear on nytimes.com/wheelspin; museums in other regions will be added.

Michigan

ALFRED P. SLOAN MUSEUM -- Regional history, hands-on science and historic automobiles, including more than 80 cars built in Flint, are featured in the museum named after the General Motors president and chairman in the 1930's. Open daily. Admission fee. 1221 E. Kearsley Street, Flint, Mich. 48503. (810) 237-3450. sloanmuseum.com

AUTOMOTIVE HALL OF FAME -- This center, on the grounds of the Henry Ford Museum, recognizes outstanding achievement in automotive and related industries.
More than 200 giants of the motor vehicle industry, like John M. Mack, Walter P. Reuther and Enzo Ferrari, have been inducted into the hall. Open daily. Admission fee. 21400 Oakwood Boulevard, Dearborn, Mich. 48121. (313) 240-4000. automotivehalloffame.org

DETROIT HISTORICAL MUSEUM -- Reopening Sept. 29, the changing exhibits portray city life, the history of the region and the rise of the auto industry. The collection contains 27 cars representing 19 makes and a portion of the assembly line from General Motors' Clark Street plant. It will be open Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays noon to 5 p.m. Admission fee. 5401 Woodward Avenue, Detroit. 48202. (313) 833-1805. detroithistorical.org

G.M. WORLD --A changing 50,000-square-foot exhibit of G.M. vehicles at the company's headquarters in the Renaissance Center. Open daily. Free. Renaissance Center, Detroit. 48243. (313) 667-7151. gm.com

GILMORE CAR MUSEUM -- Nestled on 90 acres in restored historic barns are nearly 200 vehicles spanning more than 100 years of automotive heritage. They range from a 1899 Locomobile to Model T's, a classic Duesenberg, an elusive 1948 Tucker and the muscle cars of the 60's. The Pierce-Arrow museum on the grounds displays a wide array of Pierce-Arrows, including a 1912 motorcycle. Open daily May 1 through Oct. 31. Admission fee. 6865 Hickory Road, Hickory Corners, Mich. 49060. (269) 671-5089. gilmorecarmuseum.org

THE HENRY FORD MUSEUM -- The museum and the adjoining Greenfield Village complex of historic buildings are in the shadow of the Ford Motor Company headquarters. The museum's automobile exhibit depicts the American industry's history, including many of the technological, styling and marketing details of automobile production. The collection includes 200 cars, including racecars, sedans, taxis and even the Lincoln limousine in which President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. Museum is open daily; Greenfield Village open daily until Oct. 1, after that, Fridays through Sundays; the village closes from Jan. 1 to April 14. Admission fee. 20900 Oakwood Boule-vard, Dearborn, Mich. 48121. (313) 271-1620. hfmgv.org

FORD ROUGE FACTORY TOUR -- Part of the Henry Ford Museum. The Rouge plant was an automotive ''ore to assembly'' complex between 1917 and 1928. Henry Ford's idea was to achieve ''a continuous, nonstop process from raw material to finished product, with no pause even for warehousing or storage,'' the Ford Web site says. At its peak, the plant had 16 million square feet of production buildings and 120 miles of conveyors that turned out a new car every 49 seconds. Open daily from April 16 to Sept. 3; closed Sundays the rest of the year. Admission fee; reservations recommended. 20900 Oakwood Boulevard, Dearborn, Mich. 48121. (313) 271-1620. hfmgv.org

MOTORSPORTS HALL OF FAME AND MUSEUM -- A collection of more than 40 racing and high-performance vehicles for land, sea and air. There are Indianapolis cars, stock cars, Can Am and Trans Am cars, sprint cars, powerboats, racing trucks, drag racers, motor-cycles, racing airplanes and even racing snowmobiles. Open daily. Admission fee. 26200 Town Center Drive, Novi, Mich. 48050. (248)349-7223 mshf.com

R.E. OLDS TRANSPORTATION MUSEUM -- In the hometown of Ransom E. Olds, founder of Oldsmobile, the museum has an exten-sive collection of Oldsmobiles, from the oldest to the fastest, in addition to rare vehicles from REO, Star, Durant and Viking. Open daily; closed Sundays November through March. Admission fee. 240 Museum Drive, Lansing, Mich. 48933. (517) 372-0529. reoldsmu-seum.org

WALTER P. CHRYSLER MUSEUM -- This modern museum opened in 1999 on the grounds of DaimlerChrysler's North American headquarters. The lower garage level highlights Chrysler's performance heritage with Hemi-powered models like Chargers, Furys and Barracudas. Another level tracks the early years of Chrysler and its predecessor companies, showcasing a 1902 Rambler, a 1909 Hud-son and the famous Chrysler Six. A third level features vehicles from the company's early days to today. Open daily. Admission fee. 1 Chrysler Drive, Auburn Hills, Mich. 48326. (888) 456-1924. chryslerheritage.com

YE OLDE CARRIAGE SHOP -- The shop showcases cars built in nearby Jackson, Mich., from 1902 to 1954. It also has a variety of automobile memorabilia, including gas pumps, signs and a Coca-Cola exhibit. By appointment only. Donation requested. 3538 Henderson Road, Spring Arbor, Mich. 49283. (517) 750-4300.

Ohio

CANTON CLASSIC CAR MUSEUM -- A collection established by the late Marsh Belden Sr. of 45 unusual classic and special-interest automobiles. Open daily. Admission fee. Market Avenue at 6th Street. Canton, Ohio 44703. (330) 455-3603. cantonclassiccar.org

CARRILLON HISTORICAL PARK -- Exhibits illustrating how transportation changed the Dayton area and how Dayton changed trans-portation, from the horse-drawn wagons to Chevy S-10 trucks built in nearby Moraine, Ohio. The collection includes a Dayton-built 1908 Stoddard Dayton and a Xenia Cyclecar, built in 1915 in nearby Xenia. Open daily. Admission fee. 1000 Carillon Boulevard, Dayton, Ohio 45409. (937) 293-2841. carillonpark.org

CRAWFORD AUTO-AVIATION MUSEUM -- Nearly 200 antique, vintage and classic automobiles and aircraft ranging from Panhard & Levassor's 1897 enclosed automobile to Bobby Rahal's 1982 Indianapolis car, which won the first Cleveland 500. The collection also documents the technological and stylistic development of the transportation industry, with a focus on early automobiles created in Cleveland. From 1898 to 1931, more than 80 automotive models originated in the Cleveland area. Open daily. Admission fee. 10825 East Boulevard, Cleveland, Ohio 44106. (216) 721-5722. wrhs.org/crawford/default.asp

GOODYEAR WORLD OF RUBBER MUSEUM -- Exhibits on blimps, the trucking industry, Indianapolis racecars, a moon buggy and an artificial heart. It also has a replica of a rubber plantation, exhibits on the history of the rubber industry and a reproduction of Charles Goodyear's workshop. Open daily. Free. Goodyear Corporate Headquarters 1201 E. Market Street, Akron, Ohio 44305. (330) 796-7117

THE MOTORCYCLE HALL OF FAME -- In a showcase of motorcycling history, the museum features 300 motorcycles, riding gear, photographs, literature, sculpture, racetrack reconstructions, dioramas and awards. Open daily. Admission fee; lower fee for American Motorcyclist Association members. 13515 Yarmouth Drive, Pickerington, Ohio 43147. (614) 856-2222. motorcyclemuseum.org

THE NATIONAL PACKARD MUSEUM -- In the town where the first Packard was built, this museum features models ranging from the 1903 Old Pacific to a 1958 Hawk. Open daily except Mondays. Admission fee. 1899 Mahoning Avenue, Warren, Ohio 44483. (330) 394-1899 packardmuseum.org

SNOOK'S DREAM CARS -- Housed in a replica of a 1940's-era Texaco gas station, the collection includes everything from hood orna-ments to window cranks along with its showroom of dream cars from the 1930's to the 1960's. Open daily. Admission fee. 13920 County Home Road, Bowling Green, Ohio 43402. (419) 353-8338. snooksdreamcars.com

If they are going through the Ozarks in NW Arkansas, there is a (or was) a great car museum near Petit Jean State Park. I think it came from one of the Rockefellers. Alot of Pre WWII stuff. Everything was in pristine condition.

This is the contact info.

Petit Jean Antique Car Museum
Petit Jean Mountain
Morrilton, Arkansas 72110
(501) 727-5427

__________________
Doug

1987 300TD x 3
2005 E320CDI

Eastern Museum of Motor Racing in York Springs, Pennsylvania (between Gettysburg and Harrisburg) - http://www.emmr.org/

Impressive collection of cars, especially open-wheel dirt-track cars. Mario Andretti got started in racing in that part of Pennsylvania. They have pictures of him and his brother next to his first race car, a Hudson. Great museum, but they have limited hours.

Is there a chance that this thread could become a sticky note somewhere? Seems like too much good information to be lost in the bowels of this site.

i will second that.

i have been to the gilmore museum near kalamazoo. very nice.

of course the ford museum is worth a day. i like to go every ten years or so.

ditto for the indianapolis motor speedway museum. excellent. and they rotate from a large collection held in the basement so you could go every year. they have one of the super rare 300slr racers from the fifites.

tom w

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

www.sarasotacarmuseum.org (Opened in Feb. of 1953)

"The Museum features a “living” collection of over 100 automobiles, constantly being updated through acquisitions, exchanges with other car museums, and through donations of vehicles from collectors. The collection spans over 100 manufacturing years. Almost every letter of the alphabet is covered: Auburn, Bentley, Cadillac station wagon (one of only 5 ever made), DeLorean, Edsel, Ferrari, etc. Vintage, classic, muscle, exotic cars….they’re all here. We have John Lennon’s Mercedes Roadster, Paul McCartney's Mini Cooper and a dragster belonging to Don Garlits among our favorite treasures."

__________________
It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so. Robert A. Heinlein


09 Jetta TDI
1985 300D

In Tallahassee, Florida: Tallahassee Antique Car Museum

Their list of cars.

If in Birmingham Alabama, check out the Barber Motorsport Park. Great motorcycle museum.

www.barbermotorsports.com

if near tuscaloosa, the talledega collection of stock cars is worth a visit. you can walk up and touch most of them. (that's why none have shift knobs!)

the mercedes factory is nearby too.

tom w

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Le Musee d'Automobile de France in Alsace Lorraine http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/pic.php?imagenum=1&carnum=978

I went to this museum 25 years ago and it was awesome. Maybe one of the best in the world. Too bad you have to go to Europe.

Here is a better link. http://www.collection-schlumpf.com/en/schlumpf/368-/

__________________
Doug

1987 300TD x 3
2005 E320CDI

This would be a very nice addition to General Information.

I will talk with Bill about adding a STICKY link for this thread in
Events & Gatherings.

Auto Museums are great locations for a show or GTG.

Can we have one in France? How about the MB museum in Stuttgart?

__________________
Doug

1987 300TD x 3
2005 E320CDI

SirNik84 Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Sacramento, Ca

posted this in thread
Sacramento GTG???
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?p=1281292


The Towe Auto Museum
http://www.toweautomuseum.org/index.html

Towe Auto Museum is located at
2200 Front Street Sacramento, CA 95818-1107

http://www.toweautomuseum.org/html/finding_us.html

http://www.rolls-royce-museum.at/

http://www.rollsroycefoundation.com/

http://www.thanetonline.com/RamsgateMotorMuseum/rolls_royce_and_bentleymotor_cars.htm

http://www.rolls-royce-sammlung.de/

http://einscafe.eins.org/einscafe/rolls.html