Pre-war museums & collections

South Canterbury museum with over 1,400 exhibits, including around 30 vintage cars from 1905 and 101 tractors from 1912 onward, among them the oldest working tractor in New Zealand.

Far North collection near Awanui featuring an extensive range of Farmall tractors from the 1920s-1960s, stationary engines, and vintage cars including Nash, Morris, Chevrolet and Singer models.

Museum housed in an old dairy factory near Whangarei displaying around 230 vehicles and machinery from the Industrial Revolution to the present, and home to the largest collection of Packard automobiles in the world.

The largest vintage and specialty vehicle collection in the Southern Hemisphere, founded in the 1970s by Len Southward and now managed by a charitable trust, housing over 400 vehicles across two showrooms.

Formerly Norway's oldest continuously operating car museum, located in a former brewery basement in Horten, covering automotive history from 1904 to 1973 with cars ranging from a De Dion-Bouton to Porsche 356 and Ferrari 246 GT.

Private farm museum in Markabygda run by the Friberg family since 1990; tractors dominate the collection alongside cars, motorcycles, mopeds and everyday household antiques.

Self-owned foundation established 1990 on the Lindstad Vestre farm in Stange, preserving around 400 motorized vehicles and machines (roughly 200 on display) - predominantly tractors and stationary engines, but also vintage cars, motorcycles and construction machinery.

Private tractor and motor museum near Sandefjord Torp in Stokke, founded 2003, focused on preserving historic tractors and motors alongside some vehicles.

State-run road-history museum complex near Hunderfossen outside Lillehammer, operated by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration (Statens vegvesen). Includes the Norwegian Vehicle History Museum (Norsk Kjøretøyhistorisk Museum), with over 80 historic cars, motorcycles, mopeds and bicycles from the early 1900s to the 1990s, plus a large road-history exhibition and open-air museum park.

Private marque-specific collection of Opel automobiles produced between 1909 and 1991, along with other Opel-branded objects and memorabilia.

Museum run by classic car club Gammelbilens Venner (founded 1974) in Klepp, showing 100 years of automotive history including passenger cars, fire trucks, motorcycles and vintage workshop equipment.

A museum established per the vision of the late Sultan Qaboos bin Said, who began collecting cars in the early 1970s; the current building dates to 2012 and formally opened to the public on December 10, 2024, at Bait Al Barakah Royal Palace in Seeb.

A government-run museum operated by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines within Quezon Memorial Circle, displaying official cars used by Philippine presidents from Emilio Aguinaldo through Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Formally inaugurated in 2018, it underwent renovation and re-opened in December 2024.

Private museum in Gdynia-Cisowa styled as a 1920s street scene, with roughly 200 fully restored and drivable vehicles (about 50 cars and 150 motorcycles).

Poland's largest standing automotive exhibition, with over 300 vehicles displayed inside the former paint shop of the FSO passenger-car factory in Warsaw's Żerań district, including FSO-built Warszawa, Syrena, Fiat 125p and Polonez models alongside foreign marques.

Family-run museum in the Masurian lake region housed in two manor buildings, with about 200 exhibits focused on Polish motorization history.

Museum run by the 'Moto-Retro' association of old-motorization enthusiasts in a former military garage, with cars and motorcycles from the 1930s-1981 plus firefighting, transit and militaria artifacts.

Poland's largest private automotive museum, founded 1995, displaying over 300 historic vehicles, motorcycles, bicycles and rickshaws from the 1920s through the PRL era, plus thousands of period props and memorabilia.

Two-level automotive museum on the grounds of Topacz Castle near Wrocław, opened 2010, with roughly 100-200 vehicles spanning pre-war to PRL-era Polish and international motorization.

Club-run museum founded 2006 by Automobilklub Beskidzki in a former fruit-processing plant, with about a dozen roadworthy historic cars and a similar number of motorcycles from the interwar period onward.

Private open-air and tent-hall museum near Łowicz, founded 2012, showing several hundred exhibits including over 100 historic cars and roughly 200 motorcycles/mopeds/scooters, plus aircraft and farm machinery.

A recurring exhibition of privately owned historic vehicles belonging to Automobilklub Wielkopolski members, staged periodically in Pavilion 12 of the Poznań International Fair grounds rather than as a permanent standalone museum.

Opened June 2024, billed as the largest private motorization museum in Central Europe, spanning roughly 5,500 m2 with around 300 cars, 100 motorcycles and 192 bicycles.

Private museum near Łódź showcasing roughly 300 historic vehicles spanning motoring history.

Museum on the grounds of the Królowa Luiza mining heritage site, run by Automobilklub Śląski, showing cars and motorcycles largely on loan/deposit from private collectors, with rotating exhibits.

Private museum near Brzozów created by Andrzej Bieńczak, showing over 70 antique car models spanning more than 100 years of motoring history.

A private collection of the Batista family in Trofa, coordinated through the local municipal council, displaying around 60 cars including a 1916 Hanomag, Volkswagen Beetles, Citroën 2CV and a Lancia Lambda.

Run by the Clube Português de Automóveis Antigos in Paço de Arcos (Oeiras), this small museum exhibits around 11 antique cars, motorcycles and bicycles manufactured between the early 20th century and 1960.

Founded in the 1950s by brothers Abel and João de Lacerda in the hill town of Caramulo, this is one of Portugal's premier automobile museums, spanning vehicles from an 1886 Benz Dreirad to modern racing cars.

A dedicated car museum within the large private Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani Museum complex at Al Samriya Estate, displaying more than 600 vehicles spanning over 120 years of automotive history, from steam cars to modern sports cars.

An approximately 80 m² museum dedicated to the history of Ford's interwar Bucharest assembly plant (operational 1936-1948), being built inside the restored historic 'Hala Ford' as part of the One Gallery mixed-use redevelopment by developer One United Properties.

Romania's first private automobile gallery, exhibiting roughly 300 of the approximately 400 vehicles and motorcycles owned by businessman Ion Țiriac, spanning 1899 to the present.

Private museum opened in 2019 that brings together more than 150 cars from private collectors to illustrate the evolution of automobile design worldwide.

Family-run museum opened in 1999 from a collection built since 1964, displaying more than 85 restored antique cars and motorcycles, including Stalin's ZIS-110 limousine and rare pre-war foreign models.

Opened in 2003, this Moscow museum displays roughly 260 vintage cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles and bicycles, with exhibition themes covering Moskvich history and the Soviet automotive industry.

One of the world's largest museums of military and automotive technology, part of the UMMC Museum Complex funded by the Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company. Displays more than 500 Soviet and foreign vintage cars, motorcycles, bicycles and trucks across a large indoor hall plus an 8-hectare open-air exhibit.

Russia's largest privately owned technical museum, established in 2001, showcasing retro cars, motorcycles, and military vehicles from the early 20th century through the Soviet era.

Opened in 2002 as the first dedicated car museum in Russia, housed in a reconstructed 1939 building, with more than 50 antique cars and motorcycles from the 1920s-1970s, including GAZ-21 Volgas and Ural motorcycles.

A private/municipal classic car museum in Buraydah, Al-Qassim Region, displaying over 300 vehicles manufactured between 1899 and 1979, including cars linked to prominent Saudi figures and to Aramco.

Formerly Serbia's flagship car museum, jointly founded by the City of Belgrade and collector Bratislav Petković, holding roughly 100 historically significant vehicles plus an archive/library on the history of Serbian motoring and the Belgrade Grand Prix.

Private museum of a local classic car club/owner (Ján Horňák) with a permanent exhibition of roughly 14 historic cars and motorcycles, presented with period music and guided commentary.

Opened in summer 2023 at the P3 Bratislava Airport logistics park in Ivanka pri Dunaji, showcasing more than 80 historic vehicles made in Czechoslovakia, with emphasis on the First Republic (pre-war) era, across roughly 1,400 m² on two floors.

Branch of the Slovak Technical Museum (STM) Košice, located on the site of Bratislava's first steam-railway station. Comprehensively documents the history of road and rail transport in Slovakia from the mid-19th century to the 1980s.

A private collection museum of Škoda enthusiast Michal Michálik, located in a park below Trenčín Castle. Permanent display of 11 Škoda/Laurin & Klement automobiles from a broader rotating collection of more than 40 vehicles.

Slovenia's leading private motorcycle museum in Vransko, founded 1997 by collector Petja Grom, exhibiting over 140 motorcycles from pioneering to modern eras; now also operates an on-site B&B.

Museum devoted to Johann Puch (Janez Puh), Slovenian-born founder of the Austrian Puch motorcycle and automobile works, run by the 'Compatriot Johann Puch – Janez Puh Juršinci' Society in a traditional thatched building.

Slovenia's national technical museum, housed in a former Carthusian monastery at Bistra, with a 2,300 m² road-vehicle hall of roughly 50 cars and 50 motorcycles plus a separate permanent exhibit of vehicles once used by Yugoslav president Josip Broz Tito.

Located on the L'Ormarins wine estate near Franschhoek, this museum displays a rotating selection of roughly 80 vehicles from a collection of more than 200 spanning over 100 years of motoring history, across four climate-controlled halls. The collection originated with Dr. Anton Rupert and was relocated here from the former Heidelberg Motor Museum, opening to the public in May 2007.

Opened in March 2017 in Gyeongju's Bomun tourist district, this three-story museum traces about 130 years of global automotive history, from an early Benz Patent Motorwagen to modern supercars and Formula 1 cars.

One of Spain's reference automobile collections, with around 130 vehicles including rare Spanish marques such as Pegaso, Hispano-Suiza, Ricart, Bonet and Orix, located in Sils (Girona) and affiliated with the MNACTEC museum network.

A private collection in Masllorenç (Tarragona), started in 1979, that has grown to around 64 automobiles, 60 motorcycles and 65 bicycles, including several Rolls-Royce and Hispano-Suiza cars.

Opened in 2002 as the first automobile museum in Spain open to the general public, MHAS is built on the Gómez-Planche Collection and traces the evolution of the automobile from its origins to the present with around 150 vehicles.

A collection of around 60 vehicles in Andújar (Jaén) assembled by brothers Carlos and Demetrio del Val since the 1960s, including French marques such as Bugatti and Peugeot and American cars like a Ford Model T.

A large private collection near Riudoms (Tarragona) spanning 10,000 square meters, with classic cars including Rolls-Royce, Hispano-Suiza, Cadillac and Packard alongside sports cars such as the Alpine A110, plus motorcycles and bicycles.

A medieval tower-house near Galdames (Bizkaia) hosting Europe's most complete Rolls-Royce collection, with roughly 45 Rolls-Royce models built between 1910 and 1998 plus about 30 other European and American classics.

A car and technology museum in Köping holding a notable collection of rare prewar and classic cars with Swedish provenance, spanning legendary international marques as well as motorcycles and automobilia.

Scandinavia's oldest automobile museum, opened in 1961, combining one of Northern Europe's largest private collections of vintage cars and aircraft (roughly 140 cars and 30-40 aircraft, plus motorcycles and engines).

Museum devoted to the industrial history of Tidaholm, including surviving vehicles built by Tidaholms Bruk (which produced around 1,000 vehicles, mainly trucks, between 1903 and 1934) plus the Vulcan match factory history.

Small industrial and car museum in Åtvidaberg preserving vehicles built by the local Åtvidabergs Vagnfabrik, including the sole surviving example of the rare "Åtvidabergsbilen" (only 15 built), plus motorcycles and antique calculating machines.

A medieval castle in Grandson that houses, alongside its historical and military exhibits, a collection of veteran and vintage automobiles built between 1898 and 1932.

A foundation in Aigle preserving a private collection of vintage and classic automobiles first assembled from 1948 by Jacques de Wurstemberger. Visits are arranged directly with the foundation by phone.

A permanent automobile collection within the Pierre Gianadda cultural foundation in Martigny, showing roughly fifty vehicles built between 1897 and 1939. The collection is notable for its concentration of early Swiss-made automobiles alongside European makes.

Switzerland's national transport museum, open since 1959, covering road, rail, air, water and space travel. Its road-transport hall includes a large collection of historic Swiss and international automobiles, including the Monteverdi marque exhibit.

A private collection founded by Kiattisak Singtra featuring more than 50 cars aged roughly 50 to 100 years, including both Thai-owned and European makes.

Private museum in San Fernando, Trinidad, showcasing a collection of vintage cars, motorcycles and scooters assembled by collector Brij Maharaj. Featured in a Trinidad Express news article upon its unveiling.

Turkey's most comprehensive classic automobile and motorcycle museum, opened in 2015 by the Ozgorkey brothers near Izmir, displaying a wide range of vintage vehicles.

Turkey's first private car museum, founded in 1994 by collector Mehmet Arsay, with a collection spanning an 1899 Decauville to a 1978 Porsche, including a former staff car used by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

Turkey's first major industrial museum, dedicated to the history of transport, industry and communications, with extensive vintage and classic car, motorcycle and bicycle collections from marques such as Rolls-Royce, Ford and Mercedes-Benz.

Foundation-run museum on Istanbul's Asian side in Cengelkoy, showcasing a private collection of classic and vintage automobiles.

Open-air industrial heritage museum with over 20 exhibition areas, including a collection of more than 25 vintage vehicles such as veteran Southdown buses, commercial vehicles, traction engines and road rollers, plus a narrow-gauge railway.

Museum run by the Aston Martin Heritage Trust in a 14th-century tithe barn, tracing over 110 years of Aston Martin history through cars, archive material and memorabilia.

A small independent motor museum with over 100 exhibits, mostly cars from the 1920s onward, plus motorcycles, mopeds and a reconstructed 1930s garage.

Formerly Cornwall's only significant motor museum, displaying around 50 cars dating from 1904 to the 1960s in a converted 19th-century watermill, with another 50 vehicles in rotating storage.

Open-air "living museum" of North East England recreating 1825 and 1913 life, including a Motor & Cycle Works garage housing a working and static collection of early cars, motorcycles and commercial vehicles.

Bentley Motors' visitor centre at its Crewe factory, offering paid guided tours of CW1 House and the adjoining Lineage heritage exhibition, showcasing important pre-1945 Bentleys and motorsport trophies.

Open-air living history museum reconstructing the Black Country's industrial past, including a dedicated vehicle gallery of locally manufactured cars, motorcycles and commercial vehicles from marques such as Sunbeam, Star, Guy, Clyno and Bean.

Local-authority museum at Moorside Mills holding what is described as the most comprehensive collection of Jowett cars and vans in the world (Jowett was a Bradford-built marque), plus Scott motorcycles and historic trams/trolleybuses.

Museum dedicated to British commercial road transport history, housed in a former Leyland Motors inspection building, displaying over 60 vintage buses, fire engines, delivery vehicles and other commercial vehicles.

The world's largest collection of historic British cars, with over 400 vehicles on display spanning Austin, Morris, MG, Jaguar, Land Rover, Rover, Triumph, Mini and more, plus a Collections Centre housing an additional ~250 reserve vehicles including prototypes and concept cars.

Museum on the site of the world's first purpose-built motor racing circuit (opened 1907), displaying historic Brooklands-era racing cars and motorcycles alongside a substantial aviation collection including a Concorde.

Private collection specialising in Morgan three-wheeler cars from 1909-1935, entered through the Falstaff Antiques shop, alongside early motorcycles, bicycles and automobilia.

One of the largest privately owned motor collections open to the public in the UK, with over 120 veteran, vintage and classic cars and around 100 motorcycles displayed on the grounds of a 15th-century castle.

A motoring and toy museum in a former mill housing 20th-century cars, motorcycles, bicycles and caravans alongside a large vintage toy collection; home to Brum, the BBC children's TV car.

Houses the largest collection of British-made road transport in public ownership, including around 250 cars and commercial vehicles, 120 motorcycles and 300 cycles, with strong emphasis on Coventry-built marques such as Jaguar, Triumph, Humber, Standard and Riley.

Formerly the world's largest collection of Grand Prix racing cars, housed in five halls at Donington Park circuit, with over 130 exhibits including historic Formula 1 and pre-war racing machinery.

Former private collection of the Earl of Moray, opened to the public in 1970 in converted farm buildings near Doune, featuring around 25-30 rare cars including a 1905 Rolls-Royce, Hispano-Suiza, Bentley and Aston Martin.

Private motor museum housing over 100 veteran, vintage, sports and racing cars, many kept in working order, including early Bugattis and Sir Malcolm Campbell's 1937 Bluebird car alongside his Bluebird K3 hydroplane.

The UK's largest collection of cars and motorcycles, with over 300 vehicles spanning from the earliest days of motoring to modern supercars, including a dedicated Red Room of sports cars and a Williams Formula 1 exhibition.

Open-air living history museum near Newtonmore with over 10,000 items, including a reconstructed 1928 Kingussie garage with a period petrol pump and a vintage vehicle, plus horse-drawn carts.

Educational charity/trust preserving over 100–140 historic Jaguar, Daimler, Lanchester and SS vehicles plus a documentary and photographic archive, historically associated with a small heritage centre at the former Browns Lane plant.

Sheffield's flagship industrial heritage museum, whose Transport Galleries hold rare early Sheffield-built cars including the 1920 Sheffield-Simplex prototype, a 1921 Richardson Light Car and a 1921 Charron-Laycock.

Large motoring museum housed in a converted mill near Lake Windermere, with over 30,000 exhibits spanning cars, motorcycles, scooters, bicycles and automobilia. Includes a dedicated Campbell Bluebird exhibition covering the world land and water speed record cars/boats of Sir Malcolm and Donald Campbell.

Museum housed in a former mill building in the centre of Elgin, displaying a collection of veteran, vintage and classic cars and motorbikes, most kept in running order, plus model cars and automobilia.

Formerly displayed a private collection of over 135 vintage and classic vehicles from the pre-1920s to the 1990s in a converted bus depot.

Small free-entry heritage display run by the Scottish Motor Museum Trust inside the former Argyll Motor Works (now the Lomond Galleries retail centre), with information panels and surviving Argyll cars from the early 1900s.

A purpose-built museum on Pendine Sands telling the story of the 1920s land speed record attempts made there, using artefacts on loan from Amgueddfa Cymru and the UK's National Motor Museum alongside immersive audiovisual displays.

Independent museum founded in 1966 by Willie Dale, housing vintage and classic cars, motorcycles, bicycles and commercial vehicles dating from 1899, alongside period advertising signs and militaria.

One of the world's leading motoring museums, part of the Beaulieu estate, housing over 250 vehicles spanning the history of motoring from Victorian pioneers to the present day, including world land speed record cars and an on-site motoring research library and archive.

Museum in the stable block of Wollaton Hall covering Nottingham's industrial history, with a Transport Gallery featuring a rare Brough Superior car (one of only four saloons made) and Brough Superior motorcycles alongside Raleigh cycles.

A royal vehicle collection housed in the former coach houses and stable block of Sandringham House, displaying around 20 vehicles that have belonged to the British Royal Family, from a 1900 Daimler to state limousines.