Pre-war museums & collections

Large indoor vintage transport collection at Flower of May Holiday Park near Scarborough, covering cycles, motorcycles, cars, commercial vehicles and steam traction engines from the late 19th century through the 1980s.

Manchester's science and industry museum, whose Revolution Manchester gallery covers the city's early motor-manufacturing era and displays one of the earliest surviving Rolls-Royce motorcars.

A working aviation, automotive and agricultural collection at Old Warden Aerodrome featuring veteran and vintage cars, motorcycles and carriages alongside historic aircraft, many kept in running or flying condition.

Free transport museum in Hull's Museums Quarter covering veteran cars, horse-drawn carriages, trams and bicycles, including a recreated 1940s street scene.

Birmingham's science museum includes a 'Move It' transport gallery and Science & Industry displays with historically significant cars tied to Birmingham's manufacturing heritage, including an Austin Seven and the Railton Mobil Special land-speed-record car.

Huddersfield local-history museum with a "Going Places" transport gallery of historic carriages, cars and bicycles, including the rare, Huddersfield-built LSD three-wheeler and the locally-made Valveless car by David Brown Ltd.

Part of National Museums NI at Cultra, this is one of the largest transport collections in Europe, with road galleries spanning horse-drawn carriages, early motor cars, buses, trucks and motorcycles alongside a major steam locomotive collection.

One of Ukraine's largest private technical museums, listed in the Book of Records of Ukraine for its collection, with more than 60 cars, motorcycles and military vehicles plus pedal cars and wartime artefacts.

Private collection of ATB Corporation co-founder Viktor Karachun, featuring over 30 rare cars ranging from a 1928 Packard to a 2001 Chrysler Prowler.

Opened in 2024 by collector Pavlo Lozovenko, organizer of the Old Car Land retro-vehicle festival, displaying more than 100 restored cars and motorcycles across roughly 3,000 square metres.

Professionally staffed collecting institution in Hershey with a rotating collection of over 130 cars, trucks, buses, and motorcycles, including the Cammack Tucker Gallery.

University-owned collection of roughly 170 vintage/classic vehicles displayed at the school's Washington Street facility in San Francisco, including Duesenbergs and a Tucker 48.

The largest public collection of Packard cars and artifacts, housed in a restored 1917 Packard dealership. Features Brass Era cars through 1950s Packards.

Housed in a restored 1917 Packard dealership, this museum displays the largest public collection of Packard automobiles and memorabilia, spanning Brass Era cars, 1930s-40s Classics and 1950s Packards.

Operated by the Collings Foundation, primarily a military vehicle/tank museum built around the Jacques M. Littlefield Collection, with annex buildings also housing a sizable vintage automobile collection.

Part of the historic town restoration of Granville, this small museum and adjoining vintage service station displays antique automobiles as part of a tour package alongside other Granville Museum sites like Pioneer Village.

Displays 90+ automobiles dating from 1899 to the mid-1970s in a 28,000 sq ft showroom, plus a recreated Skelly gas station.

Museum in Salina housing 100+ restored antique trucks, assembled by Art Robinson.

Housed in the Art Deco former Auburn Automobile Company HQ (a National Historic Landmark), displaying 120+ cars across seven galleries, focused on Auburn, Cord and Duesenberg plus Packard, Cadillac and Rolls-Royce.

A rotating-exhibit museum in Newport's 1903 Audrain Building with access to 200+ rare automobiles from the early 20th century to the present. Shows ~15-20 curated cars at a time under themed exhibitions.

Hands-on El Segundo museum (visitors could sit in cars; staff drove select vehicles weekly) with roughly 130 vehicles spanning 1886-2000, founded 2002 by Stanley Zimmerman and Earl Rubenstein.

Not a vehicle-display museum but a 501(c)(3) automotive research archive (est. 1985) holding 5+ million scanned pages of automotive literature, focused on pre-1942 American automobiles.

A Forest City museum named 'Best Museum in the Nation' by the Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA), featuring more than 70 antique and classic vehicles.

General art/history museum whose permanent collection includes the 1924 Martin Wasp Touring Car, the only automobile ever manufactured in Vermont, displayed within its "Gilded Age Vermont" exhibit.

A Smithsonian-affiliate museum (founded 1988) whose signature Automotive Gallery presents 55+ vintage, classic and sports cars emphasizing design and coachbuilding. Four other galleries cover non-automotive themes.

The Eugene Dahl Car Museum is one building within the larger Bonanzaville pioneer village complex operated by the Cass County Historical Society in West Fargo, housing 60+ vehicles from the earliest automobile era to more modern vehicles.

Primarily a narrow-gauge railroad heritage village that also features an Antique Automobile Exhibit with 60+ vehicles dated 1902-1962.

Founded 1965 in the former Boyertown Auto Body Works, preserving PA transportation history with 90+ vehicles (carriages, bicycles, cars, trucks) almost all built in Pennsylvania, plus period displays.

Small classic car museum within the Ogden Union Station Museums complex, displaying 13 classic American automobiles built between 1901 and 1937.

A private collection housed in the historic 1911 Beverley Garage Building in downtown Staunton, Virginia, displaying an ever-changing selection of vehicles from the dawn of motoring through the muscle-car era.

Documents the automotive history of Western New York, especially Buffalo-built Pierce-Arrow and Thomas vehicles, displaying antique automobiles, motorcycles and bicycles plus factory artifacts.

Gilmore campus partner museum modeled after a 1940s Cadillac dealership, opened September 2014 and run by the Cadillac & LaSalle Club.

A single-marque museum on the Gilmore campus displaying Cadillac and LaSalle automobiles in a building replicating a 1948 GM dealership, with artifacts, engines and memorabilia.

Museum in Old Town Victorville dedicated to Route 66's California history, housed in the former Red Rooster Cafe, with displays including a Ford Model T and a VW bus.

Opened 1978 in a 1914 Ford dealership, displaying 40+ antique and collectible cars alongside thousands of pieces of memorabilia.

A transportation museum adjoining Luray Caverns in the Shenandoah Valley, displaying over 140 items spanning horse-drawn wagons and carriages to early 20th-century luxury automobiles.

65-acre general history museum with a transportation center displaying vintage vehicles alongside trains and aircraft.

Founded in 2000, originally focused on Lozier Motors, now covering regional land and water transportation history on the grounds of the former Plattsburgh Air Force Base.

A Newberg showroom functioning as both a classic-car dealership and a standing personal collection of roughly 60 collector automobiles (1911-1968), with a strong Packard emphasis.

History museum affiliated with Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo; holds one of the largest collections of horse-drawn carriages/wagons west of the Mississippi plus early motorized vehicles used in CFD parades.

Founded in 2009 by Kent Bewley in a former 1940s-1970s Dodge-Plymouth dealership building in Greeneville, this museum displays a diverse collection of about 40 cars ranging from a 1914 Ford Model T to a DeLorean.

Original Gilmore partner museum in a relocated 1890s barn ("Barrett Barn," 1987), displaying 40+ CCCA "Full Classics" from 1915-1948.

A museum on the Gilmore campus displaying automobiles recognized by the CCCA as 'Full Classics' (the pinnacle luxury/design cars of ~1915-1948) from marques such as Auburn, Duesenberg, Packard, Pierce-Arrow and Stutz.

Antique/classic auto museum in Salt Lake City's Granary/Ballpark district housing 100+ classic and antique vehicles; admission proceeds reportedly benefit a boys' ranch charity.

A 'living' museum with a rotating display of pre- and post-WWII classic cars, mid-century muscle cars, vintage trucks, motorcycles and even farm tractors. The lineup changes regularly.

Displays over 200 vehicles illustrating Maine's land transportation history, including antique cars, trucks, snow plows, fire trucks, and farm equipment, plus veterans' memorials.

Nonprofit educational foundation headquartered at a private airfield in Stow, with a car collection of 60+ American-built vehicles from the first half of the 20th century, including brass-era cars and vintage racecars.

Large classic-car sales lot on Route 66 in Staunton with hundreds of vehicles from Model Ts to 70s-80s muscle cars.

Part of the Western Reserve Historical Society's Cleveland History Center, depicting stages of automobile development alongside aviation.

A seasonal museum displaying the classic-car collection of thriller author Clive Cussler, many appearing in his Dirk Pitt novels. 100+ rare/vintage cars with ~60 on display (Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Bugatti, Packard, Cadillac).

Volunteer-run pioneer/farm-equipment museum on a hilltop site near Wolford with an immense collection of antique tractors, steam engines, threshers, autos, and early transportation.

A 38,000-square-foot museum in Maggie Valley founded by Dale Walksler in 1993, primarily focused on rare American motorcycles but also displaying unique one-off early automobiles.

Adjoining the well-known Dixie Gun Works antique firearms retailer in Union City, this museum displays 36 fully restored antique automobiles from 1900-1940, plus vintage farm engines and mechanical devices.

Boulder County collection near Longmont of 40+ fully operable antique cars (steam, electric, early gasoline) plus tractors and buggies, founded in 1977 by Ray Dougherty.

A museum run by the Early Ford V-8 Foundation displaying 65+ flathead V-8 Ford vehicles from 1932-1953. Exhibits include a recreated 1936 Ford dealership with a stainless-steel sedan and a 1940s service garage.

Historic winter estates and museum of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford in Fort Myers, FL, whose museum wing displays several of Ford's and Edison's early automobiles, with a dedicated automotive tour available.

Began 30+ years ago as a private car museum in Rogers; shifted to a classic car dealership/showroom model in 2017, dropping formal museum admission.

An art, history and technology museum with ~100 cars and trucks, including one of the world's largest collections of Ford Model A/AA commercial vehicles, shown via a robotic vertical racking system.

Former mansion of automotive pioneer Elwood Haynes, operating as a museum since 1967.

A small museum at Grovewood Village near the Omni Grove Park Inn in Asheville, founded in 1966 by Cadillac-Pontiac dealer Harry D. Blomberg. Houses 19 antique cars, three carriages, and a vintage 1921 Asheville fire truck.

Ford-focused museum in Bigfork founded 1980 by collector Lyle Aklested, roughly 80-120 vehicles, mostly 1932-1971 Fords.

A museum in the 1904 Ford factory where the Model T was born (a National Historic Landmark), displaying early Ford and other Detroit-area automobiles plus a recreation of the secret experimental room.

Birthplace of the Ford Model T, built starting in 1904; the oldest purpose-built auto factory building open to the public and a National Historic Landmark, museum since 2001.

A former museum in Fort Lauderdale, FL dedicated to antique Packard automobiles and trucks.

A "living museum" in Fairbanks with 95+ pre-WWII automobiles (65-75 on display at a time), most operable, alongside a vintage-fashion collection and Alaskan motoring photo archive.

Part of The Frick Pittsburgh museum complex, showcases the transition from horse-drawn carriages to early automobiles and Pittsburgh's role in the developing auto industry.

Private collector Donald Passardi's purpose-built 4,800 sq ft museum holding 10,000+ Ford-related items from 1903-1953, including restored cars, gas pumps, and oil-can displays.

Former 30,000-sq-ft museum at Gateway Canyons Resort displaying the Hendricks Collection - 50+ significant American automobiles assembled by John Hendricks, founder of the Discovery Channel.

Museum in Hammondsport, NY dedicated to aviation pioneer and early motorcycle manufacturer Glenn Curtiss, including aircraft, motorcycles, carriages, and some early automobiles.

A pre-war auto and petroliana museum opened in November 2023 by Brian and Mandy King on their farm near Wesson, showcasing their personal antique car collection, including Model T expertise from associated collector Kirk Hill.

General Americana history museum in Cave Creek founded by Grace Voss Frederick; includes some vintage vehicles among its broader collection of clothing, tools, and memorabilia.

County-government-operated local history museum in Sheridan with a dedicated antique automobile gallery, displaying cars, delivery trucks, and a 1939 Chevrolet-based fire truck alongside its main local-history collection.

Dedicated antique-car building within the larger 30+ building Gunnison Pioneer Museum complex, roughly 90 vehicles seeded by a donation from collector Andy Mallett.

Gilmore partner museum of the H.H. Franklin Manufacturing Company (Syracuse, NY), maker of America's most successful air-cooled automobile from 1902-1934.

Located at the former du Pont family gunpowder works along the Brandywine River in Wilmington, Hagley is a Smithsonian-affiliated history museum and research library holding early du Pont family automobiles and hosting an annual antique car show.

A 28-building, 20-acre pioneer/technology village in Minden with 50,000+ artifacts arranged chronologically, including an automobile gallery.

General history museum, founded 1927, with a "Traveling in Style" exhibit spanning horse-drawn buggies to early horseless carriages and antique vehicles.

Large antique-truck collection (100+ makes) housed within the Heidrick Ag History Center in Woodland, alongside an antique tractor museum.

A museum-and-gardens complex on Cape Cod whose J.K. Lilly III Automobile Gallery displays antique American automobiles collected by the Lilly family from 1964, chosen for their role in US history.

Gardens-and-museum complex on Cape Cod whose automobile gallery, housed in a reproduction Shaker Round Barn, displays roughly 40 American-made cars from 1899 to 1962, many on loan from area collectors.

Small-town vintage auto museum in Rudyard in a 1947 field-rock former farm-implement building; part of a three-museum complex.

A private classic-car and motorcycle collection/clubhouse (est. 1996) displaying dozens of vehicles spanning roughly a century, including Buick, Plymouth, Pontiac, Jaguar, Studebaker and a Messerschmitt.

A historical society (founded 1995) preserving the history of Hudson, Essex, Terraplane and related vehicles. Provides Hudson vehicles/displays to museums and manages the National Hudson Motor Car Co. Museum in Ypsilanti, MI.

Bill Kidder's hands-on collection of antique Ford automobiles, children's ride-on toys, steam whistles, horse-drawn carriages, and Americana, with on-site blacksmith and tinsmith shops.

Located in Chattanooga, birthplace of the tow truck, documenting the towing/recovery industry with ~24 historic tow trucks (1913-2002), a Hall of Fame and the world's largest toy tow truck collection.

Former private museum in Rio Rancho (operated 27 years) displaying 60-70+ restored antique/vintage cars and trucks (1907-1966), including Great American Race vehicles.

A private collection (open since 1997) in a 10,000-sq-ft building. Automotive holdings include 24+ early automobiles from 1886-1933, alongside 30+ other collections (phonographs, cameras, pianos, trains, toys).

Working car dealership in Fort Benton maintaining a public antique car/horseless carriage display; a stop on the local Chamber's "Charm Trail."

16-acre history museum and pioneer village in Bakersfield featuring roughly 40 horse-drawn and early motorized vehicles (largely from the Harry West estate) alongside a restored 1912 Bakersfield trolley car.

A newly built (2022), climate-controlled 501(c)(3) museum displaying a rotating selection of American, English, French and German classic cars from the early 1900s to the early 2000s. Founded by collector Jim Taylor.

Small-town museum combining antique farm machinery and household items with a fully restored 1911 Carter automobile, one of about 500 ever made.

Collection of 100+ vehicles including the world's largest collection of Haynes and Apperson automobiles under one roof, plus modern items like a GM EV-1.

County historical society museum with an auto wing, the Kesling Automobile Collection donated by Dr. Peter and Charlene Kesling, displaying 30+ vintage automobiles.

Founded 2002 by Jeff Lane in a former Nashville bakery, holding the largest collection of European cars and motorcycles in the US - 500+ vehicles (~150 displayed), emphasizing unusual and one-off designs.

Home to 'America's Oldest Car Collection', the historic motorcars of Larz Anderson and Isabel Weld Perkins (begun 1899), displayed in an 1888 Carriage House.

Roadside folk-art museum near Grand View built by Jack and Belva Lawson, with a recreated vintage service station displaying a Model A car and truck among thousands of pioneer/mining artifacts.

A large purpose-built car museum next to the Tacoma Dome (opened 2012), growing out of Harold LeMay's collection (once the world's largest private car collection). Broadly American, spanning the 20th century.

8-acre private collection in Moriarty with 700+ automobiles plus roughly 1,000 antique toy trucks, trains, and tractors.

One of the most extensive collections related to the Mitchell Wagon Company, Wisconsin Wheel Works, and Mitchell-Lewis Motor Company, run by a direct descendant of the founding families in Boonville.

A single-marque museum on the Gilmore campus dedicated to Lincoln Motor Company history, displaying coachbuilt Lincolns and a large archive of memorabilia and documents.