Take a Drive Through History at These 13 Epic Car Museums
The world of automobiles is steeped in history and nowhere is that history better preserved than in the various automotive museums around the world. Some of them will take your breath away.
This list contains 13 of the best of those museums. We've added them to this list based on their size, what they have inside, and how well they tell the story of the automobile. Some of the world's most prominent museums will make this list, while there might also be a surprise or two along the way.
Petersen Automotive Museum – United States
The Petersen Automotive Museum is easily one of the biggest museums in the world. Located in Los Angeles, California, the Petersen is home to over 100 vehicles, many of which are big-screen stars, such as the 1992 Batmobile from Batman Returns.
The museum also hosts various exhibitions, typically with a central theme. For example, the museum once had a Porsche exhibition focussing on German cars, including displaying one of only two 1939 Porsche 64s in existence. The museum has also pioneered restorations of some of the world's most iconic vehicles.
British Motor Museum – Gaydon, England
Britain has a rich automotive history, and the best museum in the country is the Gaydon British Motor Museum. The museum is home to over 400 cars, ranging from the first Land Rober built in 1948 to a prototype Rover SD1 estate and the first Mini.
The museum does an excellent job of showcasing British automotive history. It also partners with the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust and the Jaguar Heritage Trust. The museum is currently located at the Rover Group's Gaydon site, on the former RAF Gaydon airfield.
Coventry Transport Museum – Coventry, England
One of the other top motor museums in the U.K. is the Coventry Transport Museum. Located in the city of the same name, the museum is lucky to host the two fastest cars in the world, Thrust2, and the current holder of the land world speed record, Thrust SSC.
The museum also hosts Bloodhound SSC while it awaits its own attempt at the land speed record. It is home to the largest publicly owned collection of British vehicles on the planet and tells the story of the car industry in Coventry, which was once the center of the British car industry.
National Automobile Museum – Reno, United States
Reno is home to the National Automobile Museum, another of the best in the United States. The museum is home to most of the William F. Harrah collection, the man who founded Harrah's Hotel and Casinos, which is now part of the Caesars Entertainment business.
The museum has over 200 cars in four galleries. In addition to the Harrah collection, the museum also hosts Elvis Presley's 1973 Cadillac Eldorado and one of the three 24kt gold-plated DeLorean DMC-12s built especially for American Express.
Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation – Dearborn, United States
The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, also known as “The Henry Ford,” is another premier automotive museum in the United States. As the name suggests, the museum focuses heavily on Henry Ford and his efforts to preserve various items of historical impact. Ford also wanted to display the Industrial Revolution, which the museum does exceptionally well.
A wide variety of automobiles are on show, including the 1961 Lincoln Continental SS-100-X, which President John F. Kennedy was riding when he was assassinated. The museum also houses other exciting items, such as the Fokker Trimotor airplane that flew the first flight over the North Pole and a Chesapeake & Ohio Railway 2-6-6-6 Allegheny steam loco.
Mullin Automotive Museum – Oxnard, United States
Located in Oxnard, California, the Mullin Automotive Museum was one of the best in the United States. The museum was a privately owned affair, opening in 2010, and it housed the personal collection of Peter W. Mullin. Sadly, after Mullin's death in September 2023, the museum closed its doors in February 2024.
Much of the collection will be auctioned, while a small selection will remain in family/friend ownership. Four cars will transfer to the Petersen Automotive Museum, but February 2024 marked the last time that the entire Mullin collection was together in the same place.
Mercedes-Benz Museum – Stuttgart, Germany
One of the world's premier automotive museums is the exceptional Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, Germany. The museum focuses on Mercedes-Benz and the brands within its umbrella, such as AMG and Maybach, and it is home to some of the world's most remarkable cars.
The museum houses over 160 vehicles, some dating back to the earliest days of the motorcar and Mercedes-Benz. Cars such as the iconic Mercedes-Benz Gullwing 300 SL and the Formel Rennwagen W25 are located at the museum, which is also opposite the Mercedes factory and its primary sales center.
National Corvette Museum – Bowling Green, United States
As the name on the door suggests, the National Corvette Museum is home to one of the biggest collections of Corvettes in the world. In 2014, the museum had to deal with a major sinkhole under the floor of its Skydome area. The sinkhole caused eight rare, one-of-a-kind Corvettes to fall into the hole, but all eight cars eventually recovered.
The majority of the recovered cars were repaired and put back on display. GM restored some of the Corvettes, while the museum restored a 1962 example that had fallen into the sinkhole. The rest are on display in recovered condition as a reminder of the incident.
Haynes International Motor Museum – Yeovil, England
The Haynes Motor Museum, established in 1985 in Somerset, England, is home to a staggering 400 cars and motorcycles. It is by far one of the most impressive auto museums in the world, with a recent exhibition dedicated to the DriveTribe YouTube channel and Richard Hammond's collection.
Other exhibits at the museum include the Red Room, which contains red sports cars from around the globe. The museum also has a dedicated exhibition of Ferrari, which tells the story of the iconic car company and its founder, Enzo Ferrari.
Cite de l'Atomobile – France
Located in France, the Cite de l'Atomobile is one of the finest automotive museums in Europe. It is home to over 520 cars from 98 different brands, but the highlight is the biggest collection of Bugattis in the world.
The museum is home to 123 Bugatti vehicles, including three of the seven Bugatti Royales ever created. It is divided into three sections: the Motorcar Experience, the Motor Racing section, and the Motorcar Masterpieces display.
Museo Mille Miglia – Italy
The Museo Mille Miglia in Italy takes its name from one of the most iconic motor races in the world. Opened in 1991, the museum is dedicated to the Mille Miglia road race, one of the world's best road racing events that saw the likes of Stirling Moss and Juan-Manuel Fangio compete for glory.
The museum has a cast collection of cars, ranging from Italian legends Ferrari and Lancia to Jaguars, Alfa Romeos, and even British Austins. Few museums can claim to have such a diverse collection, which the Museo Mille Miglia is incredibly proud of.
Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum – Birmingham, United States
The Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum is located at the Barber Motorsports Park racetrack in Birmingham, Alabama. The track was built by George W. Barber and opened in 2003, and it is home to the Grand Prix of Alabama, a staple event on the IndyCar series calendar.
Barber himself is a huge automotive and racing fan. Before building the track, he opened the Vintage Motorsports Museum as his own private collection. The museum opened to the public in 1995, and it houses a wide array of cars, from classic IndyCars and Formula 1 cars to some 900 motorcycles and exceptional road cars.
Brooklands Museum – Weybridge, England
The Brooklands Museum in England is one of the world's most interesting. The museum sits on the site of the former Brooklands Motor Course, the world's first purpose-built race track. The Brooklands location was also home to aviation manufacturing and design, building around 18,600 aircraft from 1908 to 1097.
The First World War closed the track, and only a short section survives. The museum celebrates the best of its automotive history while showcasing its aviation past. Aircraft such as a Vickers Wellington and a British Airways Concorde are displayed at one of Britain's most impressive museums.
