Car Museums: If You Love Cars, You've Gotta See These Places

Normal people go on vacation, sit on the beach and sip some fruity drink probably served in a hollowed-out piece of fruit. Gearheads, on the other hand, hit up racetracks, famous stretches of road and car museums.Your average individual would find a big building loaded with old cars mildly interesting for an hour or so. If you could spend all day basking in the glory of historical and rare automobiles, you need to start planning some trips to the following museums.National Corvette MuseumAnyone who's even remotely a fan of the Corvette has to take a trip to Bowling Green, Kentucky and visit this museum. A stable stock of 'Vettes that were owned by celebrities, won races, or mark manufacturing milestones are always on hand, plus different loaner vehicles from different people around the country.Temporary exhibits also rotate regularly through the museum, keeping things fresh and giving you a reason to go back. You can also check out the temporary exhibit about the famous sinkhole that swallowed several of the Corvettes, with the actual cars on display.While you're there, check out GM's Bowling Green Assembly Plant, which is where all Corvettes are born. The guided tour lets you see up close and personal how the American sports cars are made, which is just as fascinating as the museum.Porsche MuseumFans of the brand have to visit this museum, which is of course located in Stuttgart, Germany. It's loaded with rare road and track vehicles, like the Pink Pig or the 959, which are scattered about on several floors.It's fair to say that few, if any, car museums are as avant-garde as this one. It also might be one of the most technologically advanced out there. Interactive exhibits are scattered among the cars, telling more about their history, the people who made them, and their impact on the automotive landscape. Most impressive is the Porsche Touchwall, which shows visitors every vehicle Porsche ever made, using over 3,000 pictures as a way to thoroughly examine each one.Mercedes-Benz MuseumWhile you're spending some time at the Porsche Museum, you might as well swing by the Mercedes-Benz museum, considering both are in Stuttgart. It also has a pretty modern design and is loaded with historical cars. No matter if you think the Benz Patent-Motorwagen is the first car or not, one the originals is on display and is pretty impressive to see in person.You could get lost in the museum, because it's 178,000 square feet of automotive bliss. Not only that, the floorplan is an open concept, so the place feels absolutely cavernous. Scattered throughout are important street and track vehicles, plus plenty of displays that will tell you more about each one. With the long and extensive history of the automaker, there's a lot of take in.The museum plays host to all kinds of events, including demonstrations of the suspension articulation capabilities of a Unimog, festivals and even a caravan of classics to participate in the Mille Miglia.Petersen Automotive MuseumIf you're ever in Los Angeles, which is a mecca for car culture, check out the Petersen Automotive Museum. It's situated on the famous Wilshire Avenue, making it easy to find. The building used to be a luxury department store, giving it a pretty formal vibe that goes well with the various exotic cars housed inside. There are also plenty of vehicles celebrities used to own, plus cars featured in different movies.Even if the people you're with aren't gearheads, this is one museum loaded with cars they'll probably find interesting.Mille Miglia MuseumThis is a great excuse to visit Italy, which is actually populated by quite a few fascinating car museums, tracks, etc. Several factors make Mille Miglia Museum stand out. First off, it's housed in a monastery that was built in the 11th Century, so it's kind of like going to a car temple.When you go inside, it's quickly apparent that the place is just loaded with exotic, vintage Italian classics. Even the most jaded show and museum connoisseur would be impressed by the selection of vehicles under one roof. One area is dedicated completely to Enzo Ferrari. Other Italian automotive icons are also honored throughout.In case you didn't catch it, the museum is actually named after the legendary Mille Miglia race. If you show up at the right time each spring, the race is recreated in dramatic fashion using vehicles that were all built before the year 1957.Henry Ford MuseumLocated in Dearborn, Michigan by the automaker's global headquarters, this is a museum worthy of spending a day visiting. As you rightfully expect, the facility is stuffed with vehicles that are important to the company's history. The building is a mixture of any classic museum in North America, plus a section that closely mirrors a stately mansion.You'll find all kinds of famous cars, like the Lincoln convertible John F. Kennedy was riding in when he was shot, or the first-ever Model T. Not all of the vehicles were made by Ford, for example a 1948 Tucker that's proudly showcased. You can even see an Oscar Meyer Weinermobile up close. Mounted on stands and the walls are newspaper clippings, old advertisements and original photos that help document the history surrounding the vehicles.There are far more than just cars at the museum. It houses trains, planes, farm machinery and other influential inventions, some as part of rotating exhibits. Other categories include firearms, dollhouses, telephones, furniture and clocks. This is a huge advantage if you're with someone who isn't that into cars, because you can mix it up or split up and visit different sections of the museum.You can also visit different shops and restaurants at the museum, making your visit an all-day affair. Two different shops give you the chance to take something memorable, other than photos, home, if you're into that sort of thing.

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