If you have a passion for cars and automotive history, then automobile museums are a must-see. Indeed, you probably have already visited an auto museum or two, where classic elegance often meets modern innovation. After all, at car museums, you have a chance to see some of the rarest and most expensive cars, as well as the most beautiful. However, have you expanded your search of car museums to include international locations? While the U.S. has the largest number of car museums, there are more than 500 museums worldwide that are devoted to motor vehicle history. In fact, more than half of all the world’s auto museums are located outside America. Here, then, is a list of some of the best automobile museums in the world.
World’s Best Automobile Museums
British Motor Museum
5GQ9+GV Banbury Road Gaydon |
Warwickshire CV35 0BJ, United Kingdom
+44-1926-895300
www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk
If you love expensive British automobiles like Aston Martin, Bentley, and Land Rover, then visit the British Motor Museum. In fact, this renowned museum houses the world’s largest collection of historic British automobiles. Not only will you see rare cars like very first Land Rover and the last Aston Martin DB7, but also concept vehicles and some used by the British Royal Family. Collectively, the museum has over 400 classic British cars in its collection, with more than 300 on display. Managed by the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust, the British Motor Museum is in Gaydon, Warwickshire, about 90 miles from London. Gaydon is also home to the headquarters of British automakers Jaguar Land Rover and Aston Martin.
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Henry Ford Museum of Innovation
20900 Oakwood Blvd.
Dearborn, MI 48124
(313) 982-6001
www.thehenryford.org
No list of the world’s best automobile museums is complete without mentioning the Henry Ford Museum. After all, Henry Ford’s Model T is known as the world’s first mass-produced automobile. While the Museum of Innovation is not exclusively a car museum, its Driving America collection is incomparable. For instance, you can see the first-ever Ford Mustang, a very expensive 1931 Bugatti Type 41 Royale, and the 1896 Ford Quadricycle, the first car built by Henry Ford. Together with Greenfield Village, the Ford Museum represents America’s largest indoor-outdoor museum complex. While there, you may also wish to visit the Ford Rouge Factory Tour and Automotive Hall of Fame.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum
4750 W. 16th St.
Indianapolis, IN 4622
(317) 492-6784
www.imsmuseum.org
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum (IMS) is undergoing renovations until April 2025. However, you can still take a tour of the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway racetrack. In other words, your tour guide can drive you around the entire 2.5-mile oval, along with a stop at the world-famous Brickyard finish line. Once the IMS Museum reopens, you can see several Indianapolis 500 winning cars, including the 1911 Marmon Wasp, the first Indy 500 winner. In all, the museum is home to over 300 race cars, with 75 typically on display. You can also see the famous Borg-Warner Trophy at the IMS Museum, ceremoniously awarded to the Indianapolis 500 winner.
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Louwman Museum
Leidestraatweg 57
2594BB Den Haag, Netherlands
070-304-73-73
www.louwmanmuseum.nl
Formerly known as Holland’s National Automobile Museum, the Louwman is said to house the world’s oldest private car collection. Among its collection of 275 rare cars are the iconic Aston Martin DB5 from the James Bond movie “Goldfinger” and the Cadillac Fleetwood owned by Elvis Presley. You can also see vintage Ferraris, expensive Maserati racing cars, an 1887 steam quadricycle, and several Dutch-made Spykers. Also on temporary display through September 1 is the Supercars of the ‘90s exhibition, featuring cars from Bugatti, Ferrari, Porsche, and more. Privately owned by the Louwman Family, the museum lies in the heart of The Hague, the seat of the government of the Netherlands.
Mercedes-Benz Museum
Mercedsstrasse 100
70372 Stuttgart, Germany
www.mercedes-benz.com/museum
For footballers, Stuttgart may be best known as a host location for the recent 2024 UEFA European Championship. However, Stuttgart is also the home of Mercedes-Benz and Porsche, as well as its own museums. Of the two, the Mercedes-Benz Museum is the largest and the largest in all of Germany. Located near the famous MHP Arena, the museum offers over 1,500 exhibits, including 160 rare cars. Encompassing nearly 20,000 square yards of floor space, the museum has highlights like the 40 PS Mercedes Simplex, the oldest Mercedes still in existence. Other notable vehicles are Pope John Paul’s Popemobile II and Silver Arrow race cars. While in Stuttgart, you should also visit the smaller yet no less impressive Porsche Museum.
Motorcar Museum of Japan
40 Futatsunashimachi, Ikkanyama
923-0345 Ishikawa, Komatsu, Japan
www.motorcar-museum.jp
With over 500 cars on display at any time, the Motorcar Museum is the largest of its kind in Japan. Located in the Ishikawa Prefecture, just south of Kanazawa, the museum features cars not only from Japan, but from around the world. This includes a Rolls Royce Silver Spur, a 1938 Toyota ABR Phaeton, and an 1899 De Dion Bouton, the museum’s oldest. Covering nearly 130,000 square feet across three levels, the museum has sections like BMW City, Volkswagen City, and Toyota Plaza. The city of Komatsu in Ishikawa Prefecture can be reached from Tokyo via the Hokuriku Shinkansen.
National Automobile Museum-Schlumpf Collection
17 Rue de la Mertzau
68100 Mulhouse, France
+33-3-89-33-23-21
www.musee-automobile.fr
The National Automobile Museum in Mulhouse is known for having the world’s largest collection of cars on display. It is home to over 500 vehicles made from nearly 100 car manufacturers and holds the world’s largest collection of Bugattis. Among its collections on display are two of only six produced Bugatti Type 41 Royales and a Coupé Napoleon owned by Ettore Bugatti. Covering over 215,000 square feet, the museum’s collection was originally owned by the Schlumpf Brothers, whose mother is from Mulhouse. The museum was originally a textile mill owned by Hans and Fritz Schlumpf. Mulhouse can be reached by train with companies like Rail Europe or by air in Basel, Switzerland.
National Automobile Museum of Turin
Corso Unità d’Italia, 40,
10126 Torino TO, Italy
www.museoauto.com
With automotive museums for Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini, and more, selecting just one in Italy is hard. However, the largest, oldest, and arguably the best Italian car museum for you to visit is Museo Nazionale dell’Automobile. Set along the River Po in historic Turin, the National Museum holds over 200 cars represented by 80 brands. Among its prized possessions are an 1896 Bernardi, an early 1900s Fiat HP, and a Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost. Of course, expensive Ferrari racing cars and the rare Itala 35/45 HP are represented here. Lastly, you should not miss seeing the 1929 Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8A, which is prominently seen in the 1950 Hollywood movie “Sunset Boulevard.”
Petersen Automotive Museum
6060 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036
(323) 930-2277
www.petersen.org
Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, the Petersen most definitely houses one of the world’s largest collections of automobiles. It’s also among the world’s best, with over 100 cars on display at any time. Housed within a structure resembling the cutting-edge body of a car, the Petersen is well known for its Hollywood car collection. For instance, a Batmobile is on display, as is a familiar DeLorean time travel vehicle from “Back to the Future.” In addition, there is a “Herbie” Volkswagen Beetle, a Ferrari used in “Magnum P.I., and a DeTomaso Pantera owned by Elvis Presley. The Petersen Automotive Museum lies on Museum Row of Los Angeles and across from the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.
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The LeMay Collection/America’s Car Museum
2702 E. D St.
Tacoma, WA 98421
(253) 779-8490
www.americascarmuseum.org
The LeMay holds the world’s largest privately-held automobile collection. In fact, the Guinness Book of World Records lists it as just that, the world’s largest of its kind. To illustrate, more than 3,000 vehicles in this collection are owned by the LeMay Family of Tacoma. However, only 350 of those are on public display at the LeMay’s America’s Car Museum or simply the ACM. Among the rare classic cars you can see are a 1909 Hupmobile, a 1923 Lincoln, and a 1953 Chevrolet Corvette. That’s not to mention a 1917 Simplex Model 5, Tucker 48, and 1949 Ferrari Barchetta. Currently on display is Shinka, an immersive exhibit that chronicles the history of Japanese automaking.
Related: Rare Cars To See in US Auto Museums
About The Author
Randy Yagi is an award-winning writer who served as the National Travel Writer for CBS for eight years. More than 900 of his stories still appear in syndication across 23 CBS websites, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and San Francisco. During his peak years with CBS, Randy had a reported digital audience reach of 489 million and 5.5 million monthly visitors. Additionally, his stories have appeared in the Daily Meal, CBS News, CBS Radio, Engadget, NBC.com, NJ.com, and Radio.com. He earned a media fellowship from Stanford University and is a member of Bay Area Travel Writers (BATW). Lastly, Randy has nearly 25 years of professional experience in the transportation industry.
