The Weekly 3
I hope you had a great Father’s Day weekend. I got to see a lot of multi-generational families visit Miles Through Time Automotive Museum. The record is four generations, and they were very proud, rightfully so.
It’s always great to see everyone having a good time in the museum, but there is something a little extra special when I see a parent or grandparent connect with their kid of any age. Those moments are special and will be cherished, but for me, it also shows some level of automotive passion being handed down in real time.
Just about every museum’s mission is some version of preserving and sharing automotive history, which is true and necessary. However, the much-overlooked role of automotive museums is that they are incubators for automotive interest.
There are a lot of different types of automotive museums, and a wide array of automotive-themed exhibits on display. This is because the automotive spectrum is vast, and anyone could find any part of it interesting.
Historic Auto Attractions is a museum you’ll really enjoy if you like movie memorabilia. This museum has some famous cars on display you may recognize.
You’ve probably heard the name Coker. Coker Tires has been a big player in specialty tires for classic and vintage vehicles. Corky Corker, who is a genuinely good guy, founded the Coker Museum at Honest Charley.
I’ve been to this museum twice; the cars are beautiful, the building is beautiful, and I did borrow the pallet rack idea to display vintage motorcycles. Admittedly, Coker’s pallet rack display of vintage bikes is way better than I was able to do, but he did inspire me.
Crawford Auto Aviation Museum is a part of the Western Reserve Historical Association. This museum has a lot of cool cars, and because it is a part of the WRHA, there is a lot more than just auto and aviation things to see when you visit.
If you missed it last week, Mike Yager’s, MY Garage Museum was completely destroyed by a tornado. Perhaps Mother Nature has a vendetta against Corvettes, but just like the National Corvette Museum and their sinkhole, Mike Yager already has a plan.
If you want to see more, visit the Weekly 3.
WHICH AUTOMOTIVE MUSEUM WILL YOU VISIT NEXT?
Plan your next trip, discover your new favorite, or find the nearest museum
Sean Mathis
Creator of Automotive Museum Guide
Founder of Miles Through Time Automotive Museum
P.S. Make sure you follow AMG on Facebook and join the FB Group to see what’s going on at all the museums.
Explore Automotive Museums in
ILLINOIS
Historic Auto Attractions
Historic Auto Attractions is not only home to famous cars, but also a wide array of movie memorabilia. Some of those pieces include Marilyn Monroe’s nightgown, a sweater worn by Hollywood legend James Dean, and an outfit worn by Elvis Presley.
Explore Automotive Museums in
TENNESSEE
The Coker Museum at Honest Charley
The Coker Museum is located inside World Famous Honest Charley Speedshop. Inside, you will find vintage cars, hot rods, motorcycles, trucks, buses, airplanes, rare engines, and memorabilia.
Explore Automotive Museums in
OHIO
Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum
The Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum of the Western Reserve Historical Society depicts the automobile at various stages of development, both on a national and regional level.
Check out Past Newsletters
Would you name your museum after yourself
Every so often I get asked if my name is Miles while I’m at Miles Through Time Automotive Museum. If my name was Miles that would have been an amazing double entendre.
From a group of car enthusiasts and a racing team to a trucking empire
One museum was founded after a successful racing career. One was created after making a fortune from a well-known truck stop, and one came to fruition after a group of guys came together and created the only car museum in their state.
Do you know what museum is named after both the city and the founder?
I tell everyone I talk to at every museum I visit, that every museum is different, and they are all worth visiting, even if you only visit once.
Getting Creative with Automotive Museums
The good news for people like us, is that there are no shortage of cool places to visit all over the world.
The Price of Admission
The price of admission is always a subject of debate. It is also one of the most common updates to museums listed in the Automotive Museum Guide.
You can see 5 vehicles or hundreds
One of the cool things about the Automotive Museum Guide is that you can use it as a resource at your pace. Most people do not travel the country specifically to visit automotive museums.
Closed for the season is better than closed for good
I’m on the road again this week, so this one will be brief. Last week I had to share the unfortunate news about a few automotive museums closing very soon.
These two museums are closing VERY soon
I have unfortunate news about two automotive museums that are closing this year. The first one I had a heads-up about it, so I knew it was coming.
For a Short Time, There Were 3 Cadillac Museums
There are two Cadillac museums you can visit in the USA. For a short time, my one-car museum could have been the third Cadillac museum in the country.
Underground storage is a thing
This was by far one of the most unique and cool places I’ve ever been to pick up a vehicle. The vehicle had been stored inside the side of a mountain for the last decade in a place called Brady’s Bend Underground Storage.