I am obviously a big proponent of automotive museums. I’ll be excited when new museums open, and I’ll be bummed when they close.

Closures are inevitable, simply because of how many of them were created and are operated, but that is okay. I can only hope that I got the chance to visit first, and so did you.

I may not be able to prevent automotive museum closures, but I like to believe the Automotive Museum Guide helps.

I am trying my hardest to find a way to fund a new building for Miles Through Time Automotive Museum. Without massive funding assistance, to say I have a challenge ahead of me is a bit of an understatement.

If only Miles Through Time had as many visitors as automotivemuseumguide.com, I wouldn’t have any issues. 56,000 museums have been viewed in just the last 30 days on automotivemuseumguide.com. That is 1,866 museums every day!

My definition of an automotive museum is broad in one since. I believe there are many ways to create and operate a “museum.” On the flip side, if the “museum” is not open to the public, and doesn’t give any information about what is being viewed, then chances are it’s just a private collection or dealership.

There is nothing wrong with dealerships or private collections, but I could go down a rabbit hole trying to include all the private collections and dealerships in the guide, and I don’t want to.

If you are looking for dealerships, there are some listed HERE. Some museums have cars for sale and some dealerships have so many cars you can see, that they are worth noting.

I enjoy seeing vehicles I’ve never seen before. Or vehicles with interesting stories. Sometimes, the vehicle’s specs and condition make it desirable and interesting. Sometimes, it’s the vehicle’s journey that led it to be on display, which makes it relevant and unique.

Ernie Adams started car museum called the Dwarf Car Museum. If you are on social media, or have subscribed to automotive magazines in the past, chances are you’ve seen one of Ernie’s creations featured. 

Ernie scales-down classic cars which make unique one-of-a-kind dwarf cars. Many of these cars can be seen at his museum in Arizona.

The Stutz Museum is in an old Stutz building from 1912. This is definitely not your typical museum. In fact, the “museum” is just a small part of a whole retail development. Nevertheless, there is a collection of vehicles you can see for free in a repurposed automotive building.

The Bickford Mahan Collection is another one you may not consider a museum. There is nothing fancy here, but there are some really cool big old trucks, firetrucks, and tractors. 

In 2024, The Bickford Collection merged with the Mahan Collection and was renamed The Bickford Mahan Collection.

I am a big proponent of museum collections merging, rather than completely dying. It’s good to see two collections were able to come together and make one stronger museum.

This is something I suggest to everyone who has ever asked me about starting a museum of their own. Joining forces is sometimes the better option. I built an entire museum this way. 

Have a great week!

SCROLL DOWN TO CHECK OUT THIS WEEK’S 3 AUTOMOTIVE MUSEUMS.

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.