The Weekly 3

The word “museum” is thrown around very loosely in the automotive community. Everyone seems to know someone with a “museum.” 

I sometimes wonder if the rest of the museum world doesn’t look at car museums as “museums” for this very reason. 

When I was trying to figure out how to create Miles Through Time Automotive Museum, I discovered very quickly that the words’ car, motorcycle, truck, automotive, transportation, tractor, etc. were not museum categories in the professional field.

Eventually, I discovered the National Association for Automobile Museums (NAAM), and the World Forum For Motor Museums (WFFMM), of which I am on the board of both, which is pretty cool.

For me, I only have one real requirement for someone to claim they have a museum, which is that they have to be open to the public. There are so many different ways to preserve and share automotive history, that I enjoy seeing how creative people can get. 

This Automotive Museum Guide features all kinds of museums, and the one thing they all have in common, is that you can visit them.

Dealerships can get kind of sneaky when it comes to claiming museum title. A building can be full of amazing cars that look like they belong in a museum, but if all those cars are just listed for sale, it is not a museum, it’s a dealership.

Some dealerships are so big or have such cool cars on display that I added a specific section to the guide called Dealerships. Places like Classic Auto Mall, are must-visit places. I wish I had access to take over an entire mall and fill it with cars.

I think it is important to know what you’re walking into. If you think you’re going to a museum, but it turns out to just be a dealership, you may be disappointed. Especially, if you paid something to see the cars.

Conversely, if you visit a museum with a charge to get in and discover nothing is for sale because it is a museum, not a dealership, you might be upset. This still happens at Miles Through Time occasionally.

Like everything in the world, there are always going to be anomalies. There are straight-up dealerships that are also museums. Finding the balance between the two identities can be a challenge, but here are a few examples.

The Museum at Aristocrat Motors is a private collection separated from the cars they have listed for sale. The museum is free to visit and open at the same hours as the dealership.

Vintage Corvettes & Museum is a specialty dealership, that I’m sure you can guess the specialty. Greg is a huge Corvette fan with a lot of memorabilia and transformed his dealership into something more.

Morrison Motor Car Museum is completely separate from Morrison Motor Cars the dealership, but the museum exists because of the dealership.

When visiting all these automotive museums, it is always best to visit with an open mind and a level of appreciation that you’re able to visit. Sometimes, the place may not be your favorite, while others you may leave with new knowledge and wonderful memories.

You’ll never know what it’ll be for you, unless you visit.

If you want to see more, visit the Weekly 3.

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.