National Automobile Museum

Strap yourself in for the ride of your life at the exciting National Automobile Museum which charts the history of the automobile from the late 19th century to the present day. Home to over 220 automobiles, the calibre and scope of the museum’s collection is exceptional. Highlights include the Thomas Flyer – the winning car from the infamous 1908 New York to Paris Auto Race – and the iconic Batmobile.

Sometimes referred to as “The Harrah Collection” after legendary automobile collector Bill Harrah, the museum is renowned as one of the top automobile museums in the world. Before you start exploring the various exhibits, pop into the on-site cinema and watch “The Bill Harrah Story" or "The Magic Carriage”. Shown back-to-back every hour, these films are a great way to get to grips with this extensive collection and the man who dreamed it all up.

Easily navigated, the museum is divided chronologically into four galleries with each gallery representing a different era from the 1890s to the present day. As you speed through the various exhibits, it quickly becomes apparent that this is no boring collection of dusty scrap metal. Each impressive gallery has a themed central street that brings the past to life through exciting interactive exhibits, automobile memorabilia and artefacts. Try on an authentic 1930s costume and slip behind the wheel of a vintage car for a photo that will make your friends green with envy.

Old-time Hollywood glamour can be found over at the Celebrity Autos exhibit. Drool over the sleek Mercury Coupe that James Dean drove in the film Rebel Without a Cause, channel your inner Elvis as you admire the star’s 1973 Cadillac Coupe, and who needs a horse when you have John Wayne’s 1953 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible?

Finally, the Changing Exhibits Gallery does exactly what it says on the tin. Past exhibits have included a Bill Harrah retrospective and a selection of automobile artwork. The museum is currently curating a particularly interesting exhibit “Sirens of Chrome” uses photographs and ephemera to pay tribute to the alluring ladies that have graced car bonnets down through the ages so, if you’re lucky enough to be visiting before October 2013, you’re in for a real treat!