Car Museums in Michigan

Michigan being an automotive state, has a number of interesting, and worth visiting, car museums. Below is the list of them, with details about the exhibits, locations and hours of operation.

Detroit Metropolitan Area

Car Museums in Michigan
Photo credit: The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation

THE HENRY FORD MUSEUM OF AMERICAN INNOVATION

As the name suggests, the museum is more than just a car collection. The museum’s automobile exhibits showcase the American car industry’s history. “From the 1865 Roper, the oldest surviving American car, and Henry Ford’s first gas-powered vehicle to the hybrid 2002 Prius, our Driving America exhibit helps to tell the story of how automotive innovations have changed our lives and influenced American culture.” There are 200 cars in the collection, including some historically significant vehicles, like the Lincoln limousine in which President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.

Admission fee. 20900 Oakwood Boulevard, Dearborn, Mich. 48121. (313) 271-1620.

Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation is open seven days a week, 9:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Village is closed January 1 – April 14. Greenfield Village is open seven days a week from April 15 – October 30. The Village is open Friday – Saturday, 9:30 a.m. –  5:00 p.m. from October 31 – November 27.  The Henry Ford is closed Thanksgiving and Christmas days.

https://www.thehenryford.org/visit/henry-ford-museum/

WALTER P. CHRYSLER MUSEUM (closed)

This modern museum opened in 1999 on the grounds of Chrysler’s headquarters.

While there was the Detroit News article in May of 2016 announcing re-opening of Walter P. Chrysler Museum, I was not able to find any official information online. No website. Nothing on the Fiat Chrysler Alliance website. When I called the museum’s number provided in the article, I’ve got a message that it was disconnected. Therefore, I am assuming that the museum is closed again. (The museum closed permanently in December 2016.)

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/chrysler/2016/05/14/fiat-chrysler-reopening-walter-chrysler-museum-public/84361950/

Michigan being an automotive state, has a number of interesting, and worth visiting, car museums. Below is the list of them, with details about the exhibits, locations and hours of operation.
Photo credit: Ford Piquette Ave Plant.

FORD PIQUETTE AVENUE PLANT MUSEUM

“Today, you can visit the birthplace of the Model T. The Ford Piquette Avenue Plant is again open and evolving into a symbol of Detroit’s ability to invent, innovate, and rebound. Walk the plank floors worn smooth by hundreds of workers and thousands of cars.”

461 Piquette Street, Detroit, MI 48202, 313.872.8759.

See the website for hours and other details.

https://www.fordpiquetteplant.org

Car Museums in Michigan
Photo credit: Stahl’s Museum

STAHL’S MUSEUM

“The Stahl Museum has over 80 cars on display ranging from the 1886 Daimler prototype to the muscle cars of the 1960s with special emphasis on the great cars of the 1930s and 1940s, a period of style and constant evolution.” The museum has more than just cars. It also displays music machines, gas pumps, signs and other automotive memorabilia.

Museum Hours: Open Every Tuesday 1:00-4:00, first Saturday of the month 11:00-4:00.

No admission charge. Donation box located at entry door.

56516 North Bay Dr., Chesterfield, MI 48051. 586-749-1078

http://www.stahlsauto.com/

Car Museums in Michigan

Other South-Eastern Michigan Area Museums

 

Ypsilanti Automotive Heritage Museum

The Heritage Museum display includes names from automotive past, like – Hudson, Tucker, Kaiser-Frazer, Corvair. The Museum collection includes 30 vintage automobiles with a historical connection to Ypsilanti. “The collection goes from the 1933 Hudson Terraplane K Series Coach up through a 1991 Chevrolet Caprice Police vehicle manufactured at Willow Run. The museum also includes Miller Motors, a fully preserved pre-war automobile dealership serving America’s vintage Hudson fleet.”

Museum Hours: Tuesday – Sunday: 1:00 to 4:00 PM, Monday: Closed.

100 East Cross Street, Ypsilanti, Mi 48198, (734) 482-5200
www.ypsiautoheritage.org

ALFRED P. SLOAN MUSEUM

The museum, named after the General Motors president and chairman in the 1930s, displays more than 80 cars built in Flint. The exhibits focus on regional history, historic automobiles and hands-on science.

Hours: Monday-Saturday – 10:00 am-5:00 pm, Sunday – 12:00 pm-5:00 pm.

Admission fee. 1221 E. Kearsley Street, Flint, Mich. 48503. (810) 237-3450.

sloanmuseum.com

Buick Automotive Gallery

Admission to Sloan Museum includes admission to Buick Gallery, an annex exhibit space featuring historic vehicles from the Sloan Museum Automotive Collection.

Open Friday & Saturday, 10:00 am–5:00 pm, and Sunday, Noon–5:00 pm, and closed Monday-Thursday.

Hours: Friday & Saturday – 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday – 12-5 p.m. Monday-Thursday – Closed.

303 Walnut St. Flint, MI 48503

https://sloanlongway.org/sloan/

WILLS SAINTE CLAIRE AUTO MUSEUM

The largest collection of Wills (a short-lived brand from the 20’s) autos anywhere in the world!  Currently there are 10 Wills cars on display, from a 1922 Coupe to a 1926 7-Passenger Sedan to a 1926 Wills Roadster. The Museum also has many photographs of the factory and the community of Marysville.

The Museum is open on the second Sunday of the month from 1:00 PM until 5:00 PM.

2408 WILLS ST, MARYSVILLE, MI  48040. 810-987-2854

http://www.willsautomuseum.org/

South-Central and Western Michigan

R.E. OLDS TRANSPORTATION MUSEUM

In the hometown of Ransom E. Olds, founder of Oldsmobile, the museum has an extensive collection of Oldsmobiles, from the oldest to the fastest, in addition to rare vehicles from REO, Star, Durant and Viking.

Hours: Tuesday – Saturday, 10 a.m. –5 p.m. (Closed Mondays)
Sunday, 12 p.m. – 5 p.m. (Closed Sundays November – March)

Admission fee. 240 Museum Drive, Lansing, Mich. 48933. (517) 372-0529.

reoldsmuseum.org

Car Museums in Michigan

GILMORE CAR MUSEUM

Almost 300 vehicles spanning more than 100 years of automotive heritage are displayed on 90 acres in restored historic barns. They range from 1899 Locomobile to Model T’s. In the collection you also find a classic Duesenberg, an elusive 1948 Tucker and muscle cars of the 60s. There are six partnering museums on the grounds: Classic Car Club of America Museum, Pierce-Arrow Museum, H.H. Franklin Collection, Model A Ford Museum, Cadillac-LaSalle Club Museum and Lincoln Motor Car Heritage Museum.

Admission fee. Open: Mon – Fri – 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sat. and Sun. – 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

6865 Hickory Road, Hickory Corners, Mich. 49060. (269) 671-5089.

gilmorecarmuseum.org

Car Museums in Michigan

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If you are interested in car museum in other states, you can read my post about places in Ohio here: Car Museums in Ohio, and also a post dedicated specifically to Gilmore Car Museum in Michigan – Gilmore Car Museum – An Amazing Collection of Automotive History.

Rich S.
Rich S.http://www.greatlakesexplorer.com
Rich S. is a lifetime photographer and traveler based in Metro Detroit area. He has been traveling the Great Lakes area for over 30 years. Follow his blog about his trips, interesting activities and destinations in the Great Lakes region.

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