Are you a car enthusiast looking to visit a cool car museum in Florida? Fortunately, there are many car museums in the state displaying historic, antique and vintage cars as well as memorabilia and artifacts.
The following is a list of car museums in Florida:
American Muscle Car Museum:
Address: 3500 Sarno Road Melbourne, FL
Website: www.americanmusclecarmuseum.com
Established in 2016, the American Muscle Car Museum is a 123,000 square foot complex in Melbourne that houses the personal muscle car collection of Mark Pieloch.
The museum is 42 acres in size and features a 90,000 square feet of vehicle display area, an 18,000 square foot showroom, and an adjacent 15,000 square foot maintenance and restoration facility for the collection.
The collection features more than 50 Indianpolis 500 Pace Cars & Trucks, 29 Yenkos, 80 First Place National show winners and a total of around 170 muscle cars.
The American Muscle Car Museum is owned by Mark Pieloch.
Brumos Collection:
Address: 5159 San Pablo Rd S, Jacksonville, FL
Website: www.thebrumoscollection.com
Established in 2020, the Brumos Collection museum is a 35,000 square foot museum in Jacksonville that houses the nationally recognized race car collection of Dan Davis.
The collection explores the history of race car driving with its display of vintage and historic race cars, such as a 1894 Peugeot Type 5 and a 1925 Bugatti Type 35, as well as racing memorabilia.
The Brumos Collection is owned by Dan Davis, chairman of Winn-Dixie Stores Inc grocery chain.
Classic Car Museum of St. Augustine:
Address: 4730 Dixie Highway, St. Augustine, FL
Website: www.ccmstaug.com
Established in 2020, the Classic Car Museum of St. Augustine is a 30,000 square foot museum in St. Augustine featuring classic and vintage cars.
The museum’s collection includes over 90 classic cars dating from the 1800s to modern day sports cars.
The Classic Car Museum of St. Augustine is owned by Sidney Hobbs.
Collection on Palmetto:
Address: 2116 Palmetto St, Clearwater, FL
Website: collectiononpalmetto.com
Established in 2020, the Collection on Palmetto is a 123,000 square foot museum in Clearwater that features a collection of Brass-era automobiles and other antique cars.
The cars in the collection date from 1886 to 1952 but the majority of the cars are from the Brass Era of 1896-1915.
The Collection on Palmetto is owned by Marvin Feldman.
Dauer Museum of Classic Car:
Address: 10801 NW 50th St, Sunrise, FL
Website: dauercars.com
Established in 2001, the Dauer Museum is a 30,000 square foot museum in Sunrise that features a collection of antique cars.
The collection includes over 55 antique vehicles, which date from the 1930s to the 1970s.
The Dauer Museum is owned by Eddie and Joanne Dauer.
Dezerland Park Orlando:
Address: 5250 International Dr., Orlando, FL
Website: dezerlandpark.com/orlando
Established in 2002, Dezerland Park Orlando is an indoor amusement park in Orlando that features an auto museum.
The auto museum includes vintage cars from Europe, classic American cars, historic military vehicles and famous movie cars from Back to the Future, Indiana Jones, Ghostbusters, Fast and Furious as well as the world’s largest collection of James Bond movie cars, aircraft and memorabilia.
The museum is also home to the Guinness Book of World Records longest car in the world, which is a super limo measuring 100-feet long.
The owner of Dezerland Park Orlando is Micheal Dezer.
Elliott Museum:
Address: 825 NE Ocean Boulevard Stuart, FL
Website: hsmc-fl.com
Established in 1961, the Elliott Museum is a local history museum in Stuart that features a collection of classic cars, trucks, bicycles, and boats.
The cars in the collection date from the late 19th century until 2000, with the oldest vehicle being a 1886 Benz Patent Motor Wagon.
The collection includes mostly classic and antique American cars such as a 1912 Ford Model T and a 1955 Ford Thunderbird convertible, but also includes antique foreign imports such as a 1925 Rolls Royce Springfield Silver Ghost and a 1971 Volkswagon Beetle Cabriolet.
Ideal Classic Cars Museum & Showroom:
Address: 2224 S Tamiami Trail, Venice, FL
Website: www.idealclassiccars.net
Established in 2010, Ideal Classic Cars is a 27,000 square foot car dealership and museum in Venice.
The collection consists of over 100 classic cars, trucks and motorcycles, such as hot rods, street rods, European models and muscle cars, which are all for sale. Entry to the museum is free.
In 2022, Ideal Classic Cars Museum was the 27th highest rated museum in Florida on Trip Advisor.
The museum is owned by Michael Lombardo.
Living Legends of Auto Racing:
Address: 2400 S. Ridgewood Avenue (US 1), South Daytona, FL
Website: livinglegendsofautoracing.com
Established in 2001, Living Legends of Auto Racing is a race car museum in South Daytona.
The museum contains a collection of historic race cars, vintage photographs and racing artifacts like engines racing helmets and etc. Entry to the museum is free.
Museum of Drag Racing:
Address: 13700 SW 16th Ave, Ocala, FL
Website: garlits.com
Established in 1984, the Museum of Drag Racing is a history museum in Ocala about drag racing.
The museum’s collection includes 90 race cars in its Drag Race building as well as another 50 antique cars in its Antique Car building. The museum is also home to the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame.
In 2022, the museum was listed in the Florida Times-Union’s article on Florida roadside attractions that are still worth a visit.
The museum is owned by retired race car driver Don Garlits.
Motorsports Hall of Fame:
Address: 1801 W International Speedway Blvd, Daytona Beach, FL
Website: www.mshf.com
Established in 1992, the Motorsports Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum in Daytona Beach that honors all motorsports such as drag racing, stock cars, motorcycles and sports cars.
The museum is located on the grounds of the Daytona International Speedway and features race cars and memorabilia related to the Hall of Fame inductees.
Naples Depot Museum:
Address: 1051 Fifth Avenue South Naples, FL
Website: colliermuseums.com/locations/naples-depot-museum
The Naples Depot Museum is a railway museum in Naples that features a collection of antique cars, trucks and other motor vehicles used to navigate Florida’s swamp lands.
The collection includes a 1922 Model T Ford which was used to transport Naples Beach Hotel guests from the depot, a 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air and a swamp buggy.
Revs Institute:
Address: 2500 Horseshoe Dr S, Naples, FL
Website: revsinstitute.org
Established in 2008, Revs Institute is a nonprofit organization that features a car museum in Naples with a small collection of antique and vintage cars.
The collection includes over 100 cars built between 1896 and 1995, including race cars and some of the rarest cars in the world.
In 2022, the Rev Institute was the 6th highest rated museum in Florida on Trip Advisor.
Sarasota Classic Car Museum:
Address: 5500 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL
Website: www.sarasotacarmuseum.org
Established in 1953, the Sarasota Classic Car Museum is a 60,000-square-foot car museum in Sarasota.
The museum features over 75 classic and vintage cars made by some of the most well known car manufacturers such as Alfa Romeo, Bentley, Cadillac, Edsel and Ferrari.
The Sarasota Classic Car Museum is owned by Martin Godbey.
Tampa Bay Automobile Museum:
Address: 3301 Gateway Centre Blvd, Pinellas Park, FL
Website: www.tbauto.org
Established in 2005, the Tampa Bay Automobile Museum is a 19,000 square foot car museum in Pinellas Park that displays the personal collection of French entrepreneur Alain Calef.
The museum features 80 cars that demonstrate special creativity and imagination in their history and engineering.
The collection includes early front wheel drive cars, Tatra rear engine cars, the only surviving car by French engineer Émile Claveau, Citreon cars and more.
The museum is owned by Alain Calef.
Tallahasse Automobile Museum:
Address: 6800 Mahan Dr, Tallahassee, FL
Website: tacm.com
Established in 1996, the Tallahassee Automobile Museum is a 100,000 square foot car museum in Tallahassee that features items of Americana as well as vintage and antique cars.
The museum’s collection features over 160 cars which includes three Batmobiles, a Delorean, a 1911 Ford Model T and an 1894 Duryea, which is one of the oldest vehicles every built in the U.S.
In addition, the museum has other historic modes of transportation such as the horse-drawn hearse reported to have carried the body of assassinated President Abraham Lincoln.
In 2022, the museum was mentioned in the Florida Times-Union’s article on Florida roadside attractions that are still worth a visit.
The museum is owned by Tallahassee-based businessman DeVoe L. Moore.
If you would like to drive an exotic car or super car like the ones in these museums, check out this article on exotic car driving experiences in Florida.
If you are interested in visiting other types of museums, check out this article on the nine best museums in Florida.
Sources:
“Highest Rated Museums in Florida.” WFLA, 29 March. 2022, wfla.com/news/florida/highest-rated-museums-in-florida/
“Revs Institute gives rare glimpse inside 35 legendary automobiles.” Naples Florida Weekly, 9 June. 2009, naples.floridaweekly.com/articles/revs-institute-gives-rare-glimpse-inside-35-legendary-automobiles/
Edwards, Teyonna. “Check out vintage and antique cars at Sarasota Classic Car Museum.” ABC Action News, 16 July. 2019, abcactionnews.com/lifestyle/taste-and-see/check-out-vintage-and-antique-cars-at-sarasota-classic-car-museum
Olsen, Jillian. “World’s longest car, with a swimming pool and mini-golf course inside, rolls into Orlando.” WTSP, 21 March. 2022, wtsp.com/article/entertainment/guinness-world-records-longest-car-orlando/67-828760e7-4b3e-4fc1-98c8-d1f1f1be0b96
Szaroleta, Tom and Wade Tatangelo, Suzy Fleming Leonard, Dave Osborn. “Old, weird Florida: Sunshine State roadside attractions that are still worth a visit.” Florida Times-Union, 3 July, 2022,jacksonville.com/story/news/history/2022/06/29/these-quirky-florida-attractions-recall-golden-age-tourist-traps/7485987001/
Tribou, Richard. “Tallahassee Car Museum Overwhelms the Kid in You.” Orlando Sentinel, 23 Feb. 2018, orlandosentinel.com/travel/explore-florida/os-tallahassee-automobile-museum-20180223-story.html
“History.” Sarasota Classic Car Museum, sarasotacarmuseum.org/history/
“History of the Museum.” Tallahassee Auto Museum, tacm.com/history-of-museum/