If you're a car enthusiast, you'll be delighted to know that Central Texas is home to some of the best vintage car museums in the country. From the Haas Moto Museum to the Rock & Roll Car Museum, there's something for everyone. Whether you're looking for classic cars from the 1940s and 1950s or contemporary art pieces from local artists, Central Texas has something for everyone. Carroll Estes is the owner and operator of the Roadside America Museum, which is home to an expansive 20,000-square-foot sculpture gallery with 230 cycles and a variety of metal sculptures.
The Terrill Antique Car Museum is another great spot for vintage car lovers, with 18 drivable vintage vehicles that have been lovingly restored. The Art Car Museum is a private institution dedicated to contemporary art and serves as an exhibition forum for local, national, and international artists. The Texas Transportation Museum operates donated transportation equipment, including full-size locomotives and vintage cars. The Legends Racing Museum will be part of Motor City USA, a huge automotive theme complex in North Texas. The Texas Fire Museum showcases more than 60 vintage fire vehicles to showcase a century of fire service at this non-profit museum.
Located in the historic 1927 Central Fire Station of the Beaumont Fire Department, the museum exhibits an extensive collection related to the history of fire departments in the state of Texas. Gordon Massie, owner of the Texas Antique Motorcycle Museum, has been a lifelong restorer, collector, and driver of new and old motorcycles. The Rock & Roll Car Museum in Austin is a must-visit for all automotive enthusiasts. The museum has a unique collection of vintage racing cars, film production vehicles, and musical souvenirs. The screen changes frequently, so even if you visit the museum several times, you'll probably see something different each time.
The museum is only open on the first and third Saturdays of each month starting at 10 a.m.The Horton Classic Car Museum in Nocona has 137 vehicles in its massive 37,400 square foot space. The collection includes classics such as a 1953 Buick Skylark Golden Anniversary convertible, a 1958 Pontiac Bonneville Series 25 convertible, and an exclusive Corvette Nomad pickup. Visit the museum Monday through Friday starting at 9 a.m., and on Saturday starting at 9 a.m., with limited hours on Saturdays (during winter).The Terrill Antique Car Museum in De Leon is worth visiting if you're in the area. This small museum presents a collection of pre-World War II vehicles, such as a coffin-type steam car, a Crow-Elkhart clover leaf, and a 1915 REO Speedwagon (not from the band).
Admission is free and the museum is open from 10:00. The Clifton Classic Chassis Auto Museum is located in Clifton and houses 35 cars dating from the 1940s to the 1980s, as well as several bicycles, motorcycles, and local historic memorabilia. The museum is open to the public on Saturday afternoons or by appointment for lunches, group exhibitions, and special functions. The King Ranch may be best known for its horses but it also has an impressive collection of vintage cars including saddles, pistols and rifles, and other artifacts depicting life on the ranch in the 1940s. Blue Oval Car Barn is owned by Finley Ledbetter who currently owns around 60 high-quality high-performance cars including one of the largest collections of 1971 Mustangs in the country. Danny Lee “Woody” Wood and his wife Patti have developed an impressive collection housed in their shiny new facility located between Abilene and Brownwood. The antique car museum houses many of Moncrief's own cars as well as a rotating collection of one-of-a-kind classic cars. Central Texas offers something for every car enthusiast - from classic cars from the 1940s and 1950s to contemporary art pieces from local artists.
From museums dedicated to vintage cars to those showcasing fire service history or music memorabilia - there's something for everyone!.
