You don’t have to go far in the state of Virginia to find a vintage car museum. Virginia is home to at least eight (or nine, if you broaden your definition of “car” to include tanks!). Here is a list of all the vintage car collections I can find information on in Virginia.
The Carriage and Carriage Caravan Museum at Luray Caverns traces the history of transportation in America. Items on display include horse-drawn carriages, coaches, wagons, and early automobiles. The automotive collection includes an 1892 Benz, a 1908 Baker Electric, a 1913 Stanley Steamer and Rudolph Valentino’s 1925 Rolls Royce. You must purchase a ticket to Luray Caverns to enter the museum. (540) 743 – 6551
The Roaring Twenties Antique Car Museum in Hood features 32 vintage cars on display, mostly from the 1920s and 1930s. The collection includes examples from Carter, Star, Stephen, Cleveland, Hupmobile, Paige, Nash, Essex, Packard and Cadillac. Horse-drawn carriages, old farming implements and advertising from the time are also on display. (540) 948 – 6290
The Virginia Transportation Museum in Roanoke has cars and other vehicles from nearly every decade of the 20th century. The museum focuses primarily on the railway industry, but also has an aviation and aerospace section. (540) 342 – 5670
Fred’s Car Museum in Appomattox has more than sixty-five vintage cars, dating from 1906 to 1980. Highlights of the collection include a 1906 Schacht, a 1914 Saxton, a 1920 Piano Box Buggy, a 1936 Packard and a very rare 1939 Lincoln V. -12 limousines. (434) 352-0606
The Accomack-Northampton Antique Car Museum in Parksley features a 1922 Durant, a 1935 Auburn, a 1956 Thunderbird, and plenty of cars. (757) 665 – 6161
Eavers Classic Cars and Collectibles Museum in Staunton has more than twenty classic cars on display, including a genuine 1965 Shelby AC Cobra, Elvis Presley’s last Cadillac, and a 1959 Devin sports car. (540) 337 – 1126
The Old Cranks Motor Car Museum in Galax has a unique variety of vintage cars including a single-cylinder Orient Buckboard, a Detroit Electric, and a Stanley Steamer. (276) 236-5114.
The Wood Brothers Racing Museum in Stuart covers 58 years of racing history. You can see the 1971 Mercury Cyclone Purolator, a 1989 Neil Bonnet Thunderbird, and a 1937 Glen Wood Ford Coach. There are also trophies, racing suits and helmets, and tons of other racing memorabilia. (276) 694 – 2121
The AAF Tank Museum in Danville doesn’t have vintage cars, but I couldn’t leave them out! His collection includes 117 tanks and artillery pieces, plus over twenty thousand other military-related artifacts dating back to 1509! (434) 836-5323
Quite a variety for car enthusiasts to choose from if they’re passing through Virginia or live nearby. As always, call ahead for holiday schedule and schedule information before you make the trip.