I'm a truck driver and I'm always looking for car museums. I've been to Don Garlits, the National Corvette and the one in Lincoln NE by speedway motors. And I've been to the Kenosha History Center along with the Iowa 80 museum. I only run up to I-25. Doesn't have to be cars either! Wish I could go to Cali.
To clarify, are you looking for museums East of I-25? or along that interstate? I got quite a few recommendations from my years on the road as well.
Next time you are in eastern WI, near Milwaukee, visit the Wisconsin Automotive Museum in Hartford, WI: https://wisconsinautomuseum.com/ I guarantee you'll see more Kissels than you ever have. It's mostly stock type vehicles, but they do have a few vintage race vehicles and memorabilia, too.
I would also recommend stopping at the Studebaker National Museum, in South Bend, IN, too. Don't skip the basement! https://studebakermuseum.org/visit/hours-and-map/
Don't know what 'up to I25' means but if you travel east half of I80, you go near Stahl's museum in Chesterfield MI. not only a top class auto museum (have a Tucker, Chrysler Turbo, both Great Race movie cars and my Mysterion clone plus hundreds of vintage classics, they have a magnificent collection of amazing musical instruments, including the personal home organ of Wurlitzer that fills the huge museum. https://www.stahlsauto.com/
Greater Cinti Area . : Kentonlands Rd ., Erlanger , Ky . Approx 300 cars . All one man’s collection , lots of cool stuff . Open Friday ,Saturday , Sunday only
45 miles northwest of Chicago, Illinois. You can spend three days here or three hours, either way you will see things in person that you have never seen before … @ https://www.volocars.com/attractions Jim
Loved this place, first museum i went to on my first trip to the US. A lot of hotrod history and movie cars. A bit different but an awesome place is Barber in GA, mainly a motorcycle museum but has a lot of automotive and motorsport history in it. Went there last year... https://www.barbermuseum.org/
If you ever get to North Carolina I would suggest the wheels thru time motorcycle museum, everything runs and they also have some cool cars display too. HRP
If you're ever back in Iowa here are some places that look very interesting and are on my own list to see: Home - Okoboji Classic Cars, LLC. A couple of racing-oriented stops: Iowa Racing Museum – A destination for fun and memories National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum - Knoxville, Iowa
Don’t forget the Packard museum in Dayton, Ohio. It’s in an original old Packard dealership building, so the dealer showroom and the service area are part of the display.
My fav is Crawford Auto and Air museum. Part of the Case Western Reserve University. Located in Northeast Cleveland OH. 170 displays of cars that are from Pre 1900 and on through. Many quality Inns for lodging. To see it in a day is really tough. The closest that I could ditch my 53' tractor/trailer was two miles away. Worth the walk, definetly Easy truck parking is at the pioneer Village in Minden Nebraska. Harold Warp's one man version of the Smithonian, with a lot more historic cars.
Got the Tee shirts, bought his book, paid for a brick in his walkway. Even got a picture of him testing his grip while shaking my hand. The book was very enlightening. I have all my friends read it.
A couple years ago my niece from fort Myers Florida suggested my wife and I go to the Revs Museum in Naples Florida. Not too much HAMB friendly but interesting and unusual cars like Bentley's and old touring limousines. Lots of racing Porsches, Mercedes and other brands including one of a kind prototype cars. The atmosphere of the museum is different than any other museum I've ever been in and there are a lot of well-educated and helpful volunteers that are happy to share a great deal of detail about any of the cars on display. When we went we rushed through the whole thing in about 2 or 2 1/2 hours but if I'm ever in the area again I'll plan on spending an entire day. Just a side note about the cars on display....they are not just display/museum Queens. Every car there is taken out and driven either on the street or on the track every year or two...... even the multi-million dollar cars. Lynn
Up by Columbus OH is the AMA Motorcycle museum. Speaking of Ohio, hope you've been to the Air Force Museum.
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