A Different Kind Of Museum
Car museums come in all forms—some are sleek and high-tech, others feel like someone’s overgrown garage with better lighting. What they all have in common is a deep obsession with cars that left a mark: race legends, bizarre prototypes, pop culture icons, engineering milestones, and designs that made zero commercial sense but got built anyway. So, here are 20 museums where the cars do all the talking.
Clemens Vasters from Viersen, Germany, Germany on Wikimedia
1. Porsche Museum (Stuttgart, Germany)
The Porsche Museum features more than 80 vehicles, beginning with the original 356 No. 1 and extending to the latest models. As each car builds on the one before, the collection highlights the brand’s continuous evolution. Additionally, a 360-degree virtual tour offers an interactive way to explore the exhibits.
2. The Royal Automobile Museum (Amman, Jordan)
A walk through the Royal Automobile Museum feels like stepping into Jordan’s modern history on wheels. King Hussein’s personal collection takes center stage, with luxury models such as the 1953 Rolls-Royce IV and classic Cadillacs that once served the royal family.
3. Museo Ferrari (Maranello, Italy)
It’s all about speed and legacy at the Museo Ferrari. This museum’s collection highlights the brand’s evolution through iconic road cars and championship-winning Formula 1 machines. For a hands-on thrill, visitors can even step into F1 simulations that bring the roar and precision of the track to life.
4. Museo Nazionale dell'Automobile (Turin, Italy)
The Museo Nazionale dell'Automobile offers a sweeping view of automotive progress across more than a century. Italy’s design influence stands out, not just in local models but also in global icons like the 1914 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost.
5. Schlumpf Collection (Mulhouse, France)
This museum makes an impression the moment you spot the Bugatti Royale Coupé Napoléon—one of many in the world’s largest Bugatti lineup. Early 1900s rarities fill the halls, including two elegant Hispano Suizas and a single Tatra, celebrated for its aerodynamic design.
6. Mercedes-Benz Museum (Stuttgart, Germany)
A 19th-century motorcar marks the starting point inside the Mercedes-Benz Museum. The collection spans over 160 vehicles, covering milestones in engineering and design. Moreover, Formula 1 achievements, safety breakthroughs, and bold prototypes all take the spotlight.
Curimedia | P H O T O G R A P H Y on Wikimedia
7. Autoworld (Brussels, Belgium)
Rows of more than 300 vehicles fill the halls of Autoworld, covering everything between early motoring and modern engineering. Besides, interactive exhibits keep visitors engaged, while special sections explore how motorsport has shaped automotive design.
Clemens Vasters from Viersen, Germany, Germany on Wikimedia
8. Emirates National Auto Museum (Abu Dhabi, UAE)
A pyramid in the desert marks the entrance to the Emirates National Auto Museum, home to nearly 200 vehicles in one of the world’s largest private collections. Among the lineup sits the first-generation Porsche Boxster, which represents a different kind of icon.
Abdulla Al Muhairi on Wikimedia
9. Mercedes-Benz World (Weybridge, UK)
Mercedes-Benz World begins with a lineup of over 100 vehicles and features both vintage models and current innovations. Exhibits guide visitors through the brand’s role in motorsports and its advancements in automotive safety. This experience continues on the track, where guests can drive AMG cars built for performance.
Supermac1961 from CHAFFORD HUNDRED, England on Wikimedia
10. Museo Automovilístico De Málaga (Málaga, Spain)
This one on the list presents classic cars alongside the art and fashion that shaped their era. Vehicles like the 1917 Hispano-Suiza share space with couture pieces by Dior and Chanel, further creating a dialogue between engineering and design.
11. Louwman Museum (The Hague, Netherlands)
Start at the entrance, and you're met with over 250 vehicles lined up in historical order. The Louwman Museum covers everything between towering pre-WWI cars and polished models of the 1950s. Here, early racing takes the spotlight with the 1903 Napier and 1910 Benz Prinz Heinrich.
12. Tatra Museum (Kopřivnice, Czech Republic)
Situated in the factory town of Kopřivnice, this massive 5,000-square-meter space consists of 80 trucks and walks you through Tatra’s journey from early prototypes to post-WWII marvels. Each vehicle tells a story of bold engineering choices that helped shape the future of transport.
13. Museo De La Automoción (Salamanca, Spain)
With a rotating cast of 90 showstoppers selected from a deep bench of 240, every visit to this museum brings something new to admire. Beyond admiring the chrome and curves, you also get to dive into interactive exhibits that unpack the evolution of car design.
Emilio J. Rodríguez Posada on Wikimedia
14. Toyota Automobile Museum (Nagakute, Japan)
Here, the collection covers everything—early classics, modern icons, and standout models like the 1936 Toyota A1, the company’s first passenger car. Even cars by other manufacturers help show how the industry took shape around the world, especially in Japan.
15. Audi Museum Mobile (Ingolstadt, Germany)
Audi Museum Mobile in Ingolstadt lays out over 100 years of the brand’s evolution with more than 50 vehicles, including the 1980 Audi Quattro. You’ll also find rare prototypes and one-off models that show how the brand experiments with design.
Sebastian Terfloth User:Sese_Ingolstadt on Wikimedia
16. ZeitHaus Museum (Wolfsburg, Germany)
The ZeitHaus Museum brings together more than 260 vehicles across 60 names, all under one roof inside VW’s Autostadt. You’ll see everything from early classics to industry-shifting designs, with VW icons parked alongside standout models by other manufacturers.
17. BMW Museum (Munich, Germany)
Around 120 vehicles are on display in this museum, including electric models like the BMW i3 and race cars featured in Formula 1 and touring events. Adjacent to the museum, the BMW Welt area gives a chance to explore current models and experience new vehicle deliveries on-site.
18. Museo Lamborghini (Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy)
Lamborghini’s story starts with tractors, and at the Museo Lamborghini, that origin is part of the journey on display. This museum features iconic models like the Miura, Countach, Aventador, and the limited-edition Centenario. Moreover, the 350 GT, Lamborghini’s first production car, shows the brand’s early leap into performance engineering.
19. British Motor Museum (Warwickshire, England)
Holding the largest collection of historic British cars, the British Motor Museum in Warwickshire displays more than 400 vehicles across decades of engineering. Key models include the Aston Martin DB5 and Jaguar E-Type, alongside cars by Rolls-Royce, Mini, and Land Rover.
20. National Motor Museum (Beaulieu, England)
Starting with just five cars in Lord Montagu’s front hall, the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu has grown into a collection of more than 250 vehicles. Interestingly, the displays cover more than a century of motoring, including motorcycles, bicycles, and key examples of British automotive progress.
