35 replies to this topic

[James L. Kalie]

I would be interested in seeing the membership come up with a list of what they think are the top ten (or more) Automobile Museums (public or private) in the world that are Race Car influenced. I have been to so few, but like all of you I can dream and someday would like to go. I'll start with these:
1) Donington, England
2) Indianapolis Hall of Fame, USA
3) Mercedes Benz Museum, Germany
4) AUDI Museum, Germany
5) Alfa Romeo Museum, Milan
6) Museo Dell'Automobile Carlo Biscaretti di Ruffia, Turin
7) Ferrari, Maranello
8) ?
9) ?
10)?
Now, Doug Nye, Holger Merten, and all of the other "first rate" Automotive Historians and Researchers we are lucky enough to have as members, what are your "Must See Choices"?

[dretceterini]

I would add Rosso Bianco and "Schlumpf"

[Allen Brown]

dretceterini is dead right - those two should be in anyone's top 5. The Biscaretti, Donington and the Indy Museum would be my other top choices.

The BMW Museum at Munich is another contender and I'd also pick the small but beautifully chosen collection at Brionne.

The Setton collection was probably the most outstanding private museum but I believe that has now been broken up. Bernie Ecclestone's collection must be very impressive but it's very hard to find out what he has.

Hmm, that's only 9 - OK let's add the Matra museum at Romorantin. Small but unique.

Allen

[jgm]

The Musee National de L'Automobile (the 'Schlumpf' collection) in Mulhouse, SE France is amazing.

[RTH]

The Manoir de l'Automobile, Loheac, Rennes, Bretagne , France . is a must see - over 300 cars not by any means all racing cars but including a fantastic 26 cars grid of F1 cars in a huge hall of their own . plus small race, rallycross, & Kart tracks in wonderfull old stone buidings in deepest glorious French countryside + you usually have the place to yourself - The work of one mans vision Michel Hommell . One day is nothing like enough to view this collection, its unlike anything I've ever seen before.

[David McKinney]

I'm surprised no-one has mentioned the Collier Museum in Florida

And could I also put in a word for the Southward Museum in New Zealand?
OK, not in anyone's top five on the basis of racing-car content, but I would think a contender for a top ten. Although mostly road cars, it does have 8CLT and 250F Maseratis, a Monza Ferrari, a Begg F5000, an R-Type MG and one of the 1915 Stutz team cars, as well as roadier fare from Alfa Romeo, Bugatti and others - even an ex-Aileen Moss Marendaz Special ;)

[HistoricMustang]

I would submit the Joe Weatherly Stock Car Racing Museum in Darlington, SC:

http://mwhenley.trip...om/pg/nmpa.html

Only in the South (US) would you have people paying to see wrecked automobiles.

Henry

[lanciaman]

Not exactly "race car influenced" but hardly one to be overlooked: The Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan.

The Imperial Palace Hotel auto collection in Las Vegas, with its 800 or so cars, has a few bits of interest.

[Vicuna]

Donington Number 1?!

Have you been there?

What a disappointment.

Once good, now just OK.

Some others - Brooklands and the Big Daddy Don Garlits Museum in Florida.

Mostly top fuelers - as it should.

[Barry Lake]

What has happened at Donington that it is no longer "good", just "OK"?

[Vicuna]

Tatty

Bit of a carpark really

[Joe Fan]

If you like GT40s, Cobras and Shelby Cobra Mustangs, here is another one, the Shelby American Collection musuem in Boulder, Colorado: http://www.shelbyame...collection.html

[dretceterini]

There is an excellent museum just south of Lyon France in castle. I can't think of the name. Not many race cars, but lots of interesting turn of the 20th century oddball vehicles.

I can't think of the name of the man who has a big collection in Italy, including the Auto Avio 815 "Ferrari"

[David McKinney]

Ah yes, the Musée Henri Malartre at Rochetaille, Lyons. Well worth a visit (if only to figure how they got those cars into the upstairs rooms in the chateau!)

Fabrio Violati is involved with a Ferrari museum in Italy - can't remember the name, except I think it's got 'Rosso' in its title
Also in Italy, the Pannini family has a collection based on the former Maserati factory collection

[dretceterini]

I was thinking of Righini's museum and collection. He has the Auto Avio 815 and any number of there wonderful cars.

Here is a web link:

http://www.righinima...prima_museo.htm

[gdecarli]

Today I visited Biscaretti museum and I took some pics, just uploaded in Carlo Biscaretti di Ruffia Museum - Torino (Italy) thread.

Ciao,
Guido

[eldougo]

1) Donington, England
2) BMW Museum, Germany
3) Mercedes Benz Museum, Germany
4) Schlumpf , France
5) Alfa Romeo Museum, Italy
6) Ferrari, Italy
7) Beaulieu , England
8) Bathurst ,Australia.

INDIANAPOLIS museum is next on my list in 2006.

[Scorg]

I dont know how this compares to the ones listed already since ive never been but I did get the chance to visit the motorsport museum at the nurburgring which has a good selection of cars from classic to modern

[diego]

If you want a museum about racing, rather than just racing cars, check out the Shelby American Collection in Boulder, Colorado.






(whoops! didn't notice the Shelby American Collection link given in an earlier post. Oh well, enjoy the photo anyhow)

[eldougo]

Thanks DIEGO it looks like i will have to go via Boulder now on my trip.

[diego]

Originally posted by eldougo
Thanks DIEGO it looks like i will have to go via Boulder now on my trip.

Please be aware that the Shelby museum is only opened on a VERY limited schedule -- usually just Saturdays.

However, you might be able to arrange for a private showing beforehand. Good luck!

Boulder is full of motorheads... I know of more than a few tasty vintage racecars that live there.

[mat1]

Rosso Bianco has already been mentioned.

Another one which was a very positive surprise to me: the museum at the track in Le Mans. Usually that kind of collections are not very interesting, but I liked this one a lot, perhaps because I am partial to cars like Gregoires and Matras.

mat1

[Macca]

Fabrio Violati is involved with a Ferrari museum in Italy - can't remember the name, except I think it's got 'Rosso' in its title

That's the Maranello Rosso Collection, listed here:

http://www.ferrarihi...nellorosso.html

And Chaparall, of course.



PWM

[VWV]

I must add The Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum in Auburn, Indiana. http://www.acdmuseum.org/index.html I highly recomend going to see it.

I usually go an visit when I'm in the area visiting friends, I must have seen it at least 6 times. Best $8.00 you will spend at a car museum. Even my friends are amazed who are not "car guys". I usually combine seeing the USAF museum in Dayton, Ohio along with a visit to the ACD museum. I have never gone to see the Indy museum but am making plans to see it this year.

[David McKinney]

Originally posted by VWV
I must add The Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum in Auburn, Indiana. http://www.acdmuseum.org/index.html I highly recomend going to see it.

In keeping with the theme of this thread, what's the racing content?

[TFBundy]

The Le Mans "Musee Automobile de la Sarthe" has a few racing cars too.

They're particularly interesting when it rains.

[VWV]

Originally posted by David McKinney
In keeping with the theme of this thread, what's the racing content?

The last time I was there, from memory, they had 2 Duesenberg race cars, a Miller 91, a Duesenberg race engine in a static display, 2 Ferrari sport cars (sorry I don't remember which ones), 1 indy car from the 70's, 1 early 80's Penske Indy car.

[David McKinney]

Thanks WV

[VWV]

Originally posted by David McKinney

I'm surprised no-one has mentioned the Collier Museum in Florida

After doing a google search on the Collier Collection (ex Brigg Cunningham collection) it looks like the collection is no longer open to the public. I was in Naples last week doing the tourist thing and did not see any mention of the collection in any visitors guide.

I found this on the 'net

Cunningham opened his Costa Mesa car museum, where he put his private collection on display. Due to poor attendance the museum was closed in 1985 and its contents sold to Miles Collier Jr, whose father had been a good friend of Briggs. Collier started a new museum in Naples, Florida, but it was closed after a couple of years due to high overhead. The old Cunningham car collection is now part of Collier's private museum.

[dretceterini]

I like the LeMans museum too....I would love to own the 1939 Gordini there..

[David McKinney]

Originally posted by VWV
After doing a google search on the Collier Collection (ex Brigg Cunningham collection) it looks like the collection is no longer open to the public.

The original question did ask about "public or private" museums

[paulhooft]

Last june I made a visit to the NHRA museum at Pomona, California near LA,
don't forget to go there when in L.A.
Paul

[JohnS]

Originally posted by David McKinney

The original question did ask about "public or private" museums

If we're including private museums, then the Williams collection at their HQ is terrific. Nothing's roped off, and all the cars are accessible.

Apart from all the obvious Williams cars, they have the unraced Williams 6-wheeler, and a Ferrari given to Frank as settlement for tearing up his contract with Jean Alesi.

When I visited, they had Villeneuve's title winning car from Jerez in 1997. It still had the tyre mark on the side from where Schumacher tried to drive him off the road. Apparently this was later removed by an over-enthusiastic cleaning lady!

John

[rdrcr]

For the general public... there are some fine racing cars on display at the Marconi Automotive Museum in Tustin, CA. Among the historical standouts is a 1950 vintage red 195 S Ferrari, the 53rd car Enzo Ferrari hand built. Also, a few F1 cars on display; Schumacher's 1996 Ferrari, Damon Hill's 1995 Williams, and the 1983 McLaren Honda of Ayrton Senna.



By invitation only, there is Parnelli's stunning private collection near Long Beach, CA. The showrooms include many of his and Vel's famous racing cars - stunningly put together with hundreds of photographs and other memorabilia.

[Roly]

Hi,

Maybe this could be one more for the list.
Been there about 15years ago on a holyday.
Nice colletion of car and a good sellection of F1's
At the time they had a '79 Ferrari, '67, '72 and '77 Lotus, '84 Williams, '88 Mclaren and loads more but I can't remember all.
It's located in Beaulieu (in a park) in the south of England, close to Southhampton.

http://www.beaulieu....useum/index.htm

Greetings, Roland

[petefenelon]

For anyone who subscribes to the excellent dailysportscar.net (sort of like Atlas for closed-wheel fans!) there's an interesting article today about Martin Birrane's little museum at Mondello - some rather interesting cars there. Oh and there's a little competition too....