The 5 Best Car Museums in Florida

Museums are always great places to visit. It gives us a glimpse of the past and shows us where we came from and how we came to our current times. There are many lessons in history to be learned from them.

What most miss when vacationing are the specialty museums scattered across the United States of America, and what could be more American than cars and other automotive or engine-driven vehicles.

Autos were invented in the US in the late 1800s and created an industry that dominates most of the western world and a good portion of the entire world. There are not many locations where engine-driven vehicles don’t exist.

Yes, we did that and changed the world forever. The history is everywhere you look these days, but there are some very special museums in each US state, and Florida is no different. Florida is a great vacation state and millions.

In 2018 there were almost 112 million Americans that chose Florida as their choice to take a vacation. That not counting an estimated 13 million from other countries from across the globe.

If you’re a car or automotive enthusiast, Florida is a gold mine for car museums and a great place to bring children and teens to see and experience our great heritage, plus you’ll love it yourself.

Let’s dig into a handful of the best car and automotive museums in Florida that are sure to please.

Here Are the 5 Best Car Museums in Florida.

1. Fort Lauderdale Antique Car Museum, Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

This museum is focused on Packard cars, but what are Packard cars.

Packard was an American car company that focused on the higher end luxury cars of that time to present. They produce the most beautiful and luxurious cars of their era in history. In fact, Packard set the bar and held it high when it came to beauty and luxury.

Packard came into existence in late 1899. Over the subsequent decades, they produced many different classes and styles of luxury cars, their last American made Packard was built in Detroit Michigan in 1956.

The company does not produce vehicles itself any longer, but it does license others to do so, and they are still on the market to this day. Parts are still available and the standards are still incredibly high. The only other company that is comparable would likely be Royals Royce.

When visiting Fort Lauderdale Antique Car Museum, you get to see them as they were in their heyday. Walk up to one of these cars, look it over and it’s easy to imagine what life was like for the wealthy from an era.

It’s not just the cars that keep you excited in this museum, the memorabilia is plentiful and starts in the year 1900 and brings your up to the most recent from this company.

It’s a breathtaking walk through the past that will live in your memories forever. It’s a must-visit if you are in South Florida while vacationing. It’s also a nice break from the heat of the day.

It’s low cost, and your fee/donation is tax-deductible, which is another bonus.

It’s $10 for adults and teens, children from ages 5-12 are only 5 bucks. Under 5 is completely free.

You can contact them by phone at (954) 779-7300 or visit their website for group tours at discounted prices.

2. Muscle Car City, Punta Gorda, Florida.

Sporting over 200 GM muscle cars, you’ll need an entire afternoon to see everything this incredible museum has to offer. Here’s a video about Muscle Car City and shows what you’re in for when you take a tour of this incredible museum.

This museum is the most popular automotive museum in Florida, and with the size and variety of GM muscle cars, it’s no wonder. To give you an example, there are over 50 Corvettes and just as many Cameros.

The selections start at Antique, to more modern classics.

The Museum was founded and built by Rick Treworgy. He’s found his niche in life and is the undisputed King of GM Muscle Cars. The entire museum was built by Rick, and his passion still flames hard to this day.

There’s always something new because Rick is always looking to add to his collection for the museum. What’s even better is that he also sells and ships muscle cars across the United States. It’s an amazing adventure that you and the kids will never forget.

You can reach Rick and his crew at (941) 575-5959, or visit their website for more information.

3. Revs Institute, Naples, Florida.

This incredible museum has a collection of over 100 automobiles throughout history, with a library and archives.

This is likely the most unique automotive museum in Florida because you can visit in person and experience cars that are rarely seen in public because of the rarity of these specific vehicles. The variety and history in the museum would make Jay Leno as excited as a 5-year-old in a candy store. But that’s not all.

They have a full library onsite and archives from the past that is sure to please and thrill the most ardent automotive enthusiast.

But there’s a lot more to this museum. If you’re not headed to Florida, you can visit their website and access most of the library, archives, and images of a lot of the cars and automobiles that are in the museum, but it will never satisfy like the real thing.

If you’re headed to Naples or the area, it’s worth a visit. You can give them a call at (239) 687-REVS (7387), or visit their website if you’re planning a visit or just want to take a look at some incredible vehicles, check out their online library and archives.

4. Tallahassee Automotive Museum, Tallahassee, Florida.

This incredible museum is currently packed with 160 cars, plus a wide variety of other collectibles such as President Lincolns Hearse, Buffalo Bill’s guns and much more. The video below will give you an idea of what you might run across while visiting this museum.

In this museum, you can find and explore some incredible American history. It has automobiles, knives, boats, boat motors, fishing lures, sports memorabilia, pedal cars, motorcycles, Indian artifacts, Steinway pianos, and antique timepieces. They even have a general store.

This museum won the 1999 AACA First Place Award: #1 Museum in the United States for the Preservation of Antique Cars! Pretty impressive by any standard.

There’s no shortage of things to look at and explore.

This is an automotive museum that has something for everyone in the family. It’s an absolutely incredible place to visit when you need a day off to beat the Florida heat.

Give them a call at (850) 942-0137 or visit their website for more information.

5. Tampa Bay Automobile Museum, Pinellas Park, Florida.

Located in the Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg area of west-central Florida, this unique automotive museum is chock full of vintage cars and vehicles. There are right at 60 cars in the lineup as of this write-up.

The vehicles in this museum are completely unique to them. There are few if any collections as diverse as this one.

It covers everything from half-tracks to Mustangs, to motorized buggies and more. Make sure you have a couple of hours free to browse the collection. The diversity and historical value of this collection are priceless.

It’s an absolute must if you’re in the Tamp area and you need a break from the heat. You can give them a buzz at (727) 579-8226 or visit their website to learn more or schedule a visit.