Gilmore Car Museum

The Gilmore Car Museum is a true American treasure and a must-visit for anyone with even a passing interest in history, design, or automobiles. Nestled in the Michigan countryside, this expansive museum is more than just a car collection—it’s a beautifully curated journey through over a century of innovation and culture. From early horseless carriages to iconic muscle cars and vintage motorcycles, every exhibit tells a story of craftsmanship and evolution. The historic barns and 1930s Shell station create an immersive experience, transporting visitors to a bygone era. What sets Gilmore apart is its dedication to education and preservation—each vehicle is presented with remarkable attention to detail. Whether you’re an enthusiast or a casual guest, you’ll leave with a deep appreciation for the artistry and impact of the automobile in shaping modern life. A world-class museum right in Michigan’s backyard—absolutely unforgettable.

This is a unique place and nice for adults. There are lots of cars and buildings for you to look through, I think we spent 3 hours here. It's not geared towards children. I would recommend it for adults and senior citizens, especially those with more interest in cars. There's one car that people can sit in and learn how to start the engine on. And there's one car you can sit in for a selfie. But those are the only two things the kids can touch in the entire place. So it's really hard to bring kids in there and they're not able to touch anything else. There are lots of nice cars to view and enjoy. Lots of information. There is a diner if you wanted to eat there. There is a restroom in the main entrance, as well as a gift shop. There's lots of parking available. This is located in the middle of nowhere, out in the country and it was actually about a half an hour drive still from Battle Creek, or Kalamazoo.

⸻ Gilmore Car Museum Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I recently had the pleasure of visiting the Gilmore Car Museum during my son’s class field trip, and it was an unforgettable experience! The museum is a treasure trove of history, featuring beautifully preserved classic cars and an impressive variety of themed buildings. It felt like stepping back in time as we explored everything from vintage vehicles to recreated gas stations and automotive memorabilia. The staff was incredibly knowledgeable and engaging, making the experience educational and fun for both kids and adults. It was fascinating to learn about the evolution of cars and their impact on American culture. To top it all off, we stopped by the on-site diner for a root beer float. The diner itself is a charming throwback to the 1950s, and the float was delicious—a perfect way to end the visit. I highly recommend the Gilmore Car Museum to anyone interested in cars, history, or simply looking for a unique day out. It’s a fantastic destination for families, school trips, or anyone who loves a bit of nostalgia. Can’t wait to visit again! ⸻

Highly recommend this museum. Wow. This place is astounding. I am not a huge car buff, but even I was blown away by this collection… and also by how beautifully it is maintained. The chrome, glass, and paint absolutely gleam. The place is spotless. It took us about 4.5 hours total, but you could take much longer. This is well worth a trip. And it is just 8 minutes from the Kellogg Manor House on Gull Lake, which is also worth a visit.

Majority of the cars are from the 30’s to early 60’s, nicely laid out and in a very spacious facility. The drive to museum will take you through some nice road with lots of restaurants on the side. Great place to spend 3-4 hrs with family.

Awesome place to stop, the different buildings for car brands and eras is a great idea. Give yourselves 4 or 5 hours to see everything. There is 1 building full of motorcycles on the back side that's not marked, We almost missed it. The steam and old electric cars were interesting.

It is a fantastic place! So many beautiful cars. It is a lot of different buildings set on a lovely piece of property. There are several different options for eating which include an original 1940's diner, which they had delivered to the property and restored. This is definitely a place that will not disappoint! There are different special events that happen throughout the year. I have posted a picture of the 2025 events, enjoy! I know I will be going back!

We had a great experience and the staff could not have been nicer! The questions my daughter asked me about old cars and the appreciation she showed for me always finding interesting things for us to do made my year! She said "dad this place is great" how did you find it. Definitely would recommend.

Had a great day at the Gilmore car museum, $20 is a deal. You can spend a full day but we had to kind of run through but still had a great time and got to see quite a bit. They had the model t driving experience running, 100 bucks you get a full day training and driving on roads a real model t pretty cool. They also had volunteers with their classic cars driving you around the Gilmore for free. Also pretty neat. And then it's the cars and the buildings and the grounds and don't forget about the little diner all in all it's pretty cool day. If you're in the cars or just history stop by the Gilmore car museum it's definitely worth the stop.

Had to stop back and check things out again- less busy than the Henry Ford greenfield village and tons of unique cars

Passing through Michigan? Stop by Gilmore Car Museum. For $20 adult entry fee it's well worth the amazing car collection and memorabilia!!! I can't say enough about this place but you need to see it for yourself! You can also eat in an old train car restaurant or pick up something to bite at the convenient store inside. They even have a gift shop. Friendly staff who will answer your questions. Lots of free parking!! Do yourself a favor and stop on by, I know you'll love it!!

We came to the Gilmore car museum on a Friday morning. I say this as a person who is not very knowledgeable about cars-this is a must do experience. They have exhibits and points of interest for everyone! Without giving too much away: Get some good shoes-there is plenty of walking! They have a part of a movie set from a Disney film from the 1960s that Walt Disney donated. They have art featuring cars everywhere. They have people driving their cars around the museum. We even got to ride in one! I don't know if this is a regular thing that they do, but being able to ride in a car manufactured in 1916 was really cool-I recommend that! They make sure their guests are comfortable-there are spots for food (although no food or drink around the cars of course!) and there are plenty of bathrooms. They have a gift shop that has something for everyone. It was a great museum-you could look at everything up close, and talk to people who are really passionate about cars. It was an experience I would happily repeat.

Super cute place with knowledgeable staff! I've visited my grandparents every year and didn't know what I was missing. This is a must and definitely check if there's an event going on too.

OFFERS SOMETHING NO OTHER CAR MUSEUM CAN - DRIVING LESSONS FOR A MODEL T FORD! High on my Bucket List was learning to drive a Model T. The Gilmore Museum is the best place to go! They have been offering lessons for 19 years, and have a great routine worked out. A "class" will last three hours. They alternate show-and-tell how how the car works, with actual, sitting behind the wheel driving. The final test was a ten minute drive on a lane that goes through fields and woods. Driving on that road was like going back into time!

Beautiful grounds surround this magnificent car museum. Many unique buildings filled with automotive history with categories covering every era. Something for every car enthusiast. Changing displays and always adding more buildings. Fun for children also, especially the Christmas lights. Special events year round and summer cruise ins. Highly recommend!

Terrific museum for both history buffs and gearheads. Wonderful to walk up close to so many meticulously maintained automobiles from the "Horseless Carriage" era through the grand tourers of the roaring '20s and the powerful muscle cars of the 1960s - along with numerous classics from other vintages. The collection leans American (with wonderful displays of Lincolns, Pierce-Arrows, Cadillacs and Mopsr/Chrysler), but some nice imports are included as well. They also have many special events scheduled throughout the year. Highly recommend : )

Wow! Where does one begin on writing yet another well deserved 5-star review of the Gilmore Car Museum. I recently visited for the 2nd time, and this time I brought my father, who is a huge car buff. I cannot begin to express my heartfelt thanks all those who work and volunteer at this wonderful facility as I received such joy watching my my father's eyes light up and the perma-grin he had the entire time we were there during our 2 day visit. The weekend we were on property was also the Annual Oktoberfest hosted by DeutscheMarques. There was German food, German beer and the ever popular DeutscheMarques Oom-Pah band. And - of course - beautiful German cars brought on campus by patrons. Many attendees were in authentic German clothing which also added to the festivities. Weather was a bit chilly, but everyone who was there seemed to be having a good time. If you have ever thought about going to a car museum, the Gilmore Car Museum in Hickory Corners is definitely worth the drive and the very reasonable price of admission ($16 one day and $28 for 2-day tickets)! Our trip was 3+ hours one-way. Very well done and we look forward to our next visit!

How have I lived in Michigan with a car enthusiast husband for 25+ years and never visited this place? I planned a spur of the moment surprise birthday trip for him and this place was a must. And you know what, I actually loved it myself. If you are from the Detroit area, think Greenfield Village for cars. The weekend we went happened to be a special weekend for the Pierce Arrow car club as they were onsite with their cars. We even got to go for a spin in one - so cool! As others have mentioned, there were several smaller museums on the grounds, Ford, Cadillac, motorcycle, etc. There's also an old fashioned gas station, and a diner car. Pro tip: Check out the delicious custard at the diner. There are both indoor and outdoor seating options. We happened to be there on a lovely summer day and it was fun to just walk around outside. I also highly recommend the gift shop, lots of t-shirts and mugs and I thought the prices were very fair. It's a fun day trip for the entire family. Go and check it out and have fun!!

The Gilmore houses a stunning collection of automobiles from every era. Everything about the Gilmore is absolutely top shelf. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable; the buildings are very high quality; the campus is gorgeous. The exhibits are logically grouped and thoroughly described. I had the additional pleasure of participating in the Model T Driving Experience. This is a MUST for car enthusiasts, regardless of what era or type of car interests you most. The instructors are experts, friendly, patient, and with nerves of steel. This is a unique and most of all FUN experience that I can't recommend highly enough. The Gilmore recently lowered the price of the Model T Driving Experience to $99 per person, which includes full museum admission. That's a bargain, and I will definitely do this again.

Spectacular. We had a great time. Our favorite was the Cadillac building We took many photos of the Cadillac fins over the production years.

Created by a car lover for car lovers, the Gilmore Classic Car Museum is located out in the middle of farms about 25 minutes outside Kalamazoo Michigan which my partner, his family, and I came today. It has a large collection of wonderful car displays from brands and clubs. If you've ever dreamed of being next to a Dusenburg, an Auburn Cord, a Model T, a DeLorean, or a hundred other legendary cars, you can see them here. Leave at least 4 plus hours for your visit as it's well organized and laid out. The outdoor paths are smooth and well cared. The 1940's George and Sally Diner was transported from the East Coast and restored added a nice touch to the property. The menu at this diner was limited to egg, tuna, and chicken salad sandwiches, pulled pork, hot dogs, and frozen custard. The "Shell Station" had many period pieces related to a Shell gas station, as well as a nice collection of gas pump globes. Since we were very impressed at the facility and the price, it is highly recommended it.

Gilmore car museum is a very cool and fun place! We go about twice a year usually during a car show event. So much to see, bring the camera!

We really love Gilmore Car Museum. The fact that it is so close to home for us is even more amazing. They have cars from movie sets, rare concept cars, antique cars and so much more. I'm sure there is at least 1 car in their museum that you've never even heard of. The grounds and buildings at Gilmore are just stunning. They're all well maintained and organized. Each vehicle has a plaque full of information about the vehicle such has who owned or owns it, who it's on loan from, year, make, model and so on. When planning a visit, do not go there unless you have plenty of time and do not rush. There is so much to look at. Throughout the year they have many different events open to the public. Some of them are car shows, motorcycle shows, swap meets, ride in events and even things like meeting with Princesses. All of the staff and volunteers seem to be very friendly and knowledgeable about the vehicles. I have no complaints about Gilmore Car Museum. In my opinion every one should go here at least once in their life. If you're fairly local to the area or even Michigan go as often as possible. They are always getting new vehicles on loan that you might not want to miss out seeing.

Even if your not a car guy it's a fun place to visit. Lots of history and many types of events to go to. Winter time they have the holiday light show.

We had a super interesting and relaxing visit to this museum complex. We spent a good 4 hours exploring and did not see everything. We especially enjoyed the muscle cars exhibit, the toy pedal cars exhibit, and reproduced Shell service station with Model T with a snowmobile conversion. The diner provided a nice break with decent lunch offerings. We would have been interested in more information on the car mascot / hood ornament display. There were many examples but not enough info regarding manufacturers for each one. It would be good to have profiles of the artists. The layout inside and outside is great and spacious. It is wheelchair accessible. The handicapped stall in the bathroom could be larger. It is tight. Overall, excellent and we will return.

Definitely worth the $20 admission and the 2 hour drive. If you're into cars, this museum is a must in Michigan.

FANTASTIC!!! I wish I could give this place a 10 Star review. I'm a car guy from Detroit, with 10w30 pumping through my veins. I've been to museums / collections everywhere and this is right at the top of the list. No matter what era of cars your prefer, pedal cars, building, signage, engines on stands, etc it is all here. In fact, the buildings are as impressive as the cars. The grounds are meticulously maintained and this was the first of what will be many more visits to this museum. I am even considering "adopting" a car (check the website). I know I'm attaching lots of pictures but it doesn't even scratch the surface. Keep up the great work Gilmore Team!

We had a baseball Tournament this weekend but no game Friday so we checked this place out and all I can say is wow. They have like 9 buildings all of them go by car years or brand. They have a replica of a old school shell gas station with a shop it was super cool. They have a old style diner which actually serves food. Then they have like three to four different cars outside in which you can be driven around for no charge and you can donate a couple bucks. I got to go on a model A and a Lincoln continental convertible which was pretty nice. There is so much to see and if your in town or near by I recommend it 100 percent.

One of the best automobile museums in the country! Brilliant out buildings as well, there is a whole building that is a Ford Model A museum where you can see all of the different types of Model A cars that were built. Similarly there is a building for Cadillac that's designed like an old Cadillac dealership and service center. In the main building there are sections for American muscle cars, concept cars and cars from movies. There are a couple massive barns with dozens of cars on their campus. There is a smaller building in the back of the campus (little known) that is dedicated to motorcycles. Depending on when you come there are car shows going on where people will being their cars and park them in the field between the buildings and you can walk about and admire. Overall just an awesome place. Even if you don't love cars, there is a little bit for anyone here. You can just walk around and eat custard.

Fabulous place, they have live music, food trucks, a bar and all the vintage cars your heart's desire. There were lots of people there but they have such vast area it didn't feel crowded.

Very cool and lots to see! Very interesting to see everything they have to offer. The layout and flow of walking through and around is easy!

Wowee wow wow. More like an automobilia campus of museums with a period Cadillac dealership, gas station, diner car, and numerous exemplary out parcel collections in tow. Amazing.

I have been to the Henry Ford museum and Greenfield Village and this is just as well done but it is different. Each building on the campus has different cars in it. This is a good way to spend an afternoon.

Great summer evening spot. Stop in for a good cocktail and and old fashioned diner experience.

Very cool place to visit if you love cars! They have a bunch of different era cars including a whole Lamborghini section. I loved to see the small Disney section they had. Pros- lots to look at, clean, the workers where very intelligent about the cars, super nice people, different buildings with different car companies (example- Ford building), small original diner with sandwiches and other finger foods, clean, someone can take you for a ride in multiple different cars. Cons- wish more hoods where open so you could see engines, careful with people who use wheelchairs the outside road has some cracks that wheels can get caught in.

Fabulous place. You'll need a full day to see this place. Either the first or second largest collection in the world. I'm going back just to finish seeing it.

Nice place with beautiful cars. 2 complaints. First, finding seating for those handicapped or whatever is difficult. I ended up having to sit on a raised platform and needed help getting up. The second complaint is that we drive ski the way here from Naperville il only to find that only the main building is open. They have lots of our buildings. If that wasn't disappointing enough... they still charge full price! Was a little disappointed. On the plus side there was a docent here that knew so much. We talked with him numerous times. And they let veterans in for free.

I'd rate this place as excellent. It is located between Battle Creek, Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids. Basically in the m middle of nowhere BUT this place looks like a country club. Very well maintained as the location shows off over 400 cars and motorcycles. From brass era to the muscle cars. If you take the ride, do it during the week to take several classic cars for a ride...no charge. There was a 1963 Cadillac, 1932 Model A, 1935 British Austin Taxi, 1967 Lincoln Continental, 1972 LTD convertible and an old Woody station wagon. I cannot say enough about this museum as this facility, the grounds and the docents were all marvelous.

Incredible collection. I walked into the first gallery which featured a Duesenberg exhibit and I was immediately blown away. The Duesenberg's were incredible cars - luxurious, chrome, flowing running boards, enormous headlights. Each car is in perfect condition and many of the cars are one of a kind. After walking through the first gallery I saw an orange Indy car in the next room. It was A J Foyt's 1974 IndyCar! This was the moment I realized, "Oh, *that* Gilmore ... as-in Gilmore-Foyt Racing". AJ Foyt was my favorite driver as a kid and it was an awesome surprise to see one of his cars. I felt silly not to recognize the Gilmore name sooner. The Gilmore is a campus with multiple distinct collections including the buildings themselves. There's an old Ford Dealer, a Cadillac Dealer, a Shell Station, a diner, and Kalamazoo Tower (a train control tower). There's a large collection of Ford Model A including many surprising variations from roadsters to tow trucks. There's a good motorcycle with many interesting selections.

This museum is everything as advertised. Tons of wonderful vehicles, motorcycles, etc. It is well worth the drive. If you like cars or not it is a wonderful place to spend a few hours.

My family of 5 came on a Sunday to enjoy our last day together for spring break. It would have been $56 dollars to get in so we went ahead and got the family membership and it cost us $65 dollars a year and we are so incredibly happy with it already! What a fun and amazing family spot! We had the best time together! Not only did they have a gorgeous array of vintage cars, from hot rods, muscle cars, model T's to motorcycles to vintage clothing to pieces of actual history! They have such a cool set up it feels just like a little town! We are already talking about our next trip! We can NOT wait for the upcoming events that we get into for free thanks to our membership! Not to mention all of May we get into the Air Zoo, Kalamazoo Nature Center, Binder Park Zoo, Kalamazoo Bird Sanctuary and more! Such an awesome place! I definitely highly recommend if you haven't been! I can't wait to take my great uncle who is a car lover!!

Very impressed at the facility and the price. Disappointed that I have lives I the area for decades and I waited so long to go. Each building is close together, so I feel you could still enjoy your visit even if weather was bad. I particularly enjoyed reflecting on our nation's history through looking at the cars. Employees and volunteers were very nice and helpful.

Absolutely FABULOUS!!! Recent Admin changes have escalated this wonderful Museum to the top echelon of car museums in the Country. Highly recommend you visit and allow an entire day. Lunch is available at the Blue Moon Diner. Wednesday car cruise nights, summer concerts, Ride a Classic, learn to drive a Model T, weekend special events, winter seminars, so much more.

Stopped in at the Gilmore Car Museum on a Georgia day at the end of July. Not too hot, just right. The museum consists of many buildings on what I would guess is a couple hundred acres. The visitors center is a couple of years old and is gorgeous. There are close to a dozen other buildings on the property that house vehicle specific collections. Some include Franklin, Pierce Arrow, Cadillac, and many more. There are even replica Ford dealership and parts counters and well as Chevrolet. The grounds are quite large and on a cold/rainy blustery day could be challenging to get to the buildings. The cool thing is, they have loaner umbrellas, use one from going from one building to another. There is a vintage diner that resembles an old converted rail car diner that serves really good comfort food. Not a lot of choices, but good food. You can do that or bring your own picnic. The displays rotate on a periodic basis, so each time you come there is something new to see. I've been here many times and will be back again

This is one impressive facility. It has a couple hundred old Classic Cars for the Pyblic to enjoy. It costs $13 to get in for an adult, but it was worth it. About half of the building are air conditioned. The other Half can get very got and stuffy, so beware. They have every thing from 1900's to a 2018 concept car. Plus motorcycles, signs, old automotive equipment, paintings, and hood ornaments. My favories were the early 1900's to 1930's my least favorite was the 1970's to 1990's, I mean really 1990's? Overall this was an awesome experience. Easily a 5 star review. Would I go back? In a heart beat.

Had a great time at the Gilmore Car Museum with my old man - loved getting to see classic cars from when he was growing up, but the history of the automobile was also very well told through the exhibits, with so many great examples of all the styles through the years on display. Well worth the visit!

Best car museum we have gone to in the USA and we are in our 60s. Give yourself a full day to try to take in so much. Even the small diner's hot dogs were good. Be prepared to be dazzled.

Santas lights at Gilmore Definitely worth a visit, drive through the lights in a vintage/ nostalgic car with running commentary of the Gilmore. Then venture around the barns full of classic car history and sights. See Xmas decorations for the period. Sit by a roaring fire or in the diner or restaurant choices are your. Then just for fun drive through the lights in your vehicle. Good fun great value great job Gilmore!!

We came for the truck show. They have everything here from military trucks, farm trucks, fire trucks, semi's you name it. It is a must see, lots of history. Loving every minute of it.

I liked it so much that I bought an annual pass! The old diner is fun; ask to see the notebook with photos of how it was moved and renovated. My favorite display is the building that houses hood ornaments.

This place is great. Surprising amount of awesome cars, bikes and motorcycles. The diner is expensive and has pretty lame food. Family pass offenders reciprocal admission at other area parks for the month of May. DO NOT GO INTO THE TOY CAR MUSEUM BUILDING! There is an extreme mold infestation. I have mentioned it to employees. They don't care. There's no way they can be unaware. Mold remediation is probably not possible at this point - they should remove and clean all exhibits and burn this building. Not exaggerating. My wife got a migraine from being in there for 10 minutes last time. 2 years later, my son and I went up to the entrance. You can smell the mold from the threshold. Just like last time, my nose feels violated and I have an allergy headache. That's from ONE whiff, without going in. I feel like I need to lay down... gross. I would give 5 stars if it weren't for the mold.

Impressive gem just outside of Kalamazoo. Don't let the location fool you- while it seems out in the middle of nowhere, there's an impressively large facilities and many different buildings to explore of cars ranging from the 1900s all the way to the muscle car generation. You could spend several days exploring the grounds and still not see everything that that they have to offer. The main showroom has a fresh modern look and the cars are very well kept- you'd be pressed to find any dust on them at all. Do yourself a favor and check out the Gilmore, it won't disappoint!

A wonderful museum! Amazing exhibits and knowledgeable docents. This was one of the best automotive museums we have been to. However, the diner was horrible! The food was barely edible. Would give the diner ZERO stars.

What a wonderful place loved the antique cars and layout. Jay Leno is coming here tomorrow always something happening. Love love this place

Love this museum! The cars are beautiful and the grounds you stroll around on are lovely. Sooo many cars and buildings! It is an all day event! I took my husband for his Father's Day present!

Go here. Based on the family farm - yes it's out in the country - pastures are now huge beautifully maintained lawns where spectators enjoy entertainment at special event venues; these automotive museum grounds are far from the crush of big city crowds - there's no urban sprawl only fields of corn - no traffic jams only the geese crossing the road. curator(s) have significantly improved the exhibits by separating key manufacturers into special collection venues i.e. the Lincoln exhibit is in a building of same make vehicles; Cadillacs are in a separate 'dealership' building across the 'street'; pedal cars are in a separate structure; the stable is home to the 'horseless carriages'; another building on the promenade houses the working vehicles (taxis, pickups, etc); another for motorcycles. I was happy that the crowd control velvet ropes and stanchions have been removed allowing me to walk between the vehicles (but not touch!) to capture fantastic odd angle photos for my enjoyment. I was especially gleeful at seeing an entire two walls of hundreds of radiator caps and hood ornament mascots which are further explained in the book available for sale in the well stocked museum gift shop. Love that! I also geeked out on how the curator(s) have moved the vehicles and wall displays so they compliment instead of overlap and you can get an amazing macro shot of a gleaming hood ornament against a blank or neutral or model-specific background. (The iconic cursive "Cadillac" reflecting off the fender behind the hood ornament see photo) AND feast your gaze on the shine the glitz the silver chrome ebony automotive sculptures in THIS Auburn lineup (heart flutters a bit!) see photo

Covid be damned. A crazy trip be damned. This place is great. Absolutely worth the 2 hour drive. Go on Wednesday. The drive through is awesome. Everything from a 85 Fiero to a Packard. Wear your mask. Be safe. And definitely go here.