National Automobile Museum

Wow! We were excited about seeing this place, but had no idea how encompassing and incredible the collections and it were. So many things to see. So many incredible stories. Cannot recommend the docent tour that starts at 1:30 PM daily enough! Our tour guide was excellent. Very informative and brought things to life in a chronological history. It was a great experience. You’ll need lots of time to explore all of the galleries. Well worth it!!!

Wow! We just had the best tour ever! Mr. John Plough explained, in beautiful detail, about many of the amazing cars in the museum and the history surrounding them. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit and look forward to bringing more visitors back with us again.

I decided to escape the heat during hot August nights… And enjoy some cars inside. It was far better than I ever imagined, there were brands of cars. I’ve never heard about there were explanations of specific cars and the history of these obscure companies that I’ve never knew existed. Impressive collection with great history.

The National Automobile Museum in Reno is an absolute must-see for anyone visiting the area. Located downtown along the Truckee River, this world-class museum celebrates the golden age of the automobile with one of the most impressive and beautifully displayed car collections in the country. The museum was born from the legendary collection of Bill Harrah, the gaming pioneer who spent decades amassing more than 1,400 classic cars. After his passing, the community came together to save a portion of his incredible collection, which now forms the heart of this museum. The result is a stunning tribute to automotive history, innovation, and artistry — all under one roof. The layout is fantastic, guiding visitors through themed galleries that feel like walking through time. You can stroll past early horseless carriages from the 1890s, gleaming luxury models from the Roaring Twenties, powerful muscle cars, and even one-of-a-kind celebrity vehicles. Some of the most famous pieces include the 1907 Thomas Flyer that won the New York to Paris Race in 1908, Elvis Presley’s 1973 Cadillac Eldorado, Frank Sinatra’s sleek 1961 Ghia, and the quirky “Jerrari” — a Jeep Wagoneer powered by a Ferrari V12 engine. Each car has its own story, and the exhibits bring those stories to life with detailed displays and historical settings. What really makes the National Automobile Museum stand out is the people. The staff and volunteers are friendly, passionate, and extremely knowledgeable. They clearly love what they do and are always happy to share fascinating facts or answer questions. Their enthusiasm makes the experience feel personal and engaging, whether you’re a lifelong car enthusiast or just someone who appreciates craftsmanship and history. The entire space is clean, well-organized, and thoughtfully designed — perfect for families, travelers, and locals alike. Every corner of the museum offers something interesting, from classic designs to rare engineering marvels. It’s easy to spend a few hours exploring and still feel like you’ve only scratched the surface. In short, the National Automobile Museum is one of Reno’s true treasures — a place filled with history, heart, and horsepower. A definite must-visit when you’re in town.

I absolutely love this museum! I got married here in 2017. I now have a membership and I bring my daycare kids once a month! The new child's play area is perfect for high energy kiddos!

Beneath Reno’s sky so wide and clear, The National Automobile Museum draws near. A dazzling world of steel and chrome, Where every car feels like home. From vintage rides of days gone past, To sleek machines built to last, Each gleaming hood, each polished wheel, Whispers stories time can’t steal. Elvis’s ride, a shining star, And racecars built to speed afar, Classic curves and engines roar, Legends live forevermore. Kids laugh and play, exploring all, In this grand museum’s hallowed hall, Where history and passion meet, And every visit feels complete. So come and see this treasured place, A shining gem in Reno’s space, Where wheels turn dreams into art, And car lovers find their heart.

My whole family really enjoyed the museum. Lots of great cars. Nice info posters that tells the history and interesting facts. We will come again.

If you are looking for an interesting experience that isn't gambling in Reno, this is your spot. Go check it out. You will not regret it.

WOW, this is an awesome auto museum. We were in town with three other couples, the men are all car enthusiasts, so after searching for things to do with the few free hours that we had & based on the reviews we decided to check it out. I believe the price was $14-15/ea, we were all seniors, but it was worth it for the length of time it took us to go thru it & for the amazing collections of vehicles that they had on display! One of the reviews that I had read was from a woman stating that she really didn't have any desire to tour this but after doing so with her husband she had to admit that she really enjoyed it, that's how the four women in our group felt too, there's something for everyone here! If you have small children & maybe mom doesn't particularly want to walk the entire museum out of boredom or for fear of the kids running around or touching the vehicles, towards the end of the tour, which you can walk directly to, is a really cool kids section where they can run off their energy while dad can quietly enjoy the museum. The layout is quite expansive & most cars had plaques sharing the information & history of the vehicles, very interesting. We are from the Laughlin NV area & there is a cool car museum in the Riverside Casino on a much smaller scale but a cool collection nonetheless. So we were well aware of what to expect but this museum blew us away, we would definitely return if we're ever in Reno again!

Pro's: Wow...did not have any idea how cool it would be inside this museum. TONS of cars but there for an event, so will review this as an event venue. Very fair bar prices. Con's: Seems the sound system could be upgraded...hard to hear the MCs on the mic. Go back?: Absolutely...for the cars, next time! More... I attended a show here with the Reno Blues Society featuring an opening by the Jason King Band and then Tommy Castro and The Painkillers. Talk about up-close-and-personal...easy to dance right in front of the musicians and really get into it!

While in Reno for a couple of days and wanting to explore, I discovered The National Automobile Museum was located there. Since I drive a car, I immediately had something in common with it so I made a visit earlier this week. It's located near downtown and has its own free parking lot. I believe an adult admission was $16. Outside, it kind of looks like a modern Porsche dealership with its silver color and rounded exterior facade. Inside it's quite an impressive car collection. The museum consists of 4 galleries housing automobiles from the past. From the late 1800's to about the 1960's. I thought all of the galleries were interesting but my favorites were the first two showing the first cars of the 1890's thru the 1920's The specimens that they had on display were immaculate. The storyboards in front of each vehicle gave thorough explanations of each auto. I wish most of them were written in larger letters for easy reading. I especially enjoyed looking at all of the hood emblems that were on cars back then from Rolls Royce to Chevrolet, In Gallery 4 there were movie cars. One was a white Cadillac used by Elvis and another was a first generation Corvette given to John Wayne that he gave to friend and co star Ward Bond. Of course they have a small gift shop if you are interested. This is an excellent automobile collection and museum that you should visit. Budget about 2 hours.

Perhaps one of the top five car museums in the world. Focusing mainly on American market cars, the National has an enormous number of early 1900's vehicles, all in good shape and well displayed. Really shows how much the manufacturers back then emphasized style and flair. The badges alone are worth the price of admission.

Very neat museum! I spent about an hour here, but it can definitely take closer to 2 hours if you take the time to read all the descriptions. Theres around 4-5 exhibit rooms, covers auto history from the very beginning to motorsports to a select few Hollywood cars.

I am so glad I became a member this year! I have attended some super fun events. One of them was buying Adam Carolla tickets and I spent $20 more for the meet and greet which 10x worth it! It was a lovely evening! They had a no host bar with a nice wine pour and three types of appetizers that were incredibly delicious. There was a very tiny cone filled with goodness. Like a chicken maple waffle. I can still taste it! Adam was a very nice man like you had known him for ever! I loved that he bought the Paul Newman car collection and loaned it to the National Automobile museum for a temporary display for all of Reno/Sparks and tourists to enjoy! One of my favorite exhibits. If your VIP you get to enter first so we had upfront seats and the opening comedian was hysterical. It was a nice opening for Adam! He was great just as I expected. I laughed and laughed. The entire evening was special, a night to remember! I can't wait for the next event.

Free museum day was a huge hit. There were literally 100's of people here for the entire time we toured the museum. Clean, well organized and there are signs to inform us what we were seeing. There are new things to see since our last visit last winter.

Was here at the beginning of the month for work/travel event. There were a surprising number of rooms and areas for conference, presentations, staging, etc. Totally pleasantly surprised! I think I swung by at least 4-5 times in a single week! Loved it. There's areas that model after 50s/60s diner vibes, interactive center, auto body shop, and of course LOTS AND LOTS of cars! Staff was super knowledgeable and I appreciated seeing each person was willing to jump in and help when needed. Thanks for an amazing experience!

This is a pretty cool thing to see in Reno if you are ever in town. Tickets are $16 a person with discounts for seniors and first responders. They have four galleries generally organized in chronological order starting with the oldest cars and ending with cars featured in famous movies and race cars. We opted not to do the docent tour which is included in the ticket but each car had a description of some history and fun facts. We saw replicas of the Ghost Rider bikes, Barbie car, etc.

I'm actually not a car enthusiast, but I had heard a lot good reviews about this museum, so I decided to drop by. Parking was not easy for me especially since the cars in the lot are huge, so I had to be extra careful. I lucked out and was able to get a good spot. Admission was $15 per person. The volunteer who took care of that was very nice and informative on what to expect in the museum. The museum is massive and has plenty of space to walk around. It was fun to see the cars from different eras. I enjoyed seeing the older forms of vehicles. Older cars are very flashy and attention seeking. Overall, I highly recommend this museum even if you don't care about cars. It's fun to see the different forms of vehicles and how they have evolved over the years.

First off we were greeted by a lovely friendly gentleman who was kind enough to give us a quick run down of the place. Hubby LOVES cars, so why not have a quick stop at this classical car & Harley Davidson museum. RR,Ford,Chevy,Mercedes,Buicks, just to name a few popular well-known brands. There were cars and motorcycles used in movie props Jurassic Park,MIB,Barbie,Ghost Rider to name a few. Also a fun selfie center with clothing and car prop that was fun! Oh and a fun hands on play area for the kids, hubby and I also played like the grown kids we are and had a ball. There is also a theater located inside that show different historical events every hour. Highly recommend for car lovers or not it's a nice,fun, educational spot something will definitely catch your eye.

I really like the venue and assortment of vehicles. They have hosted two Yelp events and they were great. Staff is knowledgeable and friendly. Recommended and necessary Reno place to visit.

Amazing!!! Beautiful cars with lots history !! This particular day they were doing a special car show with multiple dates throughout the summer!!! From the first automobile to the fast & the furious there is surely a car you will admire. Staff was amazing!!!

Hey folks been going to Reno for many years however I am embarrassed to say I finally got a chance to visit the National Automobile Museum. And I have to say I was like a kid in a candy shop . The volunteers that worked at this place a huge shoutout you're absolutely fantastic. The vehicles are amazing I just don't have another word to use. The history behind each vehicle on display is both educational and detailed. So many vehicles on display I did take a picture of them all so jump in your vehicle and enjoy the great ride and visit this place. Have fun.

The event was wonderful. I was able to meet and experience people and food from a different culture. I rarely go out but this event was a wonderful event to attend.

Yesterday at the Free Museum Day took some pictures of the visiting Plymouth "Air Radial" which has been flying around the show circuit, picking up awards and even offers of a reality show based around the Corns family business in Colorado. Signed up for an annual family pass.

I have been living in Reno for over 30 years, and I have just discovered the National Auto Museum. I never went because I'm not a huge fan of cars, but there's so much more to do! I love movies and they have a huge room of cars from movies along with other memorabilia to browse and awe at. Including back to the future, Ghostbusters, Barbie, and much more. And they have a large movie theater room where they host events or you can rent. I'm excited for their Superhero Day coming up on 2/15/25 as they are showing The Incredibles. Their outdoor space is expansive and so pretty. And they have a Disney/Pixar Cars themed birthday party room with life-sized Mater and Lightning McQueen vehicles. My kids love coming here, currently 5 & 2.5. There is a large kids area with a ton of interactive games, Lego car building, life-size car building, and more. The kids area is so clean and safe. The restrooms are close by and there is also a very cute 50s style dining area to take a break to eat lunch or a snack right outside the kids area. And also, kids five and under are free! The museum is always putting on really fun events for members and non-members alike. And their memberships are the least expensive in town, which makes it even more enticing to come knowing that the museum just wants people to explore and learn and have a nice time together. And you can definitely see that by their staff. Every single museum staff member or volunteer has been exceptionally nice and even recognizes us when we come in even though we just became members a few weeks ago.

Came here for a school field trip and it was awesome! Always seen it driving through downtown but never been. It was an easy drive off the freeway and lots of ample parking. Our class had a tour guide who told us lots of interesting historical facts and stories tied to the cars. Each area was nicely organized by times or themes. We ended our tour in the new kids area which gave the kids ways to explore and play all things cars like legos car racing which was a huge hit. So many different cars to see with so much information to learn about for both kids and adults!

Well maintained, staff is friendly, clean and well organized. A must see for any car enthusiasts, engineer or mechanic! Super chill event to do on a Sunday. Also noticed several event areas including one for a kids party!

It was a great experience better than I thought a lot of classic cars. My boyfriend loves it.

Family fun, so much to see. Worth the visit. If you're looking for a family friendly place with a large collection of awesome cars this is it! I first went to the National automobile museum a few weeks ago for a yelp event and purchased a family pass. So worth it! Elite tip: if you're a local or think you're going to be back more than once the family pass is an amazing deal! Each exhibit hall has a great collection of varying vehicles. From pop culture cars to classics, there's something for everyone. The exhibits are clean and there are many opportunities for photos. I haven't been here for other holidays but I'm assuming they will decorate accordingly. There's even an immersive hands on kids area. The staff here are outstanding! Super friendly and knowledgeable. No question I will be back for multiple visits in the future!

What an absolute treasure of a museum! The history of the automobile is shown in all its glory from the 1890s through the present. Each car is unique and looks as if it just rolled off the factory floor. They even have a display with cars from the movies! This is a great place if you're a resident, visitor or if you have visitors and want to take them somewhere besides a casino

Visited for a Yelp Elite event, but this portion of the review is just for the museum. My 3.5 year old loved it here! We had a blast looking at all the cool cars and playing in their kids area. My kiddo loved the racetrack and spent forever building different Lego cars to send down the track over and over. He also liked the design your own car computer game which then drives on to a big TV screen for all to see! There was a cool area for older kids too where you can build with plastic bolts, nuts, wooden boards, and make whatever your brain can imagine. We loved looking at the old cars, checking out the movie memorabilia, and browsing the gift shop. There is lots of movie memorabilia that kids recognize like Jurassic Park and Onward. The gift shop had tons kids options as well. There is a movie theatre that you can stop in and watch whatever they have playing if you want a few minutes to sit and relax. The best part... kid under 5 are free!

We visited this museum and highly recommend stopping by if you're in the area. If you're interested in history and cool cars, you'll find plenty to enjoy here.

Last Saturday, I had the opportunity to attend a Yelp event here at the incredible National Automobile Museum. We were greeted outside the building by our Yelp friends and greeted again at the museum's entrance by museum employees. We received a gift bag and proceeded to walk throughout the automobile collection. From the beginning of automobile industry to the classic cars collection owned by the rich and famous which included vehicles previously owned by President John F. Kennedy, Elvis, Sammy Hagar, and many other celebrities. I took a break from walking for a delicious (on the house) breakfast provided by the two super nice guys representing Chihuahua's restaurant. The breakfast included a bowl of delicious Mexican Pozole, a pork taco, an enchilada, and beans. Soon after breakfast, I received a nice Yelp cup filled with delicious Hot Chocolate. If you are living here in Reno and you have never visited the National Automobile Museum, you are missing out. If you are visiting Reno, this place should be included in your Things to Do list. Thank you Yelp and Michael T. for putting this great event together for us.

Take a step back in time to revisit all the progress made in the automobile industry! This place is bigger than I thought and we'll maintained. The collection and condition of cars is incredible. Sad to say that I'm a local and had never been here before. I also had zero idea of what was on site. I had recently finished Paul Newman's memoir and was surprised to find out this is the home for Adam Corolla's collection of Paul Newman's race cars as well. They even had an interactive section for the kiddos to play as well. This place holds an amazing collection of cars and I would highly recommend seeing it for yourself.

Excellent collection of cars. Wish there were more Asian/European retro cars but the historical American ones were awesome. Neat area as well. First time being in Reno and it was cool to see this.

Today we brought the whole family to partake in a Yelp event. It was my first one ever! We have been to the Museum before several years ago and there have been many noticeable changes. The educational learning center was so cool, my kids thoroughly enjoyed the interactive games, Lego racers and building center. You can't do a review without mentioning the cars, this time we got to see a 24k Gold plated Deloreon, a replica of the van from Onward, the motorcycles from a Ghost Rider and so much more. The staff was super helpful as we forgot our stroller for our toddler and they had one on hand for us to use. We greatly appreciate all the helpful folks there. The Yelp event itself was really fun, it was nice to meet the community manager Michael and many other Yelpers. I look forward to hopefully being invited to more events soon.

My family took me here because they know I love old and classic cars. This museum did not disappoint. They had cars from the very beginning to the present and it was organized perfectly. Aside from the cars, they had the sweetest dogs and cats that people were able to pet, feed, and adopt. The cars were beautiful and they had chances for folks to adopt cars within the museum. Best auto museum I've been to thus far. Also, they are celebrating Veterans on Mondays and have a veterans discount at all times.

Super fun and informative! Plan to be a plaque-ologist! Highly recommend for car enthusiasts and folks who like history! There's a cute little kiddo area as well!!

A great place to spend a couple of hours here at the museum... hundreds of cars to look at and great for kids... Cars from the 1900s to present day, cars used in movie sets and racing Car enthusiasts will love it here!

My family and I tend to come to Reno for vacation but we wanted to look up something different to do. My dad is really big on cars so when I saw this museum I knew this would be a great choice. It definitely was! The museum was so clean and organized. There's so much information on all the cars that are there. I enjoyed also being able to see some of the engines and how they looked when they ran. The rooms were organized in a unique way and it felt like traveling in time. If you have someone with you that loves cars or if you love cars yourself I highly recommend this place!

We visit Reno often. First time at the Auto Museum. The detail here is amazing. The Museum itself is set up like a small town. So nostalgic. Lots of history of not only cars but the eras themselves. Cars way back to the 1800s. My favorite area was cars from movies. The plagues about each car has so much information. We were there for over 3 hours. The gentleman who checked us in said to hold onto your receipt and you can come back anytime the same day. If they had lunch for sale we would have stayed longer. Maybe they do in the summer. Free parking. If you stay at downtown hotels you can walk. Vroom Vroom.

The Nat'l Automotive Museum is a step back in history. A portion or 250 cars of Bill Harrah's collection was eventually acquired by a foundation to start this auto museum. Paul Newman's collection of racing cars were donated to this museum too. You can see the movie, "Ghostrider's" motorcycles here too. I have that DVD. Frank Sinatra and Pres. Kennedy's cars are displayed too. There are historical auto documentary movies shown in the theater too. I highly recommend you visit this great museum in Reno. There is free parking and a bus stop across the street.

Amazing for any automobile lover! I love how they setup the exhibits like old American streets and neighborhoods. The cars are amazing (that golden DeLorean!) and the aesthetics and nostalgia is on point. Definitely worth it, a must stop in Reno.

This is a fantastic way to spend a few hours in Reno. While, frankly, the museum pales in comparison to the original Harrah's car museum, that's been gone since the 80's and ain't never coming back. But many of the cars in this collection are from that original Harrah's collection and each is maintained to a pristine standard. The layout is awesome, starting in the late 1800's and winding through four (or five, depending on how you count them) galleries, ending in the modern era. This layout illustrates the evolution of automobile standards, from the time when steam, gasoline, and electric competed to the modern day. Admission fees are reasonable and every staff member I met treated me like an old friend. Pro Tip: Most days there's a docent-led tour at 1:30. It lasts around 90 minutes and it's totally worth the time, as you'll get a ton of inside information and trivia that you won't get any other way. Highly recommended!

Wonderful small representation of autos throughout the ages including a sample of the Harrah's collection

Hey hey it's a Birthday. We just had my grandsons birthday here and I was totally impressed! They set up a private area with lots of room. They decorate and supply tables, chairs and table covers! You arrange your own food. They give you VIP access to the kids fun zone for 30-45 minutes and unlimited use for your guest to the museum! The price is more than amazing and way better than some other options in town! The service was outstanding AND they clean up! Bonus! Book your next children's Birthday here!

My favorite museum in Reno. There are so many cars to see. I LOVED that the cars are placed in chronological order so I can see the evolution. I took my Dad who loves cars and my 20 month old toddler who's lately started showing an interest in cars. Both LOVED it. I'm very excited for the kids area to open later this month. Kids under 5 are free. There is a discount for seniors and veterans.

I am not much of a car guy but was still absolutely blown away by all the different cars in this museum. Cars from all types of brands and different eras each telling its own story. All the staff at the museum is very welcoming and knowledgeable on the museum and cars inside of it. I learned a lot of cool things that I was not expecting. They also had a large area that looked like it could hold big events which would be an awesome location for such things. Highly recommend if you are visiting Reno or just want something fun to do.

I was here for the Holiday Blood Drive on 12/19/2024. All of the staff was wonderful. I was pleasantly surprised with a $10 gift card to the NAM Gift Shop and some Christmas Socks. How special is that!

We went there for the first time for the Yelp event! It was such a cool place. So many cars and so much history. We also saw a kids birthday party happening in a side room, that's a cool option. There's also a big kids section for them to run around in. Definitely recommend as a family outing.

Been spending A Lot of time here the last few months and I must say I really truly love this place. It's a GD national treasure. Phil has my dream job!! But seriously Phil and team you're incredible, everyone is so happy and helpful and you can see they truly love the museum, the mission and everything else.

This place was emotional for me and it was my first time! It's a beautiful display of the most important invention in human history. They have every car you'd want to see and more. It felt like Disney land with the themes of each room! Highly recommend

Me and my daughter came here for the Yelp Elite event and from the moment we parked we were greeted with such enjoyment!! My daughter got to ride in the Ghostbusters Vehicle and try on the backpack which she loved. When we walked in the doors the staff was so friendly and pointed us in the directions of all the things happening. The cars they have there are all beautiful!! They have cars from times I didn't even know cars existed! They take great care of them all and the amount they have can have you there for hours! They have a spot for kids birthday parties and the kids can actually interact with stuff and even put tires on a little play car, build race cars, work in a play shop, and race with your body! We will be back again for my husband to experience this. Thank you Yelp for giving us this experience!

This place! What a sweet gem in Reno! The vehicles in themselves are worth the visit, but the charm of the building and the amazing history posted for each automobile make me want to return again and bring others. If you have not been to this unbelievable treasure...plan your trip soon!

Very fun and family friendly. We had loads of fun. Especially like the photo booths. Lots of opportunities to take great pics. My grandson enjoyed everything from start to finish. The rides in the Jurrasic and Ghostbusters vehicles was the all time favorite. From the food to the hot cocoa station , our day could not have been better.

Gayle and I were here the other evening to attend The Nevada Independent for IndyTalks: A conversation with Governor Joe Lombardo. Gayle and I enjoyed the format, learned more about our Governor, and confirmed the politician's skill for talking a lot, but not really saying anything. The event was on a stage set up in Gallery 4, while the audience of around 300 sat around various tables in groups of 8. We were comfortable, had decent sight lines to the stage and projections screens, and sat in the back so we could leave early (which we did). Outside parking was free, but limited. However, street parking was close and an easy walk in (and past a small group of housing advocate protesters). I left wondering of Michael T. had ever tried to stage a Yelp Elite event here, as there's plenty of room within the multitude of very cool cards. The big bonus from this event was having almost total access to the Museum. We didn't even know this place existed before, and what a pleasant surprise it was. Gayle and I probably had about 45 minutes between checking in and sitting down, and we used every minute of it to admire this multi-slice version of automotive history. My 95 year-old Dad is a car buff, and he would just love this place. Individual memberships start at $40, although the Museum was hawking special $1000 levels at the event, thinking that there were more than a few "Whales" in the audience. Gayle and I will be back, most likely with out-of-town friends in tow. There's lots of shiny object here and about an hour here should do it for a decent walk-through with stops. However, if you're a true believer, it will take much longer, with docents who are as excited and knowledgeable as you might be.

One of my favorite spots in Reno. The owner is really nice and always friendly. There are free tours with the purchase of your ticket. Hours vary, so check their site for details. I believe they are volunteers that give the tours, but our guide was full of information. They have a kids zone area as well that look engaging. They also do numerous events (We have attended a comedy show, horror movie featuring local talent among others.) This is just a cool spot to check out, even if you're not a car enthusiasts.