RV/MH Hall of Fame & Museums

Heritage museum · Washington ·

RV/MH Hall of Fame & Museums

Heritage museum · Washington ·

Museum of RV history with vintage campers and modern exhibits

Information

21565 Executive Pkwy, Elkhart, IN 46514 Get directions

@atlasobscura

4,908 Postcards · 2,018 Cities

A Cross-Country Car Excursion

"Almost since the invention of the automobile, Americans have been manufacturing recreational vehicles to take home on the road. Once-called “house cars,” some of the most important and interesting campers and motorhomes in the history of the industry are on display at this museum, the “RV capital of the world.” The RV/MH Heritage Foundation established an RV museum in Elkhart County, where more than 80 percent of RVs are manufactured. Walking through the exhibit in Founders Hall, which has representations of RVs from 1913 through the 1980s, is a trip through time. The winding path looks like a blacktop road, complete with lane-dividing white stripes, and fake trees and plants replicating the vehicles’ natural habitat: nature. The 1913 camper, and oldest surviving RV, is the Earl Travel Trailer, which features a table and two benches that, just like they do in modern trailers, convert into a bed. The Spartan Imperial Mansion from 1954 was one of the first all-metal trailers, a result of the Spartan Aircraft Company having had a surplus of metal after the end of World War II. It was huge and luxurious—the Cadillac of trailers. The 1931 Chevrolet house car that Mae West rode to and from Paramount while filming is also on display. There’s a 1967 Winnebago, a 1958 Airstream, and exhibits highlighting innovations like the first RV toilet and microwave oven. On the second floor, the Hall of Fame pays tribute to the more than 400 people who are responsible for such innovations over the years. There is also an archive of thousands of periodicals, manuals, and photographs all having to do with the RV industry. More recent examples of RVs are in the Go RVing exhibition hall, which features five contemporary campers that visitors can enter and explore, as well as a 1/24th scale model of an RV assembly plant. Nearby RV manufacturers offer tours of their own full-sized facilities, in case a trip to the museum doesn’t satisfy your RV curiosity. Appropriately, museum’s parking lot accommodates RV drivers, with 65-foot-long pull-through parking spaces." - ATLAS_OBSCURA

https://www.atlasobscura.com/lists/american-car-tour

Michelle Gerard (Atlas Obscura)

RV Hall of Fame & Museum

Chandra H.

Google

So I'm big on RVs so this was amazing. I went in a Wednesday and Thursday. The guy at the desk was amazing and made my visit even better. He took the time to talk about the list of restaurants in the are and things to do. This spot is also a host for Harvest Host, so get in your RV and take a ride. You can stay on site for at least 1 night and hookup for a fee. I recommend visiting the home of RVs and take a trip down memory lane at the RV museum.

Jeanie N.

Google

Absolutely loved this place. It is well worth the stop and the admission price. I spent about two hours working my way through the exhibits in both museums and checking out the Hall of Fame and research library. As a FT vanlife gal, the RV side made me ridiculously happy - each rig was more fun than the previous all the way through. Great storytelling and history all the way around. This is clearly a labor of love. Those who like history and life on the road will be enchanted.

Debi D.

Google

Had never been here and thought we'd check it out. Very interesting going through the theater history. How trailers are made section. Never thought of what all goes into building them. We then went through the vintage campers and trailers. Some were before our time but some we actually reminded us of our camping days. And then the modern tech area. The covered wagons to space age... "from wags to riches". Wow. Truly a house on wheels. Fun place and we will tell our friends.

Steve A

Google

If you RV, this is a really cool place to visit. It's like a showroom with restored RVs from the last century that you can walk through. Even our grumpy children enjoyed it. Comically large parking lot.

John A.

Google

Fascinating place. Really great to see how early visionaries built and used campers from early 1900’s to today’s luxurious mobile homes. We’ve come a longggggg way pilgrim

Noah N.

Google

Nice museum. RVs date back starting 1920ish thru 1990ish. Fun to compare RV insides to what I remember from the 50s and 60s.

John L.

Google

If you like RVs, you'll love this museum. Bring your camera, there's plenty to see! Some amazing older RVs is unbelievable condition.

Paul S. G.

Google

This is a super cool venue for anyone interested in the RV lifestyle. There's an amazing collection of units on display, from the horse drawn covered wagon to more recent eras. I highly recommend the detour.

Alex R.

Yelp

A trip through history! Great assortment of campers to look through. Very interesting place. Admission was a bit pricey but it was a fun spot to visit.

Steven T.

Yelp

I have spent my life camping in various forms from tents, pop ups, rvs and cabins so I thought that I would check out this museum. First off it's like the house on the rock because once you enter it's a maze and no getting out until the end. This museum is basically the history of camping from the start of recreational camping from the beginning up to modern time with the most basic rigs to the class A motor home. I found it interesting to see how camping/rvs evolved over time from a coffin sized pull along to to a luxury home on wheels. The have various display's including engines and toys. Some displays you can walk in and some are just to look at. The building is massive looking but the museum is on the small side and an easy walk through.

Morris N.

Yelp

We stayed on their property in our RV reserving a spot through Harvest Host. They have 30 amp power and some spots are near water hookups. They also have a dumping station. The cost is $40 or you can visit the museum in lieu of the harvest host fee. Adults are $20 per person. They have senior, kids and large group pricing. There is an RV and manufactured home section on the first level. Second level is a library and photos of hall of fame members. Displayed RVs are mostly retro ones. It'll take 90-120 minutes to do the self guided tour. There is a gift store.

Rick L.

Yelp

Bucket lister for me since I heard there was an RV Hall of Fame. Totally worth the trip since we were in the area. A great cross section of the RV industry over the years dating back to the beginning. The lighting is kind of dark inside to create ambiance but I wish it was lighter. Also got to see the famous "Bluebird Bus" from the YouTubers "Keep Your Daydream". Pretty cool. They also added a new section for Mobile Homes that is awesome! I highly recommend this place!

Bill J.

Yelp

Unbelievably cool place. Found this on Harvest Host for a one night stay. We visited the museum the following morning. Easy to spend 3-4 hours looking at all the exhibits. They are displayed in chronological order from early years to present. Lee in the main lobby was very nice and helpful.

Ruth C.

Yelp

We are full time RVers so of course we had to make a stop here. It's great to see the history of RVing and the changes along the way. We managed to spend a couple hours here. We own a Tiffin Motorhome and it was fun to look at all the Hall of Fame pictures to find Bob Tiffin!

Kaylee B.

Yelp

Such a fun experience. They have a new exhibit for Manufactured housing. They have 2 double wides and a single wide. All awesome models and look like stick built home. This is great for the MH industry. The RV side is awesome too. They have a time line of the first RV all the way up to a brand new RV. They also have an area that shows how RVs are built start to finish. This is a great learning experience for anyone at any age.

Jody A.

Yelp

Stopped by on a Sunday on our way home because we thought, why not, it could be fun? Hours on a sign on the drive in off of the highway said they were open till 3, it's 2:40, won't take long to take a few short pictures and see some stuff. We walk up to the building, entrance sign with an arrow to the right. Follow arrow, see a garbage can, cool, let's throw out our cups. NOPE! Overflowing with garbage and rain water. Go to the door, garbage in hand, locked. Huh? It's 2:46. We still have time. Maybe the arrow pointed the other way. Start to walk around the building. Hear a door open from behind us..: CAN I HELP YOU? Um, we thought you were still open WE CLOSE AT 3 Um, yea, it's 2:47 WE CLOSE THE DOOR 15 MINUTES BEFOREHAND. Ok cool Bye Felicia, have the day you deserve. If you want to go with PLENTY of time before they close, you better do so otherwise you might encounter the RV Regulator whom won't let you in. She must have thought there is way too much content in the RV/MH Hall of Fame which takes longer than 15 min.

Don B.

Yelp

Not worth it! Not very many RVs. I thought there would be more things to see! Older ones were cool to see and look in!

Dawn M.

Yelp

Such a fun place for the family! Entry fees are reasonable. You can finish the main RV section on about 20-30 minutes. I enjoyed how you can enter the RVs and tour the vehicles. Up stairs is the library but nothing too interesting. Great for kids!

Ashley B.

Yelp

Visited 7/27/20 This museum is for the RV lover. The highlight is the hall with all the RVs starting from the early 1900s. While some are roped off, the majority you can walk into and check out. There are plaques next to most of the RVs telling about their backgrounds. I thought that they could improve on their signage for some of them though. Don't miss the RVs, camper van, and manufactured home on the outside. They are currently requiring masks.

Shelley H.

Yelp

Extensive collection of the earliest camping inventions up to today! RVs, mobile homes, manufactured homes

Drew S.

Yelp

Beautiful facility. Very nice museum. We enjoyed both the RVs and the mobile homes. Lots of great old models of RVs to see. Some you can even go inside. Some very unique and unusual ones. It would be nice if there were a few more older mobile home models. We enjoyed our visit. Took us about 2 1/2 hours but we didn't rush. I hope they continue to grow the collection with even more unique and unusual models. We'd definitely return and recommend a visit.

John M.

Yelp

Very interesting displays. I enjoy seeing how the engineering evolved over the past 100+ years. People were without a doubt tougher in the early 1900's. I like that you can walk through many displays. The museum should consider better lighting and perhaps some stools to look in windows of the displays you can't enter. Good experience overall. Nice way to kill an hour.

Jodi P.

Yelp

Great history and fun for all ages. Pet friendly. Attended with friends with young children and they enjoyed it as well.

M H.

Yelp

Enjoyed looking at the RVs. This Place had a lot of potential. I would like to see more information about manufacturing, parts, regulations and the innovation.

PJ C.

Yelp

I had driven by this place a number of times on our annual trip from Western NY to Wisconsin. Finally I had the chance to stop by early on a Thursday morning - it was pretty quiet. I was surprised by the $10 fee and after touring felt that it was double what it should have been. The main section with the historic RVs was pretty interesting with a wide range of campers, etc., even for someone like me that is not into RVs. The rest of the vast space of this museum seemed under-utilized and nothing more than big ads by the sponsoring RV companies. Bottom line is I paid $10 for about 40 minutes of a sorta interesting experience.

Mike R.

Yelp

Huge disappointment after waiting over two years to visit. Couldn't wait to tour the KYD "Bird" after seeing it on so many travel episodes over the past year. Museum seemed to be under construction or remodeling although nothing was said as we paid our entrance fee. Large display room had older RVs lined up against the wall with no sign of the exhibit path/road you see in all the published pictures. Many units not marked as look-through-the-door only couldn't be accessed. About 2/3 of the display units were inside with the remainder parked outside close to the building. Some outside units' informational signs were turned away from the door so the years and manufacturers couldn't be determined. The only section that was anywhere near complete was the manufactured housing display - and I think the purpose of that was to sell housing units. This sums up my experience perfectly: the KYD "Daydream" was parked outside, completely locked. I stretched to see through the windshield, and saw Gary on the dashboard . . . with his back to me. Should have spent the time going to a nearby dealer's used lot.

Dal S.

Yelp

This is the heart of the RV industry in the US. We were towing our 1949 Curtis Wright travel trailer and wanted to stop by the RV archives to do a bit of research But first we went through the real great museum. Some great stuff The archives were a godsend to us. We help with the Curtis Wright Registry and there is a scarcity of information online. But the RV archives have lots of resources and we found we had not scheduled enough time. But coming back will not be painful!

Dan K.

Yelp

Fun and interesting place to visit. Definitely some cool things to see. If you have time, stop by and checknitnout

Ross B.

Yelp

Very worth while experience for any RVer. Not only is there a display of vintage RVs, they have an extensive library of RV books, magazines and newsletters of many different sources.

Rene M.

Yelp

This is an awesome museum. A self guided tour takes you through the history of RV'a by allowing you to enter and look through them as you walk down a designated path. A short video provides background information. A library on the upper level is massive. Being able to literally step back in time by entering these unique vehicles was so much fun. The gift shop is small and unimpressive, but that's not why we were there. The attendant was knowledgeable and engaging. Some RV'a located outside. Admission cost was high but worth it.

Donna W.

Yelp

We visited the MH/RV Hall of Fame and had a great time seeing all of the vintage campers and motorhomes. They are well displayed and most you can actually enter and look around. The woman at the front desk was rude and not a people person. Not sure if she was having a bad day but no reason to be rude. If your ever in the area definitely check out this museum There is parking for large rigs and large fifth wheels.

Sally H.

Yelp

We loved it here!! It was great to see so many small, adorable RVs!! I was thinking that it might make more sense if they were in chronological order somehow. The staff was polite and knowledgeable. It was clean and interesting too! Thank you!

Chuck M.

Yelp

Have you ever walked into a museum with motorized vehicles then sat down in the driver seat? Not too often I think. Outside the museum was a WW II vets trailer he bought when he came out of the service, then he traveled and lived in it ever since. A sign outside the trailer told his story. Just in case I didn't believe it, I noticed the man's checkbook in a drawer inside. The interior wood was worn but gorgeous. Mae West's travel coach has an open rear porch. There were a few one of a kind builds and some were roped off, but many are not. If you like visiting yester-year or the show "Tiny homes" then you should come see this place. The place is chock full of Tiny Homes on wheels and some you could start and drive away, with one or two for sale even.

Rich S.

Yelp

I've lived here 20 years and finally had the chance to visit the Hall of Fame a few years ago with my sister and mom...I was blown away, this place is a national treasure with great examples of RV's if the past and present. You can go inside most of the RV's. It's really worth a visit and way beyond what I expected. They need to spread the word little more and let people know just how great this place is!!

Justine H.

Yelp

We were like kids in a candy shop! As fulltime RVers, we love checking out any sort of RV. There were a few we daydreamed about having for ourselves. It was neat seeing older models to some of the newest. We were there a good 2 hours admiring every single detail. $12 for adults.

Armando O.

Yelp

This is a must see for every RVer. Strongly recommended. A lot of history there, well maintained and friendly staff.

Michael D.

Yelp

Have you ever (as I have) wanted to walk among dinosaurs? Hold out a handful of peanuts for them to eat? Pet their rough flanks? Set out a bowl of water for them to drink? Well, dinosaurs still walk (or, in this case, roll) the earth, and beautifully maintained and restored examples of them can be seen here at the RV Hall of Fame and Museum. Take a few minutes to check-out the brand new RVs on display, but save most of your time for the collection of upwards of 100 lovingly-restored trailers and motor homes, spanning 8 decades, on exhibit in two expansive exhibition halls. Americans have been in love with roadtripping, car camping and RVing since the earliest days of the automobile, it seems, and the evidence is right here. There's a smartly-designed fold-out camper pod designed to be placed atop a 1916 Model-T Ford pick-up truck; several different homemade 1920s-era RVs modified from stock truck models by their ingenious and handy owners; streamlined moderne examples from the 30s; Mae West's personal, chauffeured RV which launched the movie star trailer concept; postwar-living-the-good-life trailers with maple wood paneling and Scandinavian Modern accents; 1970s vans transformed into groovy, rolling love mobiles, and more. There's even a scale model trailer assembly line showing every step of the manufacturing process. As America became richer in the mid and later decades of the 20th century, these vehicles became bigger, more outrageous, more ungainly. With gas prices inevitably climbing, It's hard to imagine a bright future for vehicles that only get 8 MPH. I just wish the industry would return to those practical, space-efficient models of the early '50s (updated with today's materials and technologies, of course). Those are sweet.

Julie B.

Yelp

This place was great. The new RVs you get to walk through are brand new - they had inspection tags from about a month ago - and they have a mini factory tour. But the best part, as noted, is the GIANT hall full of RVs from the last century, from the first handmade Model A buildouts through the retro Airstreams of the height of highway travel to modern campers. The historic campers have been restored and some of them have photographs and recreated camp scenes to show you what it was like to camp throughout the decades. They even have some famous campers, like Mae West's 5-star, custom built RV. It's totally worth the historical and kitsch value. You can walk inside so many of the restored campers. It's definitely worth the stop.

Ryan B.

Yelp

I'll give this 5 stars because it looks so cool but honestly have never been there. Everytime I drive by it on the turnpike I want to stop but haven't yet. Just drove by today to chicago from ohio. One day I'll pop in there...

Mandi W.

Yelp

This was one of the stops on the heritage trail, we decided why not? The staff was very friend and the place was very clean and nice but It really was not worth $8 a person. I would have rather saved my money and spent it else where.

Chris M.

Yelp

Arrived wanting a T@b trailer, left ready to spend 5x more on a fifth wheel and a King Ranch to pull it. The first trailer in the tour had our names written all over it! The tour of the historic vehicles was fun but both my wife and I get a little bit of the heebie-jeebies over old stuff so we didn't elect to go into most of them. Fun little diversion on the way to the beach from Ohio.

Scott S.

Yelp

Nice little museum plenty to say about Rv's if you're in the Eckardt area I would definitely recommend checking it out.

Vercua S.

Yelp

I grew up camping and didn't know about Indiana being the RV Capitol until I got older and then eventually moved to the area. I thought it was pretty cool to see all the vintage trailers. My parents and other family members were in a camping club when I was a child. It was cooing going down memory lane to see the model trailer my parents once owned and so forth. I thought it was a cool way to spend an afternoon. The place was pretty dead though and not sure how often people go in there.

Karen M.

Yelp

We had a great time! Really a good place to stop to see vintage RV/MH! They do a great job with the presentation of the RVs! Very clean and roomy! Will definitely be back!

Sarah W.

Yelp

My daughter and I love this museum (and she is a hard-to-please 11 year old). She loved being able to go into the RVs (and pretending to drive the newer ones).

@atlasobscura

4,908 Postcards · 2,018 Cities

A Cross-Country Car Excursion

https://www.atlasobscura.com/lists/american-car-tour

Michelle Gerard (Atlas Obscura)

RV Hall of Fame & Museum

Chandra H.

Google

Jeanie N.

Google

Debi D.

Google

Steve A

Google

John A.

Google

Fascinating place. Really great to see how early visionaries built and used campers from early 1900’s to today’s luxurious mobile homes. We’ve come a longggggg way pilgrim

Noah N.

Google

Nice museum. RVs date back starting 1920ish thru 1990ish. Fun to compare RV insides to what I remember from the 50s and 60s.

John L.

Google

If you like RVs, you'll love this museum. Bring your camera, there's plenty to see! Some amazing older RVs is unbelievable condition.

Paul S. G.

Google

Alex R.

Yelp

A trip through history! Great assortment of campers to look through. Very interesting place. Admission was a bit pricey but it was a fun spot to visit.

Steven T.

Yelp

Morris N.

Yelp

Rick L.

Yelp

Bill J.

Yelp

Ruth C.

Yelp

Kaylee B.

Yelp

Jody A.

Yelp

Don B.

Yelp

Not worth it! Not very many RVs. I thought there would be more things to see! Older ones were cool to see and look in!

Dawn M.

Yelp

Ashley B.

Yelp

Shelley H.

Yelp

Extensive collection of the earliest camping inventions up to today! RVs, mobile homes, manufactured homes

Drew S.

Yelp

John M.

Yelp

Jodi P.

Yelp

Great history and fun for all ages. Pet friendly. Attended with friends with young children and they enjoyed it as well.

M H.

Yelp

Enjoyed looking at the RVs. This Place had a lot of potential. I would like to see more information about manufacturing, parts, regulations and the innovation.

PJ C.

Yelp

Mike R.

Yelp

Dal S.

Yelp

Dan K.

Yelp

Fun and interesting place to visit. Definitely some cool things to see. If you have time, stop by and checknitnout

Ross B.

Yelp

Very worth while experience for any RVer. Not only is there a display of vintage RVs, they have an extensive library of RV books, magazines and newsletters of many different sources.

Rene M.

Yelp

Donna W.

Yelp

Sally H.

Yelp

Chuck M.

Yelp

Rich S.

Yelp

Justine H.

Yelp

Armando O.

Yelp

This is a must see for every RVer. Strongly recommended. A lot of history there, well maintained and friendly staff.

Michael D.

Yelp

Julie B.

Yelp

Ryan B.

Yelp

Mandi W.

Yelp

Chris M.

Yelp

Scott S.

Yelp

Nice little museum plenty to say about Rv's if you're in the Eckardt area I would definitely recommend checking it out.

Vercua S.

Yelp

Karen M.

Yelp

We had a great time! Really a good place to stop to see vintage RV/MH! They do a great job with the presentation of the RVs! Very clean and roomy! Will definitely be back!

Sarah W.

Yelp

My daughter and I love this museum (and she is a hard-to-please 11 year old). She loved being able to go into the RVs (and pretending to drive the newer ones).

RV/MH Hall of Fame & Museums

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