Lemay Car Museum has the biggest private car collection in North America.
The Lemay Car Museum is 30-minutes south of Seattle in Tacoma, inside a massive 165,000 square foot silver shell, next to the Tacoma Dome.
Set aside 3 hours to explore the whole stunning car collection.
Car enthusiasts will delight in the rare collector pieces, ranging from the early 1900's to the present day. Highlights include the first electric vehicles in America, classic 1950's cars with twin tailfins, 1970's muscle cars, and a spectacular gallery of Ferraris.
Visitors can explore four-floors of cars in a spacious interior, with side ramps down each floor to descend deeper into the building. There are 350 cars on display and the exhibits change every 3 to 6 months. Approximately 40 of the cars are from Harold Lemay's private collection, and the remainder are from other private owners and collectors.
The Lemay Car Museum also includes a gift shop and café on the main floor, with a bird's eye view of the collection. For extra fun, there's also racing car simulators, a slot car track, and theater on the lower floor, and a Family Zone for kids with hands-on activities.
The Lemay Car Museum is at 2702 East D. St. Tacoma, WA 98421. Check tickets & hours.
10 best things to do at Lemay Car Museum
1. Check out 1950s cars with twin tailfins.
2. See classic American and British cars from the 1960s.
3. Admire luxury cars from the 1920s to the 1950s, like Mercedes, Rolls Royce and Jaguar.
4. See a gallery of cool Ferraris in America.
5. See the bestselling Baker Electric, made from 1899 to 1916 in Cleveland Ohio by the Baker Motor Vehicle Company. In the early 1900's electric cars outsold gasoline powered cars!
6. Check out some slick sports cars at the Lemay Car Museum.
7. See early 1900s cars only affordable for the wealthy.
8. View modern sportcars like the super slick 2005 Ford GT.
9. Drive on a professional grade racing simulator at the Lemay Car Museum.
Drive on a professional grade racing simulator. The one you see pictured below, is the Laguna Seca Raceway near Monterey, California.
10. Take a ride around the slot car track.
Know before you go
- Directions to Lemay Car Museum: The Lemay Car Museum is directly off i5, near the Tacoma Dome, at 2702 East D. St. Tacoma, WA 98421. There's a pay-to-park area adjacent to the museum.
- Hours and tickets: Check here.
Other fun things to do in Tacoma near the Lemay Car Museum
The other top attractions in Tacoma include the Tacoma Glass Museum, Tacoma Art Museum and Washington State History Museum. The Point Defiance Park is also a gem, with a Zoo, Aquarium, Rose Garden, Japanese Garden, hiking trails, and spectacular Owen's Beach.
Restaurants and hotels
Stay at luxurious Hotel Murano in Tacoma's downtown, or the new McMenamins Elks Temple Hotel with five restaurants. Choose from a wide selection of restaurants along Pacific Avenue in Tacoma, including the Matador, Pacific Grill, Indochine, Melting Pot, and Harmon Brewery & Eatery.
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