If you're living in or visiting the Reno area than you know that there are lots of things to do beyond hitting the card tables. Those who are interested in finding out a little about the country's history might like to spend an afternoon at the National Automobile Museum. This could be a great outing if you're in the area for a family reunion or here for a Nevada versus Toronto hockey tournament. Here is a little about the history of the museum and what you will find inside.
The museum opened in 1989 thanks to a private nonprofit fund created by Nevada's governor of the time, Robert List. The famed auto collector and gaming pioneer Bill Harrah's death in 1978 caused his entire car collection to be sold to the Holiday Corporation. Because they were a company used to trading money for gold they simply wanted to sell the collection. But, there was a public outcry and with the help of List's nonprofit, they ended up donating the 175 cars, other artifacts, and a research library to the cause of building a national museum. Now there are more than two hundred cars on display.
The National Automobile Museum's collection really does span the entire history of the American vehicle. There are examples of historic and classic cars, motorcycles, race cars, one-of-a-kind designs, and even some celebrity vehicles. While you're on vacation away from your catering Toronto business you could see James Dean's 1949 Mercury Series 9-CM 6 Passenger Coupe, Frank Sinatra's 1961 Ghia L64 Hardtop, or Elvis Presley's Cadillac Eldorado Custom Couple, among many others.
The museum is not just home to an amazing collection of cars. There is also an exhibit devoted to car related products, including old gas pumps, advertising signage, and car badges. There is also an art collection of the works of Robert Cinkel and an exhibit of vintage clothing from the 1800s and 1900s donated from the Harrahs. So, maybe you don't have to go as far as a Puerto Vallarta condo rental to find a fun vacation location for everyone in the family.
This museum has won several awards over the years and has been named by AutoWeek Magazine as one of the sixteen Best Car Museums in the world. They have also been named as the best museum in Northern Nevada for several years running in Nevada Magazine's Reader's Poll.
If you're looking for a few hours away from making shrink labels or are researching for a family trip to Reno, you should definitely consider stopping in at the National Automobile Museum. They even offer education programs for schools, adults, and families. The museum is located on the corner of Lake and Mill streets and is open from 9:30am-5:30pm Monday to Saturday and from 10am-4pm on Sunday.
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