The National Automobile Museum in Reno is ranked as one of the top five automobile museums in the world and contains many of the 1,400 vehicles from the Bill Harrah collection. The museum also features the 1907 Thomas Flyer from the 1908 New York to Paris race and the Martin T car from the hot and steamy love scene in "Titanic."
Best and worst time to go to the National Automobile Museum
The museum is open from Monday to Saturday and the best times to visit are during the weekdays. The weekends attract more people, but the museum never gets crowded.
Must see/do at National Automobile Museum
Some of the most famous automobiles in the museum are Elvis's white 1973 Eldorado, the Mercury Series 9CM Coupe driven by James Dean in "Rebel Without a Cause", a 1921 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost, several experimental steam powered cars and the original Batmobile. The jewel of the museum is the silver 1936 Mercedes-Benz. This is the only one available for viewing in the U.S.
Admission to National Automobile Museum
The museum is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and $4 for children 6 to 18 years. Children under the age of 5 are free. The Route 1 RTC public bus stops right at the museum.
Parking and public transportation to the National Automobile Museum
There is a parking lot with plenty of free parking behind the museum. The Route 1 RTC public bus stops right in front of the museum.
Food at the National Automobile Museum
There is no restaurant at the National Automobile Museum, but the museum is located downtown and about two blocks from the casinos and restaurants along the river. Visit Campo or Reef Sushi & Sake on the Truckee River for both lunch and dinner.
Insider tip for visitors to the National Automobile Museum
Vehicles are placed into their appropriate eras which makes you feel like you're walking through an old movie, from gangster films to a street from the 1950s. You can even dress up as Bonnie and Clyde and "drive" a getaway car.
Christina Nellemann is a writer and designer from Reno who has seriously fallen in love with that silver 1936 Mercedes-Benz.