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National Automobile Museum in Reno, NevadaAn Unsung Gem of a Museum Awaits in the Biggest Little CityPlan a visit to the National Automobile Museum on your next visit to Northern Nevada, you won't regret it!
One of the unsung jewels among the many museums and galleries strung throughout Reno is the National Automobile Museum. A short walk from the downtown casinos, this museum on the Truckee River is a car lover's dream, and a treat for the entire family to visit. Whether you spend an hour or all day, the museum will call you back for more visits, it's just that kind of a place. The Museum's HistoryThis museum, in it's present location, opened in 1989, funded by several public and private donations and grants. The building was designed to hold the over 200 cars in the collection, but the actual history of the cars goes back much further, to one of the state's gaming pioneers, Bill Harrah, founder of Harrah's Casinos. Harrah collected an enormous amount of autos during his lifetime, and housed them in a series of warehouses on Glendale Avenue in Sparks. Once a year, Harrah would open the collection to the community for free, and the scope and sheer mass of the collection was staggering. Housed in so many buildings, it was almost impossible to see it one day. Harrah died in 1978, and the Holiday Corporation purchased Harrah's, and the Harrah's Auto Collection, in 1980. They continued to house it in the Sparks warehouses for several years, but then began to dismantle the collection, selling much of it at auction. The public, fondly remembering the collection and its importance to automotive history, cried out. The National Automobile Museum could not house all the autos in the collection, and many had already been sold, but they did manage to raise the funds to build the museum and save 200 autos (175 were donated by the Holiday Corporation) from the Harrah's Collection, which are on display today. Visiting the MuseumWhen you visit the museum, you'll stroll through several different "sets" that represent different eras in the car's development, beginning with the 1890s, up to the present. You'll see everything from the famous Thomas Flyer that won the New York to Paris race in 1907, to James Dean's famous 1949 Mercury, and Elvis Presley's 1973 Cadillac Eldorado. It's not all about the cars, however. The museum is also home to an wide-ranging costume collection that represents the same eras as the cars in its collection, and an extensive research library with researchers who are available to answer questions from the public. (The library is not open to the public, however.) You'll also find a restaurants, meeting facilities, and gift shop inside the museum. Special EventsThe museum hosts many special events throughout the year, and members in the museum can attend free exhibit openings and other events. To find out more about becoming a member of the museum, call 775-333-9300. Location and Ticket PricesNational Automobile Museum 10 South Lake Street, Reno 775-333-9300 Tickets: Members and Aged 5 and Under Free Adults $10 Seniors (62+) $8 Juniors (6 to 18) $4
The copyright of the article National Automobile Museum in Reno, Nevada in Nevada Travel is owned by Sherril Steele-Carlin. Permission to republish National Automobile Museum in Reno, Nevada in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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