Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum
4.9(2.2K)google
4.8(59)yelp
MotorsportHistoryTransit HeritageEducationalIndoorMust-See
Overview
The Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum is an automobile museum located in Auburn, Indiana, United States. Opened in 1974, it is dedicated to preserving cars built by Auburn Automobile, Cord Automobile, and Duesenberg Motors Company.
Practical Info
Every day9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Suggested Duration2-4 hours
Best TimeThis indoor museum is perfect year-round, but arriving right at opening time allows you to admire the gleaming classic cars inside the Art Deco showroom building without any crowds.
Getting ThereTake Exit 129 off I-69 and drive east on IN-8 (15th Street) for about 5 minutes to the corner of South Wayne Street to find this designated national historic landmark.
Travel Tips
- Vehicles are displayed without glass barriers; crossing ground boundary markers or touching automobile paint, chrome trims, or upholstery is strictly prohibited.
- Labor Day weekend hosts the Auburn Auction, causing massive road closures; museum tickets must be booked months in advance as walk-up entry is suspended.
- Vehicles are displayed without physical barriers; high-density infrared alarms are active. Crossing floor lines or touching finishes triggers immediate security intervention.
- This non-profit museum offers specific admission discounts for active military and AAA members; present valid credentials at the counter before paying.
Photo Tips
Best LightOptimal photography lighting occurs between 10 AM and 12 PM when natural skylights illuminate showrooms, minimizing harsh glare on reflective vintage paint.
Photo Rules
- Housed in the original historic corporate headquarters, open food and drinks are explicitly banned; professional tripods and flashes require prior media clearance.
Reviews
Positive
- This is absolute heaven for classic car lovers! The Auburn, Cord, and Duesenberg cars on display are polished to a shine, each being a stunning piece of art.
- The museum is housed in the original Art Deco showroom building, creating an incredible sense of historical immersion; it truly lives up to its reputation and is highly impressive.
- The plaque near every car is extremely detailed, listing not only the year and specs but also telling the stories of its previous owners and fun historical facts.
- The interior features excellent accessibility, flat flooring, and spotless restrooms; the staff are polite and the overall management is extremely professional.
Heads up
- The admission ticket is somewhat expensive relative to the size of the galleries, and items in the gift shop are highly priced with few high-value souvenirs.
- For accompanying family members who aren't into automotive history or mechanical engineering, walking through multiple showrooms can feel monotonous due to a lack of interactive multimedia devices.
- Although it's close to the highway, the exterior road signs leading to the museum entrance are not prominent, making it easy for first-time drivers to miss the turn.
- Whenever a local car festival or major weekend event is held, the museum becomes overcrowded, making it difficult to photograph a clean panoramic shot of the cars without people in it.