Montana Auto Museum Definitely Worth a Stop
Located in Deer Lodge, the Montana Auto Museum is a step above you average car collection. First off, it’s extensive, as it includes over 180 cars from the 1880’s to the 1970’s. They’re not pieces of junk either; in fact most have been painstakingly restored. And then there’s the venue — just across the hall from the Old Montana Prison. Although that seems an odd location for a car museum, it makes perfect sense when you realize that both the Montana Auto Museum and the Old Montana Prison Museum are operated by the same entity — the Powell County Museum and Arts Foundation (www.pcmaf.org). So next time you’re road tripping through Montana, make sure and add this excellent auto museum to your required stops.
Montana Auto Museum — A Blast From the Past
Located on Main Street, the Montana Auto Museum shares a parking lot with the Old Montana Prison Museum. Unfortunately the dirt lot lacks accessible parking, but there’s plenty of room to parallel park along the streets around the museum. The good news is, that’s the only access challenge you’ll face at this attraction, as there’s level access to the entrance, plenty of room to navigate through the galleries, and accessible restrooms near the gift shop.
Technically the museum begins with the precursor to the car — the horseless carriage. This first gallery features a nice display of saddles, blacksmith tools and carriages, and includes a western-style wood plank walkway that transitions to a cement floor in the car gallery next door. The automobiles, which again are in pristine condition, include a 1908 Ford Model S Runabout, a 1909 Humpmobile, and a 1913 Cadillac. And if you think electric vehicles are a new invention, then don’t miss the 1914 Detroit Electric Car on display.
But the museum contains much more than cars. There’s also a display about the Yellowstone Trail — the first coast-to-coast auto route across the northern tier states. Add in some 1930s photos of car camping, a collection of vintage car parts and some old car brochures and you have a car-lovers dream collection. And let’s not forget a 1930s gas station complete with a mechanic’s bay, coke cooler and old time tunes on the radio.
Finally, the museum includes some more recent classics in the last galleries. At the top of the list is a full contingent of muscle cars, including a massive number of mustangs. And don’t miss the 1967 VW Beetle, and my personal favorite, a pristine 1963 Ford Econoline van. Truly, there’s something for just about everyone at this fun Southwestern Montana attraction.
