The Volo Auto Museum: History for Sale

What do the original Batmobile, the General Lee, and Christine have in common, other than the fact that they're all cars made famous through television or movies? They all "live," inasmuch as a car can be said to be living, at the Volo Auto Museum, in Volo, IL.

Originally opened about 48 years ago, the Volo Auto Museum is part of an auto mall featuring classic and neo-classic cars from the fifties through today, though most are vintage, and don't date from the seventies or earlier. Unlike the displays in most museums, however, most of the stock on display at the museum is actually for sale, and purchases happen with some regularity. This means that the display vehicles are always changing, and what might be there one year is unlikely to be there the next.

In addition to the vintage cars for sale, Volo's other big attraction is the collection of cars from television and movies. Along with the three cars listed above, Christine, the Batmobile, and the General Lee, the Volo Auto Museum plays host to the Daytona from Miami Vice, and cars from Gone in Sixty Seconds and The Fast and the Furious. Of special appeal to the younger set is the DeLorean from the Back to the Future movies and the Scooby Doo Mystery Machine. Once a year this display is expanded for several days, as the museum welcomes George Barris, known as the "King of Kustomizers," who is the man responsible for these vehicles, and other famous rides, including the original K.I.T.T. from Knight Rider and the Drag-u-la car from The Munsters.

If collectible cars available for purchase and famous cars we grew up watching aren't enough of a draw for this museum, they've recently added a display that shows their patriotic side. Titled "The Combat Zone," this part of the museum honors those men and women who have served their country and introduces us to the ground and air vehicles that they used. Among the vehicles on display are vintage tanks and a group jeep collectibles, as well as aircraft (including two Vietnam-era Hueys), and part of the display includes sound effects as well.

A visit to the Volo Auto Museum isn't just a trip to see old cars. It's a three-dimensional lesson in American history with cars as the connecting point. Whether visitors spend hours crawling over every vehicle on display and snapping endless pictures, or simply sit down for a long chat in the 1950's - style food court, there is something in this museum for everyone.

The Volo Auto Museum is roughly fifty miles from Chicago, IL, and is open 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Tuesday-Sunday, all year, except Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

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Page modified 2/3/2008