After not making the cut for much of the poll’s history, the National Automobile Museum has now appeared in the top ten of USA Today 10BEST’s Best Attraction for Car Lovers for two years running.

The survey is part of the newspaper’s annual 10BEST series, which also includes categories like the best motorsports race. The Best Attraction for Car Lovers rankings is determined by a panel consisting of journalists Tamara Gane, Skye Rodgers, and Elana Scherr along with online voters.

“If you’re a car fanatic, the U.S. is packed with places that celebrate these marvels of engineering,” reads the category’s description. “From car museums with an emphasis on specific makers to institutions with collections of all types of vehicles, these 10 attractions — nominated by an expert panel and voted by readers as the best in the country — should be on every auto enthusiast’s bucket list.”

The Reno-based museum failed to crack the top ten in the category’s first five years from 2019 to 2024 (no poll was held in 2022) before placing fifth in 2025. The top two from last year remain the same for 2026 with the Savoy Automobile Museum ahead of the National Corvette Museum.

In third is the America’s Transportation Experience / AACA Museum followed by the BMW Performance Center, Museum of American Speed, Edge Motor Museum, and Revs Institute. The Tampa Bay Automobile Museum and Auto World Museum round out the top ten behind the National Automobile Museum.

The NAM released the following statement on Friday:

This recognition is a tremendous honor and reflects the passion, dedication, and hard work that go into making the Museum a fun, relevant, educational, and ever-evolving destination for our guests.

We work hard to ensure the Museum remains a place where automotive history comes alive—offering engaging exhibits, educational opportunities, and unforgettable experiences for visitors of all ages. From local families and Museum members to national and international travelers, we are proud to welcome guests from around the world.

What makes this recognition even more meaningful is the team behind it. The Museum operates with a dedicated staff of just eight full-time and five part-time team members, supported by an amazing team of volunteers and a deeply committed Board of Trustees. Together, they help preserve our collection, support our mission, and create the experiences that make the Museum special.

To our members, donors, volunteers, visitors, and supporters—thank you.

Your continued support helps make honors like this possible, and we are proud to share this recognition with all of you.

If you haven’t visited recently, we invite you to stop by and see why the National Automobile Museum continues to be recognized as one of the best automotive attractions in the country. Thank you for being part of our journey.

“Opened in 1989, the National Automobile Museum features more than 200 vehicles collected by Bill Harrah, founder of Harrah’s Hotels and Casinos,” 10BEST states about the institution. “Some of the featured cars include the 1907 Thomas Flyer 35 that won the 1908 New York to Paris Race, a 1937 Cord 812 Supercharged Beverly Sedan that set a speed record, and NHRA world champion Don Prudhomme’s 1975 Funny Car.”

The museum is located two streets down from the famed Reno Arch. It is divided into galleries by era, dating as far back as the 19th century, along with wings for vehicles used in cinema and a kid-oriented section featuring models of Lightning McQueen and Mater from Cars. A theater plays various movies on American automotive history. There is also a store selling merchandise like diecasts, clothes, and even paintings.

Between each gallery, corridors designed after American streets and shops host limited-time exhibitions. When 131 Off-Road visited Reno in June 2025, the sports car racing collection of actor Paul Newman, which was compiled and loaned to the museum by comedian Adam Carolla, was being showcased.

The off-road side doesn’t have as much representation save for military vehicles. A 1948 Land Rover Series I is in one of the corridors, as is a 1945 Ford GPW. The GPW’s near-identical cousin, a 1945 Willys MB, is on display in the film section.

Featured image credit: Justin Nguyen