10 fascinating U.S. transportation museums to geek out to in 2026
Some folks yearn to see Michelangelo’s “David” at the Galleria dell’Accademia. For others, basking in awe over a Union Pacific “Big Boy” — the largest steam locomotive ever built — is as high as art can get.
For dads and their hapless families who get dragged into such stuff, Yahoo has published a helpful guide to the “Best Transportation Museums to Visit in the U.S.” The list spans from institutions for U.S. Air Force war machines to Hollywood-movie vehicles in Las Vegas. (The Batmobile!) It includes two museums in California: a classic-cars mecca in San Francisco, and a trove of historic sea vessels in San Diego.
“Whether you have a penchant for rail travel and vintage automobiles or sports cars and motorcycles are more your speed, there’s museums to suit your curiosities,” says writer Brittany Anas. “From private collections-turned-public to sprawling campuses with impressive exhibits, you’ll find hundreds of transportation museums across the United States.”
Yahoo’s transportation museums well-worth the detour
1 Harley Davidson Museum (Milwaukee)
2 National Museum of Transportation (St. Louis)
3 Academy of Art University Automobile Museum (San Francisco)
4 Hollywood Cars Museum (Las Vegas)
5 Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum (Indianapolis)
6 Lane Motor Museum (Nashville, Tenn.)
7 Maritime Museum of San Diego (San Diego)
8 Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation (Dearborn, Mich.)
9 National Museum of the U.S. Air Force (Dayton, Ohio)
10 Forney Museum of Transportation (Denver)