The Downright Bizarre Lane Motor Museum Might Just Be The Quirkiest Museum in Nashville
By Meghan Kraft|Published June 03, 2020
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Meghan Kraft
Author
Meghan Kraft loves to travel the world, but she makes her home right here in Nashville, Tennessee. She holds a degree in English, and has worked in the digital marketing realm with companies such as Apartments.com, USA Today and HarperCollins Publishing.
Perhaps “bizarre” is a strong word, but there truly is nowhere else in Nashville, Tennessee quite like the Lane Motor Museum. This locally-owned and lovingly maintained space is where you come to experience a transportation-centric history lesson, one that can’t be recreated anywhere else in the city. Learn more about this local gem below, and perhaps buy a ticket for yourself. There’s no better Saturday spent than one at the Lane Motor Museum in Music City.
The Lane Motor Museum is located in the historic building that once served as the Sunbeam Bakery on Murfreesboro Pike. The facility once produced bread in the 132,000 square-foot space and is now the home to the largest European collection of cars and motorcycles in the entire United States.
It's an impressive title that has been hard-won. You'll find roughly 150 cars and motorcycles in the Lane Motor Museum itself, some that date all the way back to the 1920s.
Each vehicle has been lovingly restored and preserved for your viewing pleasure. You'll find everything from military vehicles to bicycles to microcars on display, hailing from both North and South Americas, Europe, and Asia.
Fun fact? Every vehicle is in working order and is maintained on an annual basis for prime performance. You can learn all about the politics, geography, economics, and engineering aspects of the transportation sector as you walk through the museum.
Keep an eye out for the changing exhibits as well! There's always something new to learn and experience here in Nashville. If you're looking for the strangest car in the museum, the Lane Motor Museum claims the propellor-ensconced Helicron from France is the most unusual. It hails from 1932!
The Lane Motor Museum's non-profit foundation was founded in 2002 and initially began with 70 vehicles. Its collection has been almost doubled since its inception, much to the delight of visitors.
You can visit from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Mondays, and from Thursday to Sunday. The Lane Motor Museum is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Adults can visit for $12 a person, seniors for $8, and youth from 6 to 17 can visit for a mere $3.