Historic Auto Attractions
Historic Auto Attractions is located right outside of near South Beloit IL, in Roscoe. This museum is home to over 70 historic automobiles that can be viewed by visitors. The collection includes presidential limousines and Al Capone’s car. While the name would lead someone to think this is strictly an auto museum, it is anything but. The museum is home to many pieces of pop culture along with the famous cars it houses.
The museum is located inside a small warehouse, so visitors must keep an eye out upon arrival. It can be easy to miss. From the outside, it’s a very unassuming building. Don’t let the name fool you, as Historic Auto Attractions has something for everyone in South Beloit.
Along with an extensive collection of automobiles, Historic Auto Attractions houses many pieces of pop culture, as well. Some of them include outfits from Marilyn Monroe and Fidel Castro. They can be viewed on wax figures inside the museum. Also included in the collection is Richard Nixon’s Limousine.
Historic Auto Attractions is spread across 36,000 square feet and includes the world’s largest collection of famous limousines. It is also home to one of the largest collections of The Kennedy Family memorabilia in the country. Another attraction inside the museum is The Lincoln Room, which has a large amount of Abraham Lincoln items for visitors to view.
The collections inside the museum were purchased by Wayne Lensing, who decided to build the museum where it is today. He decided to open the museum so that everyday people would get a chance to see items that otherwise might not be on display. He started his collection by buying a limousine that belonged to Howard Hughes in the 1990’s and hasn’t stopped collecting since.
He continues to add to the collection which is why the exhibits rotate. This is the type of place you can visit more than once. It’s not just for car enthusiasts.
While not located in South Beloit, IL, the museum is not far. It is a quick drive and can be visited for the afternoon. Everything is indoors and walkable. Other items in the museum include the gun that killed John Dillinger, and a blouse owned by Janis Joplin.
Admission to the museum is $15 for adults and $10 for children. You can call ahead to set up a tour, or walk around the museum by yourself.
