Canadian Automotive Museum — Attraction in Oshawa

I loved this museum. It's worth a visit. The gearhead and those interested in 20th century Canadian history will appreciate it. The museum is located in beautiful downtown Oshawa, in an historic commercial building. There's free parking on site, as well as metered street parking in front. Entrance fees are very reasonable. The first floor has many first rate, rare and expensive collectible cars, including Lester Pearson's custom Buick staff car, and the exquisite 1914 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost, driven by Prince Edward ( not the current one, the King Edward VIII one) during his 1919 debauched jaunts around Montreal. Additionally there's rare treasures like a 1930s Bugatti race car, a Packard Twin-Six, and an aluminum classic blower-Bentley. The upper level has a mix of more ordinary cars plus some rare gems like a early Chevrolet converted to snow use, a friction drive CarterCar, a Brooks Steam car, and Canada's earliest existing electric car. Or, more precisely, the remains of it. One of the features of this museum is many cars are unrestored. They're displayed with the accumulated wear, use, dents and patina accumulated in their actual useful existence, decades or even a century ago This adds authenticity and realism to the displays. Of particular interest is their life-size diorama of a barn -find Buick. This museum is worth a visit, even if you've been there in the past. I last visited in the 1990s, but I found many cars on display weren't present back then. A visit takes about 1 to 2 hours to take everything in. There's some opportunities for better displays. They have both a DeLorean AND a Bricklin, two completely unrelated but very similar cars, in their history, engineering, development and marketing. They're missing a huge opportunity by not displaying them side-by -side with a comparative analysis of their circumstances. Such a display would be a real standout, especially given that the DeLorean is popular, but few people remember Canada's own Bricklin. Otherwise the museum...

It was an absolute delight visiting the Canadian Auto Museum! From the moment we walked in, we were immersed in a fascinating journey through automotive history. The sheer variety of vehicles on display is truly impressive, showcasing the evolution of the automobile in remarkable detail. Each car seemed to whisper stories of bygone eras, and the accompanying information provided just enough context to pique our curiosity and deepen our appreciation.

However, the highlight of our visit was undoubtedly our personal tour with Greg. Wow! Greg's passion for automobiles is infectious, and his encyclopedic knowledge of the industry is truly astounding. He spent over two hours with us, patiently answering our questions and sharing captivating anecdotes about the cars and their histories. He is, without a doubt, one of the most knowledgeable people we've ever encountered in the automotive world. His enthusiasm brought the museum to life in a way we couldn't have experienced on our own.

As if the incredible collection and Greg's exceptional guidance weren't enough, the museum also boasts some truly iconic vehicles. Seeing a DeLorean up close was a real treat, instantly bringing back memories of a certain time-traveling movie! And the Bricklin? What a unique and fascinating piece of Canadian automotive history to have on display. These special additions truly elevate the museum experience.

If you have even a passing interest in cars, or simply appreciate history brought to life, the Canadian Auto Museum is an absolute must-visit. And if you're lucky enough to have Greg as your guide, you're in for a truly unforgettable experience. We left feeling enriched, entertained, and with a newfound appreciation for the incredible journey of the automobile. Five stars just...

I loved going here as a boy and just went again with my own kids (and parents). It's a charming, densely-packed museum with cars from early Canadian manufacturers, as well as other interesting cars, mostly 1890s to 1960s. The place is obviously run on a shoestring from an ordinary strefront in Oshawa and is about as far from a public sector facility in a 100M Daniel Libeskind-designed barnacle as it is possible to get.

They have a circa-1930 car with a child seat that just sticks out over the road by the rear wheel (no seatbelt, of course), an amphibious German car from the 60s, one of Lady Eaton's Rolls Royces, and a truly insane-looking, of-its-time Magna prototype from the 90s.

Lots of families with happy kids came through while we were there, and the whole experience was heartwarming for me.

The only downside is that they clearly don't have enough space to show all of their donations, so some cars are behind others and can't really be seen (and one seemed to be stored in the elevator), and they don't have enough space to really protect the cars from visitors either (some signs and ropes pretty much touch the vehicles).

Worth making the trip from Toronto if you have a...