Celebrity Car Museum, Branson, Missouri (Part 1)

Branson is known for its many family-themed attractions, a few of which feature cars.  I’m fond of seeing interesting cars and trucks and thought a visit to the Celebrity Car Museum might be fun. 

“Celebrity Car Museum and Attraction: The Velvet Collection” features over 100 vehicles that have ties to the movie and television industry.  Most of these are cars and many are easily recognized, but there were also some rare vehicles displayed so it wasn’t all about star power.  Besides the vehicles, you’ll see film-related memorabilia.  Video monitors throughout the museum run short film loops clips focusing on scenes in which the displayed cars are featured on film. 

Once you pay your admission, you can walk around at your leisure and take all the photos you want.  The vehicles are roped off and while you can get close, you can’t touch them.  For an additional fee ($10 – $20) you can have your photo taken inside some of the most popular vehicles in the collection, like the 1966 Batmobile, Back to the Future DeLorean, or the Scooby-Doo Mystery Machine. It took us well over two hours to do a leisurely walk through, but if you didn’t stop much you could do it in less than half that time.

The museum opened in 2012 and the Velvet family still owns and operates it.  The collection is constantly changing as new vehicles are added and some are sold.  I’m told that 40% of the museum’s displays are rotated every year.

Your introduction to interesting vehicles begins outside the building where you’ll find copies of the Scooby Doo van, vehicles from Cars, the Ghostbuster hearse, and one of the Jurassic Park Jeeps.  

The fun continues after you pay your admission fee and enter the museum.  There are a lot of interesting cars, but the ones I liked most and which photographed best are presented in this post, and in part 2 which will publish in two weeks.

K.I.T.T. from KnightRider

Ferrari Daytona Spyder, used in the TV series Miami Vice.

Something unusual from Dr. Seuss’ Cat in the Hat

Tiny electric car used in the 2006 movie Clear History.

A very sporty Chrysler M4S Turbo Interceptor Concept Car.  It was one of six copies made for the movie Wraith II.

Lovable Bug #53, used in the demolition derby scene of Herbie Fully Loaded.

1976 AMC Pacer, used in the cult film Wayne’s World.

Prop car made for and used in the movie, Flintstones – Viva Rock Vegas.

Jurassic Park Ford Explorer, with a dinosaurs thrown in for fun.

Elvis Presley’s 1974 Rupp Centaur.  Not used in a film, but a private vehicle that Elvis owned and loved to drive around the streets of Memphis in the last years of his life.

2007 Dodge Caliber modified and used in Robocop and in one of Christian Bale’s Batman movies.

1973 Toyota Land Cruiser from the film Land of the Lost.

A recognizable vehicle from Terminator 3.

“Boss, da plane, da plane is coming”.  Tattoo’s small cart used in the television show Fantasy Island.

Lastly in this post, the beautiful 1966 Batmobile, one of several made for the popular 1960s television show.

And also from the same TV series, the BatCycle.

More interesting cars will wrap up our visit in a post due in two weeks.