RV Museum

[Silvertwinky]

There is an RV Museum located in Elkhart, IN. They have recently moved to a new location and are expanding. We recently visited there on our way back from Moraine View State Park Forums Rally. It's real nice and has a lot of vintage RV's (Except Airstreams). We could not find an Airstream at all with the exception of a model in the showcase. It was quite disappointing even though we no longer own one.


It's a real nice museum and I hope to see it some time later on after it's completed.


I would still recommend a visit!


RV/MH Hall of Fame - Museum - Library - Conference Center

[Steve & Susan]

We've passed it several times on the Indiana Tollway - next summer, maybe a weekend trip with the AS in tow to see it!

[Tom Nugler]

We stopped in there 3 or 4 years ago on the way back from the Shipshewana Flea Market. A little bit dark inside but definitly worth the side trip. Plenty of old and interesting pieces open for inspection. I'll make a mental note to check it out after the remodel.
I also found a fair number of RV/Trailer related paper collectables in the areas antique stores. Well worth the stop.

Tom.

[sfixx]

I stopped by the Hall of Fame today of course expecting to see an Airstream too (Wally was in the first class inducted though). I asked the desk volunteer about this obvious oversight and received an ear full! He said that before they moved to the new building (which is amazing) they had a vintage Airstream TT from the factory but it was sent home during the collection transfer and was never returned. They have asked continuously for one since with no result. Curiously he did say something about a '74 Bambi being offered and refused because it was too new.

All that aside the visit was well worth it even though the site is barely half completed. They hope to complete a conference center and motorhome display area soon. They do have a few interesting areas open to the public: the vintage trailer gallery, an extensive library, and an area set aside to show current offerings from a variety of manufacturers. There I loved the off-road, toy-hauling tent-camper My wife was impressed by the big plush motorhomes but to her credit her favorite was a '64 coachmen Cadet. My favorite was the '57 Serro Scotty teardrop. The public is allowed to to self tour most of the travel trailers which puts them in great peril but none are too immaculate in the first place so I didn't feel too bad.

If you are travelling through northern indiana on the toll road it's just a 2 minute drive from the Elkhart East exit.

Steve

[dnrtheil]

We spent 4 hours at the museum on December 22. Since we were the only two people in the building, we received the royal treatment. The gentleman working the desk was Al Hesselbart, author of "The Dumb Things Sold Just Like That". When he learned we had a vintage Airstream he took us on a tour of their newest collection, not yet on display. He even opened the doors and let us climb inside several of them, which the public won't be able to do once they go on display.

According to Al, the reason why there isn't an Airstream on display is that Airstream is currently designing their display area. It's going to take up 30 feet of wall space (the wall on the right when you walk into the vintage trailer section). For those of you who have been there, Al says the display might be similar to the Winnebago display.

This is a great museum - I would encourage everyone to visit. If you visit on a cold, snowy winter afternoon you just might be lucky enough to have the place to yourself.