
Massive Classic Car Collection Can Be Found at This Central New York Museum
Did you know you can find one of the world's largest classic car collections right here in Central New York?
If you have a car lover in your life, you must take them to the Northeast Classic Car Museum, located in Chenango County.
It's home to a sprawling array of vehicles dating from the 1800s to the 1980s. All the exhibits are expertly arranged by crucial moments in history, from pre-war models to the dawn of the muscle car.
I visited the museum with my father over the weekend, and he is a certified classic car nut.
It took us roughly two hours to wander through the entire museum, which is home to the world's largest collection of Franklin luxury vehicles.
The museum is also home to a massive collection of cars built in New York State, which shines a fascinating history on the role cities like Buffalo and Syracuse had on the car industry.
You can also check out its impressive vintage motorcycle display and collection of war plane engines from WWI and WWII.
Check out This Massive Classic Car Museum in Central New York
Gallery Credit: Megan
What made our time there even better was befriending Bob, a museum volunteer who is also a walking encyclopedia of the museum. Every car tended to have a story, and Bob knew them all.
The museum was the brainchild of George Staley, a Central New York native with a fascinating history. He turned to collecting classic cars after serving his dues in World War II as a technician, where he played a role in the bombing of Nagasaki.
Staley collected and restored countless vehicles, but had an affinity to the Franklins - and amassed a collection that is now the world's largest.
"Car collecting is an incurable disease," he once said. "Once you got it, you got it."
Eventually, his collection became the backbone of what is now the Northeast Classic Car Museum in Norwich, which has grown tremendously since it opened in 1997.
It now hosts over over 200 vehicles and spans 5 connected buildings.
Those interested in visiting can visit every day except for major holidays between 9am and 4:30pm.
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