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LeMAY
America's Car Museum

Tacoma, Washington

The LeMAY- America's Car Museum was completed in May of this year in Tacoma, Washington. The 165,000 square foot, Four Level Museum  is situated on a 9 acre campus with a 3 1/2 acre Show Field for Future Automobile Events. The LeMay has Storage and a NAPA Service Facility's, Meeting and Banquet Space, Gift Shop, Educational / Learning Center, Theater and a Restaurant / Cafe and Best of All a Rotating Gallery of Automobiles. The LeMay Museum was a life long dream held by Harold LeMay. Mr. LeMay passed away in 2000 at the age of 81. With the backing of his wife, Nancy LeMay, Harold's Dream was realized this year

At one time Harold LeMay owned over 3500 automobiles as was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as having the largest privately owned automobile collection in the world. With a budget of 10 Million Dollars the goal was to build a monument to all things automotive. The Museum opened to the public June 2nd 2012. The Museum will be a Living Museum with it's exhibit's ever changing. The rotating display of automobiles will include 500-700 cars at a time. The Museum is expected to attract more than 400,000 visitors a year.

Currently being displayed in the lobby is Edsel Fords 1934 Model 40 Special Speedster. After Edsel returned from a trip to Europe in 1932 Edsel commissioned E.T Gregorie to design and build him a European styled Personal Sports Car. Edsels new Toy was unlike anything Ford Motor Company had ever built. Edsel died in 1943 and his car was later sold in 1958 for $600. Forty years later Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance founder and Chairman, Bill Warner discovered the car and displayed it at his Concours in 1999 and 2001. Ford House, the nonprofit estate established by Edsel and Eleanor Ford would later purchase the Speedster. The estate had RM auto Restorations in Ontario, Canada restore the car as it looked in 1940 after Edsel and Gregories final re-design

Be sure to take in the view of some of Tacoma's Skyline from the rear deck. It is accessible from the upper level of the Museum. The LeMay is located next to the Tacoma Dome and is close a nice selection of restaurants and eclectic shopping

As you begin your descent to the Museums lower levels you will pass through the display of Custom Bodied Automobiles from the 30's and 40's. There are some Beautiful examples representing some of the Best Work from the early Body Builders. Luxury Cars offered by Chrysler, Lincoln, Cadillac and Packard into the Fifties and 60's are well represented

Alternate Fuel Sources and Green Energy is all we hear about today... Guess what - these ideas are nothing New or Original. The LeMAY has a great display of automobiles that were powered by Alternate "Non-Fossil" Fuels. Experimentation with Steam, Propane, Gas, Electric, Oil and Solar as sources of alternate energies have been in the works for quite some time. Take a look at a few of them shown below. Quite a contrast from the Long, Finned, Gas Guzzling Cars layered in Chrome that keep "My" Motor Running