The Studebaker National Museum

One of the absolute gems in South Bend and Indiana is the Studebaker National Museum. The museum celebrates the city of South Bend and is an amazing memorial to all those in the community that helped build the Studebaker brand and its vehicles.

During our trip to South Bend and as Rachel was doing her research, she mentioned that there was a museum that was dedicated to the Studebaker cars. I thought that would be great and a good way to see a few classic cars. Being an avid car lover and growing up with a dad who loves cars, I knew this was a must see.

Honestly, I didn’t think the museum would be that big or have many cars; I have seen other car “museums” and generally they offer several cars to look at, but that is about it. You can pretty much see everything in 20 minutes. So, I didn’t really have high expectations going into it.

So after a wonderful lunch at JW Chens, we headed over to the museum in the snow. Rachel was driving in the flurries and I tried to navigate but one great thing is that South Bend is not that big and there are several signs for the museum to point you in the right direction.

Upon arriving, we were greeted by a building that I for sure wasn’t expecting. Again, I thought this would be some rinky-dink museum that had about five cars on display. I cannot begin to tell you how wrong I was. The museum is huge! It is a multi-level building that is filled with cars!

Thankfully, we were one of the few people to brave the weather and check out the museum, so we had it almost all to ourselves. This meant, I had plenty of time to stare at each car and drool over it. The problem was there were so many cars that my throat became parched quickly! As we walked through this impressive collection, I was filled with excitement and sent my dad a number of photos of the classic cars including ones similar to what he owned.

The layout of the museum is very easy to navigate and takes you through the history of the Studebaker brand. From the early days of carriages through the glory days until the end of this great auto maker, practically every model ever made is displayed. There was so much to know about Studebaker and its history. One of the best exhibits was the carriage that carried Abraham Lincoln’s coffin. It was just a brilliantly made carriage that was beautifully cared for; it was nice to see such a rare piece of history that without a visit, I would never have known of or about.

The museum does a wonderful job of showing the ups and downs of this once great brand and how it affected the city of South Bend. If you are a car lover or not, this is one place that needs to be checked out when you are in the area. Going floor to floor and looking at the hundreds of different vehicles, I was surprised at how long we stayed there. Rachel is by no means a car lover like myself, but even when she was impressed by the cars, and displays.

Essentials for your visit:

Hours and Tickets: The museum is open Monday to Saturday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM on Sunday. Tickets cost $8 for adults with a discount for seniors, students, and children.

Tour Length: Depends on your personality and style, but you could expect to spend 1.5 to 2 hours there on a self-guided tour. It could probably done in as quick as 45 minutes but may just depend on when you go. The later in the day, the busier the museum becomes. Make sure to check their schedule; it won’t take long to actually get in, but if there is a group tour or a field trip going on, it could be hard to see some exhibits. Also, the museum has done a nice job with their map so it is helpful to know which floor is which. Note: the museum does offer group tours for any car clubs and history buffs, so make sure you contact the museum for more info.

Special Notes: One remarkable thing for me as an auto museum novice is if you are looking for research for the Studebaker, the museum offers a number of great resources. Also, this was really cool for me, if you would like to purchase some of their engineering drawings they can be bought and made into different sizes.

The museum is a great place to visit, not just for car lovers, but for families, history buffs, and tourists. The museum is easily accessible for those visiting the city or just passing through. It also offers elevators and large aisles for those that have concerns with accessibility.

The Studebaker Museum is one of the fondest memories I have from our visit to South Bend and living in the Chicago area. The museum boasts an impressive collection of cars, traveling exhibits (that includes other automakers), and the largest Presidential Carriage Collection anywhere. For all history and car enthusiasts, the museum displays the first and last cars the company ever manufactured.