R. E. Olds Transportation Museum facts for kids
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| Established | May 1981 |
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| Location | 240 Museum Drive Lansing, Michigan |
| Type | Automotive |
The R.E. Olds Transportation Museum is a cool place in Lansing, Michigan. It's named after Ransom E. Olds, who started famous car companies like Oldsmobile and REO. Many people think it's one of the best car museums in the whole United States!
Contents
Awesome Car Collection
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The R.E. Olds Museum has a huge collection of Oldsmobile cars. You can see cars from way back in 1897 all the way to 2004! One special car is an 1897 Olds, which is on loan from the Smithsonian Institution. There's also a copy of an 1893 steam-powered car that Ransom E. Olds built even before he started Oldsmobile.
Beyond Cars: Cool Stuff
This museum also has lots of other interesting items related to cars. These include a nearly complete collection of Michigan license plates. You can also see old traffic signs and a working traffic light from the 1950s.
There's even a collection of bicycles. This shows how early car makers often started out making bikes. They already had the tools and skills needed to build the first automobiles.
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REO Vehicles and Electric Cars
The museum also displays vehicles from the REO company. Ransom E. Olds started REO after he left Oldsmobile. One very famous truck from this company is the REO Speed Wagon. This truck even inspired the name of the popular band, REO Speedwagon! Another well-known truck from a company that followed REO is the Diamond REO.
You can also find items from Ransom E. Olds' own home at the museum. This gives you a peek into his personal life.
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The R.E. Olds Museum has several electric cars. These include an 1899 Olds Motor Works Electric car and a 1996 General Motors EV1. The EV1 at the museum is one of only about 40 that were saved. Most of these cars were destroyed after they were recalled in the early 2000s.
The Last Oldsmobile
The very last Oldsmobile ever built was a 2004 Alero GLS. It was shown at the museum right after it was made in Lansing Car Assembly. This special car was part of the "Final 500 Collector's Edition." It was on display at the museum until 2009, when it moved to the GM Heritage Center.
Museum History
Plans for a car museum in Lansing started way back in 1977. The R.E. Olds Museum officially opened its doors in May 1981.
The Museum Building's Past
The building where the museum is located has its own interesting history! It was once where the Bates automobile was made. Later, it was used as a beer warehouse. It was also the first bus garage for CATA when it started in 1972. Many volunteers worked hard to turn the building into the museum you see today.
The city of Lansing used to lease the building to the museum for only $2 a year! In 2018, the museum was able to buy the building for $2.
In 2011, the Olds Museum was featured on the TV show American Pickers. The museum bought a very old 1908 license plate on the show. This plate was used by the Oldsmobile factory on its test cars.
See also
In Spanish: Museo del Transpote R. E. Olds para niños
- List of automobile museums
- List of transport museums
