Tacoma, Washington and the LeMay Family Museum

What a family this is.  A local businessman who collected cars, lots of cars.  Put together what is apparently the largest collection in the world.  At one point over 3000 cars.  When I talked to the docent he said that there were approximately 500 cars currently on display and they represented about a quarter of the entire collection as it stands now. 

More vehicles are being added as well as some traded or sold.  So it is in flux, but what an astounding flux.

First of all you need to find the place, but any good GPS device will do that for you as long as you trust its directions it will get you there.

Then you pull down a road off the Military road and you are not quite certain that this is the place, but once you turn the corner you are relieved to see that yes, it is the place.

There were a few cars belonging to browsers of the museum that day that were also interesting.

Then there is the building that you enter and pay the fee at.

I was told that there is another building that exists as an additional museum at 2702 East D Street, but I was at 325 152nd Street East and this one had plenty to see.

I stepped inside and started my tour of the buildings.

Fabulous cars.

And there were collectables of all kinds of memorabilia as well.

With cars of the pre-depression era and others just after WW II.

There was a room set aside for cars from England.  This country had a big influence on Americans’ taste in cars in the decades just after WW II.

Then on in to a very large room with more cars from the pre-war era and then after.

But first a couple of cabinets with a rather eclectic collection of brass hose nozzles.  Hmmm.

On to the room.

Yep, a hi-heel shoe car.

Then there was another room of cars.

The General Lee from the TV show the Dukes of Hazard.

After browsing the main building a docent took me off on a golf cart ride to two of the much larger buildings.

No, those weren’t the buildings.  Just some more vehicles under cover.

The first of the buildings is packed with cars from the 30’s, 40’s 50’s and 60’s.  A few younger ones, as well.

Then we went to the NEXT building…

Take my word for it, there are a lot of cars here to see.

This place is amazing.  I didn’t have time to go to the other location, but I’m told it is also a beaut!