Driving
America
Daily Activities at Driving America
While there are no scheduled activities today, be sure to see our complete activities listing for upcoming offerings.
From the 1865 Roper, the oldest surviving American car, and Henry Ford’s first gas-powered vehicle to the hybrid 2002 Prius, our Driving America exhibit helps to tell the story of how automotive innovations have changed our lives and influenced American culture. On your journey, you’ll also encounter more than a dozen interactive kiosks that will engage, inform, and inspire.
Highlights
1896 Ford Quadricycle Runabout, First Car Built by Henry Ford
Artifact
Automobile
Date Made
1896
Summary
The Quadricycle was Henry Ford's first attempt to build a gasoline-powered automobile. It utilized commonly available materials: angle iron for the frame, a leather belt and chain drive for the transmission, and a buggy seat. Ford had to devise his own ignition system. He sold his Quadricycle for $200, then used the money to build his second car.
Creators
Place of Creation
Object ID
00.2.93
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Henry and Clara Ford.
Get more details in Digital Collections at:
1896 Ford Quadricycle Runabout, First Car Built by Henry Ford
What is The Henry Ford?
The national attraction for discovering your ingenuity while exploring America’s spirit of innovation. There is always much to see and do at The Henry Ford.
1931 Bugatti Type 41 Royale Convertible
Artifact
Automobile
Date Made
1931
Summary
Longer than a Duesenberg. Twice the horsepower of a Rolls-Royce. More costly than both put together. The Bugatti Royale was the ultimate automobile, making its owners feel like kings. Not only did it do everything on a grander scale than the world's other great luxury cars, it was also rare. Bugatti built only six Royales, whereas there were 481 Model J Duesenbergs and 1,767 Phantom II Rolls-Royces.
Object ID
58.86.1
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Charles and Esther Chayne.
On Exhibit
On Loan - St. Louis Art Museum (St. Louis, MO)
Get more details in Digital Collections at:
1931 Bugatti Type 41 Royale Convertible
What is The Henry Ford?
The national attraction for discovering your ingenuity while exploring America’s spirit of innovation. There is always much to see and do at The Henry Ford.
Texaco "Fire-Chief" Gasoline Pump, circa 1940
Artifact
Gasoline pump
Date Made
circa 1940
Summary
By the 1940s, drivers watched "computing" pumps like this Texaco Fire-Chief pump automatically calculate the amount of gasoline and the price. This type of pump did away with price charts used by service station attendants. Internal, calibrated gear sets turned numbered wheels allowing quick and easy fill ups and payments.
Creators
Place of Creation
Object ID
87.196.25
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Fletcher Oil Company.
Get more details in Digital Collections at:
Texaco "Fire-Chief" Gasoline Pump, circa 1940
What is The Henry Ford?
The national attraction for discovering your ingenuity while exploring America’s spirit of innovation. There is always much to see and do at The Henry Ford.
Douglas Auto Theatre Sign, circa 1955
Artifact
Advertising sign
Date Made
circa 1955
Summary
The first "auto movie theatre" opened in Camden, New Jersey, in 1933, but it took time to perfect the new technology. In the 1950s, a new market of families and teenagers embraced the informality and privacy of in-car movie-watching. This sign stood at the entrance to a drive-in theatre that held 800 cars when it operated between 1955 and 1985.
Creators
Place of Creation
Keywords
Object ID
87.84.1
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Kalamazoo College.
Get more details in Digital Collections at:
Douglas Auto Theatre Sign, circa 1955
What is The Henry Ford?
The national attraction for discovering your ingenuity while exploring America’s spirit of innovation. There is always much to see and do at The Henry Ford.
1965 Ford Mustang Convertible, Serial Number One
Artifact
Automobile
Date Made
1964
Summary
It's an old auto industry cliche -- "you can't sell a young man an old man's car, but you can sell an old man a young man's car." It's also true. The sporty Mustang was a young man's -- and woman's -- car. The under-30 crowd loved it. But older people also bought them, often as a second car. The Mustang hit a sweet spot in the market, appealing to a wide range of buyers.
Place of Creation
Object ID
66.47.1
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Ford Motor Company.
Get more details in Digital Collections at:
1965 Ford Mustang Convertible, Serial Number One
What is The Henry Ford?
The national attraction for discovering your ingenuity while exploring America’s spirit of innovation. There is always much to see and do at The Henry Ford.
1903 Oldsmobile Curved Dash Runabout
Artifact
Automobile
Date Made
1903
Summary
When it inspires a song, you know it's popular. This Olds was the bestselling car in America from 1902 to 1905. Automobiles had an emotional appeal. A driver in 1901 said that controlling a car satisfied "an almost universal sense, the love of power." Despite the attraction, cars were not a significant player in the transportation world. In 1903 some 4,000 people bought Oldsmobiles, but more than 900,000 bought buggies and carriages.
Creators
Place of Creation
Object ID
30.1303.1
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Olds Motor Works.
Get more details in Digital Collections at:
1903 Oldsmobile Curved Dash Runabout
What is The Henry Ford?
The national attraction for discovering your ingenuity while exploring America’s spirit of innovation. There is always much to see and do at The Henry Ford.
1955 Chevrolet Bel Air Hardtop
Artifact
Automobile
Date Made
1955
Summary
Chevrolet turned its image around in 1955. Its new V-8 engine was light modern, powerful and reliable. Combined with a clean, classic new body style it changed customers' impression of Chevrolet from stodgy and conservative to sporty and youthful almost overnight. This car, in fashionable coral and smoke grey colors, epitomizes Chevy's new slogan, "The Hot One."
Place of Creation
Object ID
86.113.1
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Get more details in Digital Collections at:
1955 Chevrolet Bel Air Hardtop
What is The Henry Ford?
The national attraction for discovering your ingenuity while exploring America’s spirit of innovation. There is always much to see and do at The Henry Ford.
1937 Cord 812 Convertible
Artifact
Automobile
Date Made
1937
Summary
The 1937 Cord's swooping fenders, sweeping horizontal radiator grille, and hidden headlights were unlike anything else on American highways. And although it wasn't the first, Cord was the only front-wheel-drive production car available in America for the next three decades.
Place of Creation
Keywords
Object ID
57.25.1
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of Lawrence Lowell Reeve.
Get more details in Digital Collections at:
1937 Cord 812 Convertible
What is The Henry Ford?
The national attraction for discovering your ingenuity while exploring America’s spirit of innovation. There is always much to see and do at The Henry Ford.
2016 General Motors First-Generation Self-Driving Test Vehicle
Artifact
Automobile
Date Made
2016
Summary
General Motors tested a series of autonomous vehicles in San Francisco, California, and Scottsdale, Arizona, in 2016. These cars, developed with GM subsidiary Cruise Automation and based on the Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicle, used a combination of cameras, radar and lidar sensors, cellular and GPS antennas, and powerful computers to drive themselves on public streets in both cities.
Creators
Place of Creation
Keywords
Object ID
2018.141.1
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of General Motors Corporation.
Get more details in Digital Collections at:
2016 General Motors First-Generation Self-Driving Test Vehicle
What is The Henry Ford?
The national attraction for discovering your ingenuity while exploring America’s spirit of innovation. There is always much to see and do at The Henry Ford.
Driving America
Check out some of the amazing automotive inventions you'll see first-hand when you take a journey through our Driving America exhibit in Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation.
Roper Steam Carriage
The oldest surviving American-made car, the 1865 Roper was powered by a small steam engine.
Quadricycle
Henry Ford's first attempt at a gasoline-powered vehicle, the Quadricycle was made of commonly available material.
Setting the Standard
As cars developed, they began to include features we recognize today, including headlights.
The Craftsmanship
Cars from throughout American history demonstrate the skill of all who worked on them.
Texaco Service Station
With more Americans on the road, a whole new industry grew to service the cars.
