LeMay - America's Car Museum

The LeMay - America's Car Museum is located in Tacoma, WA and is home to some of the extensive Harold LeMay's collection. LeMay's collection at one point consisted of more than 3,000 cars and made the Guinness book of world records for the largest privately owned car collection in the world.

Currently the museum is located at the Marymount Academy. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 am – 5 pm during the months of September to May. During the summer from June to August the museum additionally open on Sunday from 12 pm – 5 pm.

The museum is currently gearing up to build a new museum in the downtown Tacoma area, next to the Tacoma Dome.This new museum will ultimately hold approximately 1,000 different cars that span a century’s worth of automotive history and the future of transportation systems.

Renderings of the new museum

Grand plaza of the new Museum

The location for the new Museum will be in Tacoma, WA by the Tacoma Dome

The Showfield

The Car Collector Center view from the Café

The Car Collector Center gallery

The Car Collector Center

This is the banquet hall that will be able to be rented out. It will seat more than 350 people for different events. The hall will have different themes that can be easily changed electronically.

The racing experience- where people will be able to challenge each other to a race.

The showfield

Visit the LeMay Museum at Marymount

You don't have to wait for the new LeMay Museum to be built in downtown Tacoma to check out many vehicles from the spectacular LeMay Collection!

The LeMay Museum is currently open to the public year-round for tours of over 300 collector cars on the grounds of the former Marymount Military Academy. Bring your friends and family and enjoy seeing the cars you used to have (or wished you had) in this historic setting. Visit us today!

Harold E. LeMay- A Legacy to Remember

Harold E. LeMay

Harold LeMay was born in Yakima, Washington on September 4, 1919 to Marie E. Couch LeMay and Joseph Emil LeMay. He was the youngest of three children, with his brother Emil Arthur “Buzz” and his sister Virginia. He came to Pierce County when he was 18 months old and was raised by “Aunt and Uncle” at Rocky Ridge. He graduated from Kapowsin High School, and Parkland was his home since 1942.

Always the entrepreneur, and just out of high school, Harold became a partner in an automobile business in the Lincoln District of Tacoma. Harold began Victory Bus routes shortly after World War II began, picking up workers and transporting them to the shipyards. After enlisting in the Navy as a Seabee, but before he left for duty 1944-1946, Harold bartered for one of his “buses” for his Spanaway Garbage Collection Company. This would later become the basis for Harold LeMay Enterprises, which he continued to build over the next 58 years.

Harold in his navy days.

The poverty of the Depression etched in his mind the need for self-reliance and faith in God. He knew the importance of education and community awareness. He took a class in Business Law at Pacific Lutheran University and Dale Carnegie’s “How to win Friends and Influence People” was his reference book in life. People were important to Harold. He always took time to listen to them and thanked them for their input, whether he agreed with them or not. His business was run with dedication and concern for the community and its environment.

Harold with his wife Nancy at rally circa.

Harold served on various boards, including his service as President of Elmhurst Mutual Co., Secretary-Treasurer for Washington Refuse and Recycling Association, Immanuel Baptist Church, and Parkland Round-Up. Harold held membership in the Lakewood Elks, Kiwanis, Daffodilians, Aberdeen Eagles, Chamber of Commerce, Tacoma Sportsman Club, International Society of Appraisers, American Historical Truck Society, Early Ford Club of America, Vintage Car Club of Canada, and the Model A, Model T, and Ford V8 Clubs in Tacoma, as well as others.

Harold in his microcar.

Harold LeMay Enterprises, Inc. evolved under Harold and Nancy’s leadership. It is comprised of solid waste and recyclables collection companies in Pierce, Thurston, Grays Harbor, Lewis, and Mason Counties. Other businesses include: Lucky Towing, Lucky Sales and Service, LeMay Restoration, AA Lucky Storage, Parkland Auto Wrecking, HELM Manufacturing, and numerous land holdings and rentals.

Automobiles in the LeMay Collection

A 1948 Tucker 48. The engine was built by Franklin Air Cooled Motors and was originally meant for helicopter use.

1916 Pierce Arrow 38-4 series 4 Brougham.

A 1917 Simplex Crane. It has four doors and can hold seven passengers. It was state of the art for its time with longitudinal leaf spring suspension that provided it passengers and motorist considerable more comfort than tranverse springs found on some of the cheaper cars of its time.

1927 LaSalle 303

1955 Chevrolet Belair

Some of the cars that are part of LeMay's extensive Chevrolet collection at the Marymount Academy location.

Membership

When you join LeMay – AMERICA'S CAR MUSEUM® you receive a host of exclusive benefits, including:

• Free admission to the Annual LeMay Car Show and unlimited tours of the Collection at Marymount
• A subscription to the Museum’s award-winning quarterly publication, OpenRoad
• Recognition in Milestones, the Museum’s annual report
• Access to the “Members Only” section of the Museum’s website
• Discounts on Museum merchandise
• Membership card(s) for unlimited admission

In addition, you also automatically become a member of America’s Car Club - an international network of enthusiasts who have access to exclusive club social events, educational forums and conferences, along with club-sponsored tours and travel opportunities. For more information on membership please Click here.

Club Auto

Club Auto helps extend the reach of LeMay – AMERICA'S CAR MUSEUM® to venues far beyond the main Museum campus. Both the Kirkland, WA and the Lakewood, CO Club Auto facilities provide members with collector car storage, as well as a great place to relax, meet and socialize with like-minded enthusiasts, forge friendships and share adventures—at the club and on the road behind the wheel. Please Click here for more information.

Indy Car and 1930 Deusenberg J

Club Auto Kirkland Variety

Club Auto Kirkland Line Up

Click here to listen to a interview with Dominic Dobson, the museum's Chief Advancement Officer.

Donate Your Vehicle

LeMay – AMERICA'S CAR MUSEUM® welcomes your interest and support. A concrete way to help us is to donate your vehicle. Such a donation of your vehicle (car, truck, motorcycle, RV, or boat) can go a long way in the support of LeMay – AMERICA'S CAR MUSEUM. For information and to view f.a.q.'s about vehicle donations click here.