The Newport Car Museum is actually housed in a former missile production site in Portsmouth, RI. This private collection contains over 85 cars, each carefully selected as a work of fine art. There are over seven decades (1950s to the present) represented, and the museum is divided into various categories: Ford/Shelby Cars, Corvettes, World Cars, Fin Cars, Mopars, and American Muscle.
Even if you aren’t a car fanatic (I’m certainly not, but I live with two of them), there is much to appreciate here. First, the museum is different from a car show (like Cruise Night at Patriot Place during the summer) because these are primarily rare and VERY expensive cars. Second, each car has a super informative placard with facts about the car or an interesting story. Each placard also contains standardized information (top MPH, 0-60 speed, 1/4 mile race speed, etc.) so that you can compare cars. The information is also presented in layman’s terms. 🙂 Third, the museum presents itself as a modern design experience, and it is–there are cool light fixtures, pictures, videos, and chairs all around the museum.
Bottom line: any car enthusiast would thoroughly enjoy this museum, but even a reluctant visitor will likely be pleasantly surprised! Tip: Make sure you seek out the exhibit about Bertha Benz, the first driver in the year 1888! It’s a great story! 😉
HOW TO GET THERE
1947 W Main Rd.
Portsmouth, RI 02871
P.I.N.T. Score
Rated on a scale of 1 (difficult/not good) to 5 (easy/awesome!)
P – Parking & Access – 5 (The parking lot is huge!)
I – Interest Level – 4 (For someone who loves cars, the interest level would be a 5! But for a general audience, we give it a 4.)
N – Navigation – 5 (You can’t get lost in the museum’s galleries! )
T – Terrain – 5 (Wheelchair and stroller accessible.)
The P.I.N.T. Score represents our opinions of this trail. It reflects our experience, perception, and physical health. Therefore, the scores are not intended to be expert advice, nor will they be accurate for everyone: we cannot judge what may or may not be appropriate for each individual’s different abilities. Consult a physician or medical expert before attempting any new physical activity. Hiking contains inherent hazards, so hike at your own risk. You should always make your own decisions about what level of physical activity is appropriate for you and your family. Weather and other factors may affect trail conditions. Remember, trail conditions may change suddenly and drastically at any time.
Photo Gallery
Nearby
Foodworks Family Restaurant is only a few miles down the road from the NCM. It’s clean inside and out with a friendly staff and a nice outdoor patio. We had breakfast for lunch. Their bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwiches are served on freshly baked bagels (yum–mine was jalapeno!). Foodworks also serves Mike Shea’s Coffee, which is based out of Bridgewater, MA. The cold brew is delcious!
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