Wisconsin Automotive Museum in Hartford, Wisconsin
Museum with a major rail exhibitOpen Wednesday to Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm
The Wisconsin Automotive Museum in Hartford is the state's largest auto museum, home to more than 125 vehicles, the largest assembled group of Hartford-built Kissel automobiles, and Soo Line No. 1003, a 250-ton steam locomotive built in 1913.
- 1913 Soo Line steam locomotive No. 1003
- 125+ vehicles on display
- 25+ Hartford-built Kissels
- Opened July 1986
- Both floors fully accessible
Wisconsin Automotive Museum at a glance
- Hours
- Wednesday to Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm; no admittance after 4:30 pm
- Admission
- Adults $15, seniors 65+ $14, ages 6 to 16 $7, 5 and under free; $1 off each ticket paid in cash
- Seasonal events
- 2026/27 Speaker Series
- Plan for
- At least 1 hour, more for rail and car fans
- Best for
- Car and train lovers, and rainy-day family outings
- Best ages
- Ages 4 and up
- Accessibility
- Both floors of the museum are fully handicap accessible.
Hours and prices as the museum posts them, checked October 19, 2026. Confirm before you go.
Look inside the book
Taking the kids to Wisconsin Automotive Museum? Bring Rally along.
In Rally Takes the Train, a corgi's little legs can't manage the big train stairs, so Dad gives him a boost. It takes about five minutes to read, a good fit for the drive to Hartford.
Rally Takes the Train
Eight pages from the book
Turn the page
That's 8 of 25 pages
See who’s waiting at the station
Grandmommy and Papa are at the last stop. Get the full hand-painted book, $13.99 on Amazon.
See the full bookPage 1 of 8
Like it so far? See the full book
25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $13.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.
Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.
A Kissel town's museum, with a Soo Line giant
Hartford was a car-building town. The Kissel company made high-end automobiles here from 1906 to 1931, roughly 26,000 to 27,000 of them by the museum's estimates, and fewer than 150 complete Kissels survive today. The Wisconsin Automotive Museum opened in July 1986 with 46 cars on its first floor, and as volunteers and staff renovated the second floor the collection grew to a steady 120 to 125 vehicles. In 2026 the museum is marking its 40th anniversary.
It is a private, nonprofit educational organization, a 501(c)(3) not owned by any individual, and it is not funded by the city or state. Admissions, donations, gift shop sales and event income keep the doors open. Roughly half or a bit more of the cars are on loan from owners, with the rest owned by the museum, and several clubs, including the Nash Car Club of America, the Hudson Essex Terraplane Historical Society and the Southeastern Wisconsin Short Track Hall of Fame, keep their own exhibit spaces here.
For rail fans, the reason to come is Soo Line No. 1003, a 250-ton steam locomotive built in 1913 and housed at the museum alongside other railroad artifacts. It gives a car museum a striking second story: the railroads that moved Wisconsin before the automobile took over, and kept moving it long after.
An acre of cars, and a steam locomotive among them
The museum's art deco interior spreads more than 125 vehicles across about an acre of displays on two floors: Pontiacs, Studebakers, Chevrolets, Kaisers, Fords and cars from around the world, plus gas pumps, signs, license plates, oil cans and other petroliana. More than 25 Kissels fill the signature collection, including the two-passenger Speedster known as the Gold Bug, along with coupes, touring cars, fire engines and trucks. You can also see the only known Badger car.
Soo Line No. 1003 anchors the Steam Locomotive Showcase, where the 1913 engine is displayed with other railroad artifacts. Allow at least an hour, and download the museum's floor map before you go to plan your route between the cars, the club exhibits and the locomotive.
Don’t miss
- Soo Line No. 1003A 250-ton steam locomotive built in 1913 and the centerpiece of the museum's railroad display.
- The Kissel collectionMore than 25 of the fewer than 150 surviving Kissels, built right here in Hartford between 1906 and 1931.
- The Gold Bug SpeedsterKissel's most famous model, once driven by celebrities such as Amelia Earhart, Mary Pickford and Greta Garbo.
- The Badger carThe museum says it holds the only known Badger car.
- Southeastern Wisconsin Short Track Hall of FameA display area honoring regional racing history, a hit with kids who like speed.
Big wheels and bigger wheels
Children who love machines get both kinds here: rows of shiny old cars, fire engines and trucks, plus a 250-ton steam locomotive that dwarfs everything around it. Kids 5 and under get in free, and ages 6 to 16 pay a reduced price. The whole museum is indoors, which makes it a good bad-weather outing, and both floors are fully accessible, so strollers should manage easily.
Plan your visit: tips for Wisconsin Automotive Museum
- Pay in cash to save $1 on each admission ticket.
- Arrive before 4:30 pm, the last admittance.
- Groups of 10 or more get a group rate when they book at least a week ahead.
- Coming from the north, the museum recommends exit 66 onto State Highway 144 to avoid the I-41/60 exit 64 closure.
- Personal photos are fine, but professional photography is not allowed.
Kept going by admissions, donors and car clubs
The museum is an independent nonprofit that receives no city or state funding, so your ticket, gift shop purchase or donation directly supports it. Car owners who lend vehicles and partner clubs such as the Nash Car Club of America help keep the displays changing, and the 2026/27 Speaker Series brings local historians in to share stories from the collection.
Rail outings within an hour of Hartford
The Milwaukee County Zoo Railway is about 26 miles away, and Little Amerricka and its Whiskey River Railway in Marshall is about 36 miles west. For a real trolley ride, the East Troy Railroad Museum is about 37 miles south. Find more in our Wisconsin train museum guide.
- Milwaukee County Zoo RailwayMilwaukee, WI · about 26 mi
- Little Amerricka / Whiskey River RailwayMarshall, WI · about 36 mi
- East Troy Railroad MuseumEast Troy, WI · about 37 mi
- Milwaukee Road Historical AssociationWisconsin, WI · about 53 mi
- Wisconsin Historical Society railroad collectionMadison, WI · about 54 mi
- Kenosha Electric StreetcarKenosha, WI · about 58 mi
Bring Rally along: a train book for the drive
A 250-ton locomotive like No. 1003 must look like a mountain to a small child, and even more like one to a corgi. In our book, Rally stands at the bottom of the big train stairs, his short legs no match for them, until Dad lifts him up. I wanted that page to feel like every little kid who has ever needed a hand. Rally and Dad are both on our coloring pages if you want to print them.
Free for train families
Print the Rally coloring pages before you go
Watercolor coloring pages from the book, free to print. Tuck a few in a folder with crayons for the drive or the wait for the next train.
Get the free coloring pages
A train story for the ride homeRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi's first train trip to see his grand-paw-rents. Hand-painted in real watercolor. $13.99 on Amazon, for ages 0 to 8.
Buy on Amazon (opens in a new tab)More for train families
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- Train museums in every state: search by town or near you
- Christmas train rides in Wisconsin
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- Every Amtrak route with kids
Work or volunteer at Wisconsin Automotive Museum?
We want this page to be the best introduction to your museum on the web. Send new hours, event dates, corrections or photos to kelsey@rallytakesthetrain.com and we will update it. You are welcome to share this page with your members.
Sources
Everything on this page comes from the museum’s own website and social pages and, for history, Wikipedia, checked October 19, 2026.
Wisconsin Automotive Museum: 20 questions about cars, trains and visiting
What are the Wisconsin Automotive Museum hours?
As of October 2026, the museum is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm, and it is closed Sunday through Tuesday. No one is admitted after 4:30 pm. The museum notes that hours may change without notice, so call (262) 673-7999 before a long drive.
How much is admission to the Wisconsin Automotive Museum?
As of October 2026, admission is $15 for adults, $14 for seniors 65 and older, $7 for ages 6 to 16, and free for children 5 and under. The museum takes cash, Visa and MasterCard, and paying cash takes $1 off each ticket. Prices can change without notice.
Where is the Wisconsin Automotive Museum?
The museum is at 147 N. Rural Street in Hartford, Wisconsin 53027, northwest of Milwaukee. If you are coming from the north, the museum suggests taking exit 66 onto State Highway 144 to avoid the southbound exit 64 closure at the I-41 and Highway 60 interchange.
Is there a train at the Wisconsin Automotive Museum?
Yes. The museum houses Soo Line No. 1003, a 250-ton steam locomotive built in 1913, in its Steam Locomotive Showcase along with other railroad artifacts. It is a display piece rather than a ride, and one TripAdvisor reviewer titled a review about coming for the train and getting distracted by the cars.
What is Soo Line No. 1003?
Soo Line No. 1003 is a steam locomotive built in 1913 that weighs about 250 tons. The Soo Line was a major railroad across the upper Midwest. The locomotive is displayed inside the Wisconsin Automotive Museum with other railroad artifacts, and the museum's website has a page with more about it.
How long does it take to see the Wisconsin Automotive Museum?
The museum recommends at least one hour to see the exhibits. Car and train fans who want to read the signs, study the Kissels and spend time at Soo Line No. 1003 will want more. Since last admission is 4:30 pm, arriving by early afternoon gives you plenty of time.
What are Kissel cars?
Kissels were high-end automobiles built in Hartford from 1906 to 1931. The museum estimates about 26,000 to 27,000 were made, and fewer than 150 complete Kissels survive. More than 25 are on display, the largest assembled group anywhere, including coupes, touring cars, fire engines and trucks.
What is the Kissel Gold Bug?
The Gold Bug was the nickname of the Kissel two-passenger Speedster, the company's most famous model. Owners included celebrities of the 1920s such as Amelia Earhart, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, Greta Garbo and Fatty Arbuckle. The museum displays the Gold Bug as part of its Kissel collection.
How many cars are at the Wisconsin Automotive Museum?
The museum displays more than 125 vehicles, usually between 120 and 125 at a time, across about an acre on two floors. Makes include Pontiacs, Studebakers, Chevrolets, Kaisers and Fords, plus cars from around the world. The display changes as loaned cars come and go.
When did the Wisconsin Automotive Museum open?
The museum opened in July 1986 with 46 cars on its first floor. Over the years the second floor was renovated, and the collection grew to its current size of about 120 to 125 vehicles. The museum celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2026 with a speaker series talk on its history.
Who owns the Wisconsin Automotive Museum?
The museum is a private, nonprofit educational organization, a 501(c)(3), and is not owned by any individual. It does not receive city or state funding and relies on admissions, donations, gift shop sales and event income. The collection is roughly half loaned cars and half museum-owned.
Is the Wisconsin Automotive Museum wheelchair accessible?
Yes. The museum says both of its floors are fully handicap accessible, so visitors using wheelchairs, walkers or strollers can reach the full collection. Call (262) 673-7999 ahead of time if your group needs any other arrangements.
Is the Wisconsin Automotive Museum good for kids?
Yes, especially for kids who love vehicles. There are fire engines and trucks among the cars, racing displays in the Short Track Hall of Fame and a giant steam locomotive. Children 5 and under get in free and ages 6 to 16 pay $7. Everything is indoors, which makes it a good rainy-day trip.
Does the Wisconsin Automotive Museum offer group rates?
Yes. Groups of 10 or more receive a group rate when the visit is scheduled at least one week in advance. Contact the museum at (262) 673-7999 or info@wisconsinautomuseum.com to set a date and confirm pricing.
Can I take photos at the Wisconsin Automotive Museum?
The museum does not allow professional photography. Its posted rules do not ban casual snapshots, and many visitors share photos in their reviews, but if you plan anything beyond personal photos, ask the front desk or call (262) 673-7999 first.
What is the Badger car at the Wisconsin Automotive Museum?
The museum says it has the only known Badger car, and it invites visitors to get up close to it. It is one of several rare Wisconsin-built vehicles in the collection, alongside the Kissels and the Nash cars displayed by the Nash Car Club of America.
What car clubs have exhibits at the Wisconsin Automotive Museum?
The Nash Car Club of America has a space dedicated to Kenosha-born Nash vehicles and memorabilia. The Hudson Essex Terraplane Historical Society and the Southeastern Wisconsin Short Track Hall of Fame also keep display areas for their vehicles and racing history.
Does the Wisconsin Automotive Museum host events?
Yes. The 2026/27 Speaker Series brings historians and museum professionals to talk about automotive history, including 40 Years of the Wisconsin Automotive Museum on October 21, 2026 and The History of Hood Ornaments on November 18, 2026, both at 6:30 pm. See the museum's website for the full series.
Does the Wisconsin Automotive Museum have a gift shop?
Yes. The gift shop sells museum memorabilia chosen to reflect the exhibits, which makes good keepsakes for car and train fans. Gift shop sales are one of the ways the nonprofit museum funds itself, since it receives no city or state support.
What train museums are near the Wisconsin Automotive Museum?
The Milwaukee County Zoo Railway is about 26 miles away, Little Amerricka and its Whiskey River Railway in Marshall about 36 miles, and the East Troy Railroad Museum, with its electric trolley rides, about 37 miles. The Wisconsin Historical Society railroad collection in Madison is about 54 miles.
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