The National Car and Tourism museum was created on the initiative of the
Touring Club de France association, in which the major
coachbuilders at the
world's fairs wanted to create a history of land locomotion and contribute to the preservation of horse-drawn and motorized heritage. It was inaugurated on July 1, 1927 by
Édouard Herriot, Minister of Public Instruction and Fine Arts. The museum contains around 100
carriages,
horse-drawn vehicles and porters dating from the 17th century to the 20th century, complemented by a collection of cycles and around 30 automobiles from the early days of the industry, as well as a collection of transport-related documents. Famous model automobiles in the collection include: •
La Mancelle,
Amédée Bollée's steam car presented at the
1878 Paris Exposition • Marquis de Broe's steam coach, bodied by Muhlbacker, weighing 7 tons •
Panhard & Levassor type A from 1891 • Double Phaëton Gobron-Brillié from 1898 •
La Jamais Contente from 1899, an electric car that was the first to reach 100 km/h • Renault Type A from 1899 • De Dion-Bouton Type AX from 1907 • Terrot-Cuzeau motorcycle from 1916 • Croisière noire Citroën car (1924) File:Compiègne (60), musée de la Voiture, la Mancelle (1878) 3.jpg|La Mancelle File:Compiègne (60), musée de la Voiture, Tilbury automobile Panhard-Levassor 1891 2.jpg|Panhard & Levassor type A. File:Compiègne (60), musée de la Voiture, double Phaëton automobile Gobron-Brillié 1898 3.jpg|Double Phaëton Gobron-Brillié. File:Compiègne (60), musée de la Voiture, voiturette automobile Renault frères, type A, 1899.jpg|Renault type A File:Jamais Contente - Compiègne - 2011.JPG|
La Jamais Contente (1899) File:De Dion-Bouton Type AX.JPG|De Dion-Bouton Type AX File:Autochenille L'Eléphant-à-la-Tour, Musée National de la Voiture et du Tourisme, Compiègne, France.jpg|Autochenille Citroën L'Éléphant-à-la-Tour File:Compiègne (60), musée de la Voiture, calèche d'apparat en vis-à-vis du prince impérial (1859) 2.jpg|
Ceremonial carriage for the
Prince Imperial (1859) File:Musée-de-la-voiture-a-Compiegne-DSC 0327.jpg|One of the elaborate carriages in the carriage room == Activities ==