Company Profile
Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum
Company Overview
The Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum is an educational not-for-profit 501(c)(3) institution. Its building is an Art Deco treasure, faithfully revitalized to its original 1930’s grandeur – a place where landmark automotive innovation was once a daily occurrence. Here in this building, where the designers, innovators and engineers of an American thoroughbred auto maker worked, visitors experience the impact of the automobile on science and culture.
The museum not only honors three extraordinary motorcars from America’s automotive golden age — the Auburn, the Cord, and the Duesenberg — but also the individuals who created and manufactured them. It is nationally significant as an example of an independent automobile company that made hand-assembled automobiles rather than mass-produced automobiles.
The museum collection is comprised of 120 automobiles (c.1894-2001), 1,700 artifacts, and an estimated 100,000 items in its research archives.
The American Alliance of Museums (AAM), in accordance with the highest standards of excellence, awarded the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum accreditation status in 1997 and subsequent re-accreditation in 2005 and 2021. Less than 5% of the nation’s museums have earned accreditation.
The Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Facility was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2005 - the highest designation in the country. The Secretary of the Interior stated that this site has been found to possess exceptional significance in illustrating or commemorating the history of the United States for the benefit and inspiration of the American people. The museum joins a total of 2,507 National Historic Landmarks, 38 of which are in Indiana.
The museum is located in the former international headquarters building of the Auburn Automobile Company and is recognized as one of the finest examples of Art Deco architecture in the Midwest. It was designated an Indiana State Historic Site in 1992.
The museum provides innovative exhibits and education programs, grounded in scholarly research, to inform a diverse audience representing all 50 states and over 40 countries annually. The story of the Auburn Automobile Company (1903–1937) is woven throughout 16 galleries and restored offices presenting visitors a microcosm of the automobile industry.
The Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum is a founding member of the National Association of Automobile Museums (NAAM) and the DeKalb Alliance of Museums. We believe in the power of collaboration among like-minded organizations who wish to preserve and engage the world in automotive history and culture.