Attraction of the Week: Hollywood Stars Cars Museum
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If you have ever visited or driven through Gatlinburg, you probably have noticed that almost the entirety of the town is loaded with cheesy & gimmicky attractions (I also recommend Hillbilly Golf and the Salt and Pepper Shaker Museum). If there ever was a tourist trap, it’s definitely this town. While the majority of the attractions are a bit on the tacky side, as well as overpriced & overrated, I was pleasantly surprised by this quirky museum dedicated to movie cars. As a movie buff (especially of the 80’s and 90’s), I thought it would be cool to see some of my favorite cars. I recommend any film and TV buffs to add a quick visit to the Hollywood Stars Cars Museum to your itinerary.
The space is small and it’s a bit overpriced, although I loved seeing so many classic movie cars, many of which were as much of a character as the actors themselves. A variety of cars featured in both films & TV series from the past 5 decades are on display. Numerous works of George Barris, whom has created more movie cars than anyone else, can be viewed here. Most notably, you will see the famous Batmobile from the 1960’s TV series.
Some have debated the authenticity of several of the vehicles, believing many to be replicas not used in filming. Unfortunately, there is no way to no for sure! Regardless, I thought it was cool seeing some cars from my favorite movies like 80’s and 90’s movies like Jurassic Park and Back to the Future. If anything, it’s a nice place to take an air conditioned break during the hot and humid summer season.
Throughout the museum, will find various memorabilia from the cast and filming process, although I wish there was a bit more info about the actual cars. I did enjoy the retro vibe which included props and sound effects by each display.
A look at some of the famous cars on display
You will notice so many of the most memorable movie cars here including the DeLorean from Back to the Future, the Ecto-1 from Ghostbusters, a Batmobile from Batman Returns, and the Mitsubishi Eclipse from The Fast and the Furious. We lucked out and visited on a pretty quiet day so it was easy to take photos.
The DeLorean from Back to the Future
I loved seeing the famous Delorean from one of my favorite movies of all time. Despite being on the market a very short time (1981-1983), the iconic sports car is set to make a 2019 comeback. The new addition will have many upgrades in comparison to the numerous problems that led to the previous model’s poor ratings and eventual discontinuation. A Delorean will set you back as much as $100,000!
So now that we are well past Back to the Future Day (October 21, 2015), just how far have we come? While numerous predictions from Back to the Future came true, we are still not quite at the flying car stage!
I loved browsing through the memorabilia which included: autographed photos, the hoverboard, and the Sports Almanac.
The Ecto-1 from Ghostbusters
The Ecto-1 is a 1959 Cadillac professional chassis, built by the Miller-Meteor company. As you peer into the windows, you will see that there is plenty of room for ghost hunting equipment! On a cool side note, we learned at the museum that the car was originally going to be painted black with flashing strobe lights. Producers decided to paint in white so it would stand out more during the numerous night scenes! I think this was an excellent decision as we all now associate this car with the movie!
The Batmobile from Batman Returns
The Batmobile featured in both Batman & Batman Returns is a 1989 Chevy Impala Chassis. Designer Julian Caldow came up for the design of the Batmobile under direction from director Tim Burton and production designer Anton Furst. The film crew called this batmobile “the Keaton mobile” after star Michael Keaton. The only Batman is Michael Keaton (really is any Keaton movie bad?) in my opinion, so I loved seeing this one.
Beach Boys T-Bird
The museum houses a 1955 Thunderbird owned by Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys, autographed by the entire group. The T-bird will remain forever immortalized due to the catchy lyrics of Fun, Fun, Fun. “And she’ll have fun fun fun ‘Til her daddy takes the T-Bird away.” In my opinion, nothing says summer like throwing on a Beach Boys Sounds of Summer vinyl.
The Original Batmobile
The original Batmobile designed by George Barris for the classic 60’s TV series is on display. Barris designed it exclusively for the show from a 1955 Lincoln Futura concept car. A total of 4 batmobiles were made. The first auctioned for 4.2 million in January of 2013. I wasn’t as big a fan of the TV show as the movies, but still cool to see in person!
The possessed car from Christine
The supernatural car “Christine” based on the Stephen King thriller is literally the star of the film. No one really remembers who starred in this film besides the spooky demonic vehicle. Watching this cheesy, eccentric horror flick is always on my October lineup. Just seeing this cool display made me want to watch the movie again, Halloween or not. While the 1958 Plymouth Fury made the most appearances in the film, the Savoy and Belvedere models were also used in various scenes.
The Bumblebee from Transformers
The famous Bumblebee camaro from Transformers is a fun sight for fans of the Michael Bay action series. The 1997 Bumblebee camaro transformed via a 2006 Chevy Camaro Concept, a smart marketing move which helped to revitalize interest in the car. The camaro returned to the market in 2009 thanks in part to the popularity of the movie.
T2 motorcycle
A frequent question of Arnold Schwarzenegger fans is what motorcycle is he riding on in Terminator 2? I am a huge Schwarzenegger fan with T2 being my favorite, along with the underrated 90’s classic Last Action Hero. The answer is a 1990 Harley Davidson “Fat Boy” model FLSTF. Not surprisingly, this has been one of the best selling models since its’ debut in 1990.
The Squad car from The Andy Griffith Show
While Mayberry from the beloved Andy Griffith show was actually a set in Culver City, CA, the town was based on Andy Griffith’s actual hometown: Mt. Airy, North Carolina. Today, you can take a tour of the town via an old Galaxy 500 squad car.
Fans of the classic 60’s era TV series will love seeing Barney Fife’s squad car up close at this museum. I admit that I only watch this show while visiting my dad, but it was still fun seeing the car.
The Stormchaser from Twister
The Stormchaser in the Helen Hunt 90’s classic Twister was a 1982 Jeep PickUp. According to the museum, four different trucks were used during the filming process, however, only this one remains. On an interesting side note, a tornado hit the town 14 years after the movie filmed! In May of 2010, a real life twister hit Wakita, Oklahoma. The farm featured in several movies scenes suffered heavy damages.
Lamborghini owned by Mike Tyson
This 2000 Lamborghini Diablo VT was once owned by heavyweight champion Mike Tyson. This was the first lamborghini able to exceed 200 MPH. This sleek looking sports car is reportedly the most expensive car at the museum.
The Beverly Hillbillies family truck
George Barris customized a 1921 Oldsmobile Model 43-A for use by the Clampetts as they adjust to their new life in Beverly Hills. This is probably one of the most recognizable cars of all time due to its’ ample screen time. Even though I didn’t watch this show must, I sure can recognize this car right away! Not surprisingly, the iconic hot rod always shows up on the list of bestTV cars.
How long will it take?
On a downside, there are only 40 or so cars to explore, so it does not take long at all to walk through this museum. Honestly, it’s not the best value as you are paying nearly 20 bucks to walk through a half hour museum. I recommend picking up a coupon booklet (located at various stands throughout town) to save yourself a few bucks.
Don’t forget about the gorgeous trails
And, as a side note, the Smokies is such a gorgeous place to explore. I recommend getting out there and exploring some of the beautiful trails and waterfalls in the region at one of the only free national parks in the country. Exploring the beautiful national park is a much better value than any tacky museum! There are also numerous scenic drives and overlooks for anyone not interested/unable to hike.
Additional details
- Location: 914 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738
- Hours: 9am-9pm
- Admission: $20 adults, $11 kids (6-12). Save $2 by booking online. Pricing current as of spring of 2026.
