We suspected we might see some increased foot traffic while our recent admission-price rollback was in play. But what truly transpired went beyond our wildest imagination (and if you’ve been here, you know that’s saying a lot).Thousands walked through our doors in the nine days between Dec. 2 and Dec. 10 when we offered 50-cent admission — a nostalgic nod to the fee folks paid back when the Volo Auto Museum first opened in 1960. In fact, 4,083 people visited. That’s a high nine-day number. And we are so pleased to have...

Back when the Volo Auto Museum first opened in 1960, visitors paid 50 cents apiece to see a smattering of jalopies in a 10,000-square-foot, gravel-floored pole barn.   From Dec. 2-10 in 2017, those same two quarters will buy a far more bountiful feast for the eyes.   “Now more than ever, our exhibits appeal to all ages, genders and tastes,” said Brian Grams, museum director. “We truly are a family venue. To encourage more people to see what we have, we’re rolling back the clock to our original 1960s fee for nine days this December.”  ...

The era of 15-cent hamburgers under the golden arches may be disappearing from the Des Plaines landscape. But a movement is afoot to find the iconic McDonald’s museum a new home in Volo.“I’d love to be able to relocate and restore the entire structure,” said Brian Grams, director of the Volo Auto Museum at 27582 Volo Village Road. Ever since he learned Tuesday of McDonald’s plans to demolish the Ray Kroc-inspired replica that long has stood in the location of the first “modern-era” McDonald’s in Des Plaines, Grams has been intrigued. He ev...

Recent news that Chuck E. Cheese restaurants across the country were bidding farewell to their animatronic bands struck a nostalgic chord with more than a few of the restaurant’s patrons. After all, today’s parents have been enjoying the antics of these furry, robotic bandmates since their own childhoods. Even Conan O’Brien chimed in on the subject in an August episode of his TBS show. So, when Volo Auto Museum Director Brian Grams was tagged in a Fox News social media post about the availability of one of the bands on Craigslist, he was i...

Wait. So, we can meet Svengoolie, enjoy a Halloween-themed magic show, dig into a grilled hot dog and some roasted corn on the cob, grab some goody bags for the kids and sit back for a guided, 30-minute train tour? Yes, you can do all of that — and much more — this Saturday, Oct. 28, at the Volo Auto Museum, 27582 Volo Village Road, the place for Halloween fun this weekend.“We’ve added on some activities to make it a full day of excitement rather than just for the few hours that Svengoolie will be here,” said Brian Grams, museum director. ...

  Volo Auto Museum director names Top 10 scariest cars in film   VOLO — For some Halloween fun, we asked Volo Auto Museum Director Brian Grams to name his Top 10 scariest cars in film — many of which can be seen at the Volo Auto Museum, 27582 Volo Village Road. Counting down from 10 to one, they are:    No. 10: “The Wraith” — Charlie Sheen played the undead spirit of a murdered teen in this 1980s film, and the Dodge M4S he drove has been dubbed the most bad-a** car of the ’80s.   No. 9: “Duel” — Steven Spielberg’s directorial debut ...

Around Town at Volo Auto Museum  Click Here to Watch Video

  Volo’s latest celebrity car one ‘yuge’ find   VOLO — Love him or hate him, there’s no denying President Trump’s stratospheric fame.    So, what’s an auto museum director who features eclectic celebrity cars to do when he comes across a one-of-two-in-the-world Trump edition Cadillac limousine formerly owned by none other than Donald J. Trump himself? He buys it, of course.   “We’re not making a political statement one way or the other,” said Brian Grams, director of the museum at 27582 Volo Village Road. “We display rare, interesti...

  What was once a 110-year-old farm became a classic car museum in 1960 where people could purchase and view old time vehicles. Volo Auto Museum offers 33 exhibits including a Movie and TV tour that lets tourists........   CONTINUE READING AND TAKE THE QUIZ HERE

  VOLO — Anyone into model car building back in the 1960s likely is familiar with Tom Daniel’s Red Baron — one of the most popular model kit cars Monogram ever sold.   “The model did so well, there was a real car made based off of it,” said Brian Grams, director of the Volo Auto Museum, which recently acquired one of the few life-sized versions in existence. The Red Baron — featuring its trademark German World War I helmet as the crazy coupe’s roof — was in customizer Keith Dean’s shop in California for restoration work, Grams said.   ...