As soon as you step inside, you’re hit by the scent of decades-old leather and gleaming chrome. Less than an hour’s drive from Amsterdam, you suddenly find yourself face to face with vehicles that have single-handedly shaped world history and pop culture.
This is the Louwman Collection in The Hague. It is the world’s oldest private car collection, and definitely one of the most unusual museums in the Netherlands that you can visit. Here, historic pioneers from before 1910 stand side by side with the most iconic Hollywood legends. A place where the sophisticated world of James Bond espionage clashes with the raw mafia brutality of *The Godfather* and the pure rock ’n’ roll of Elvis Presley.
Original Hollywood classics in the flesh
Here stand the real movie stars made of steel. No replicas—just the actual 1964 Aston Martin DB5 that Sean Connery drove in *Goldfinger*. The original gadgets from Q-Branch are still in place: from the Browning machine guns behind the turn signals to the legendary ejector seat.
Right next to it, you’ll find the jet-black Lincoln Continental (1941) from *The Godfather*, the car in which Sonny Corleone was ambushed in a bloody ambush. Movie cars from the classic *Genevieve* (1953) and the red DeSoto taxi from *The Godfather* also gleam before your eyes. This is Hollywood history you can touch.
Elvis, Churchill, and a steam-spewing swan
The absolute pinnacle of eccentricity is the 1910 Brooke Swan Car . This hand-carved wooden swan caused total chaos on the streets of Calcutta back in the day. The bizarre vehicle had terrifying glowing eyes and spewed boiling water from its beak to clear the crowded streets.
Right next to it, you’ll find Elvis Presley’s bright orange Cadillac Fleetwood (1976) , whose dashboard lights flash in time with the bass of the music. A completely different atmosphere is provided by Winston Churchill’s discreet Humber Pullman (1954), complete with a specially designed, extra-large ashtray for his legendary giant cigars.
More than 275 legendary vehicles under one roof
In addition to the movie stars, this place houses the very dawn of the automobile. Here, you’ll wander past more than 275 historic vehicles, with the absolute crown jewel being the original Benz Patent-Motorwagen from 1886. This is the world’s very first gasoline-powered car.
From early electric pioneers to antique race cars from the Dutch brand Spyker, history is tangible everywhere here. Best of all, this impressive journey through time is just a 50-minute drive from Amsterdam . Park right outside the door and set aside at least three hours to take in this unique world-class collection.
