Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Missouri Clarence Lyle Van Houten's Automotive Museum
Lyle Van Houten's Automotive Museum is permanently closed.

This entry remains in the Atlas as a record of its history, but it is no longer accessible to visitors.

Lyle Van Houten's Automotive Museum

This pristinely abandoned filling station on the edge of a graveyard is populated solely by unsettling mannequins.

Clarence, Missouri

Added By
Chelsea Batten
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Lyle Van Houten’s Automotive Museum   TheConnoisseurs.us
Lyle Van Houten’s Automotive Museum   TheConnoisseurs.us
Lyle Van Houten’s Automotive Museum   TheConnoisseurs.us
Lyle Van Houten’s Automotive Museum   TheConnoisseurs.us
Lyle Van Houten’s Automotive Museum   TheConnoisseurs.us
  cjohns36 / Atlas Obscura User
  jerrylintner / Atlas Obscura User
  cjohns36 / Atlas Obscura User
  jerrylintner / Atlas Obscura User
  cjohns36 / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Off an otherwise unremarkable exit on US Highway 36, in the town of Clarence, Missouri, is what seems to be a working gas station from another time, perfectly preserved, complete with gleaming vintage cars at the pumps. But on closer inspection, the station is no longer in service and is filled with mannequins trapped in their moments.  

The former filling station is actually a public display created by the former operator, Lyle Van Houten. After owning and running the station for over 40 years, Van Houten retired and instead of selling his little garage, simply turned it into a temple devoted to vintage cars and the classic era of American filling stations. The entire station has been immaculately preserved from the historic pumps to the original signage; all of it looks like it was just installed yesterday.

A vintage car collector, Van Houten has parked a small collection of historic vehicles outside the station as well, each driven by mannequins in appropriate costume. There is an old Clarence police cruiser with a handcuffs hanging from the mirror, a fancy couple out for a leisurely drive in their sedan, and perhaps most startlingly, a taxi filled with mannequins dressed as marching band monkeys, a scene for which there is no explanation.

The interior of the station can also be viewed from the large plate glass windows and it, too, has been lovingly restored with trinkets, photos, artifacts, and frozen attendants.

The small personal museum is a testament to an era when automotive culture was a bit more dignified. Although between the seemingly in situ staging of the sometimes odd figures, and the graveyard stretching out just feet behind the station, the inherent otherness of Lyle Van Houten's Automotive Museum cannot be denied. 

Related Tags

Automotive History Roadside Attractions Museums

Know Before You Go

While heading east on US Highway 36, turn right on Shelby County Road 303. The museum will be on your left.

Community Contributors

Added By

Chelsea

Edited By

placesthatwere, cjohns36, hyrollin, jerrylintner

  • placesthatwere
  • cjohns36
  • hyrollin
  • jerrylintner

Published

December 10, 2014

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://theconnoisseurs.us/places/5455/
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEyOdfLbrpo
Lyle Van Houten's Automotive Museum
US Highway 36
Clarence, Missouri, 63437
United States
39.748768, -92.257462
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Museum of Osteopathic Medicine

Kirksville, Missouri

miles away

Kirksville Devil's Chair

Kirksville, Missouri

miles away

Walt Disney Hometown Museum

Marceline, Missouri

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Missouri

Missouri

United States

Places 178
Stories 6

Nearby Places

Museum of Osteopathic Medicine

Kirksville, Missouri

miles away

Kirksville Devil's Chair

Kirksville, Missouri

miles away

Walt Disney Hometown Museum

Marceline, Missouri

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Missouri

Missouri

United States

Places 178
Stories 6

Related Places

  • Chandler, Oklahoma

    Seaba Station Motorcycle Museum

    Located along historic Route 66, this former gas station has been restored and converted into a museum filled with vintage motorcycles.

  • Rotterdam, Netherlands

    Street Posts Museum

    An unexpected public exhibit showcases the diversity of Dutch street posts.

  • Albertinia, South Africa

    Tuinplaas - Tiny Town

    A miniature park, fairy garden, milkshake bar, museum, and micronation in one.

  • National Route 66 Museum

    Elk City, Oklahoma

    National Route 66 Museum

    An Oklahoma museum that celebrates the history of the "Mother Road."

  • Brussels, Belgium

    Autoworld

    From motorcycles to firetrucks and sports cars to horse-drawn carriages, this Belgian collection goes beyond rare cars.

  • Automuseum Exhibits

    Vilnius, Lithuania

    Automuseum Vilnius

    Discover the car that once belonged to the King of Nepal in a former Soviet-era taxi park.

  • The 1920s Böhmerland is one of the longest motorcycles ever made, intended to seat three.

    St. Louis, Missouri

    Moto Museum

    Explore the history and craftsmanship of a century of motorcycles at this St. Louis showroom.

  • 1938 Alfa Romeo SC2900B MM

    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

    Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum

    Collection of scores of race cars from the 1900s to recent lovingly maintained and displayed.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.