Entry No. 68 — the Denver file — filed under: history
Cussler Museum
Adventure novelist Clive Cussler (Dirk Pitt, 'Raise the Titanic') spent decades quietly hoarding rare automobiles, and they live in a plain Arvada warehouse most of his neighbors couldn't point you to. The collection runs 75-plus cars built between 1906 and 1965 — a 1906 Stanley Steamer at one end, a 1965 Corvette Stingray at the other, with Bugatti, Rolls-Royce, Packard, Bentley and Duesenberg in between, roughly 60 on the floor at any time. Cussler died in 2020, but the museum he opened in 2005 still runs on his terms: open only a few days a week, only half the year, no flash. It's the rare car museum where you might be the only person in the building.
The story
If you've read any of Clive Cussler’s adventure novels, you know his hero Dirk Pitt didn't just escape villains in submersibles—he fled in rare, impossible vintage automobiles like a 1930 Packard Boattail or a 1931 Stutz. What Cussler’s millions of readers didn't always realize is that those weren't fictional set pieces. Cussler was quietly buying every single one of those cars in real life and tucking them away in an unpretentious warehouse in far northwest Arvada, miles from downtown Denver and completely hidden from his neighbors.
Opened in 2005 and maintained by his estate following his death in 2020, the Cussler Museum houses over 100 cars amassed across decades of bestseller royalty checks, with roughly 60 on the floor at any given time. Bookended by a 1906 Stanley Steamer and a 1965 Corvette Stingray, the floor is packed with pre-war Bugattis, Duesenbergs, Rolls-Royces, and Bentleys. There is even a 1918 Cadillac originally gifted by Broadway impresario Florenz Ziegfeld to his wife Billie Burke—best known as Glinda the Good Witch in The Wizard of Oz.
What makes the venue delightfully strange is how aggressively it resists being a standard tourist attraction. There are no glitzy interactives, no aggressive gift shops, and no marquee out on West 69th Avenue. There are two plain industrial buildings on the lot; one holds the rest of the collection in storage, while the other simply unlocks its front door a few days a week for five months out of the year. Step inside and you are standing inches from millions of dollars in pristine brass and custom coachwork under fluorescent lights, usually in complete silence.
What it's like
Arriving feels more like showing up at a private garage than visiting a world-class car museum. You'll drive out past residential Arvada to an unmarked beige warehouse on W 69th Ave, where parking is free in the lot or along the street. Look for the open door on the main building—the second building on the lot holds rotated storage and stays locked. Inside, the vibe is strictly low-key: polished concrete floors, the faint smell of engine oil and leather, and virtually no crowds, meaning you can examine custom 1930s grillwork without bumping shoulders with anyone. Tip: because it operates only Thursdays, Fridays, and the first Saturday of the month from May through September, confirm their exact schedule on cusslermuseum.com before driving out, then save lunch for Olde Town Arvada on your way back.
The move: Make the drive out to Arvada on a Thursday or Friday in summer, take your time through the chrome and brass with almost nobody around, then grab lunch in Olde Town Arvada afterward.
📍 Before you go It's a low warehouse on W 69th Ave in far northwest Arvada, with no real signage out front — there are actually two buildings on the lot, but only one is open to visitors (the other holds the rest of the collection in storage), so look for the open door rather than a marquee. Parking is free, both in the lot and on the street. The whole operation is seasonal, May through September, and only a few days a week, so this is a plan-ahead trip, not a drop-in — hours shift, so check the site before driving out. The location sits well west of Olde Town Arvada, where the shops and restaurants are, so save your meal for the drive back in.
- 📍 Arvada
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 14959 W 69th Ave, Arvada, CO 80007 (unmarked warehouse)
Hours: Seasonal: May through September only, Thursdays and Fridays plus the first Saturday of each month, 10am-4:30pm. Closed entirely the rest of the year — confirm on cusslermuseum.com before driving out.
Pair it with
- Bernard's Tiki Room — After inspecting Cussler's secret garage, drive east into Olde Town Arvada to slip upstairs behind Arvada Tavern into a hidden Polynesian tiki lounge.
- Secret Level Arcade & Bar — Pair Cussler's mid-century luxury chrome with 1980s pinball cabinets and retro arcade games in walkable Olde Town Arvada.
- SomePlace Else Brewery — Trade vintage luxury auto restorations for vintage pinball machines and house-brewed beer at this nearby Arvada brewcade.
- Tower of Memories — Continue your route through Denver's offbeat architectural secrets by heading south to Wheat Ridge to view this active 158-foot Gothic mausoleum tower.
Good to know
When is the Cussler Museum open?
The museum operates seasonally from May through September, open Thursdays, Fridays, and the first Saturday of each month from 10:00am to 4:30pm. It is closed entirely from October through April.
How do I find the museum if there is no sign?
Set your GPS for 14959 W 69th Ave in Arvada. The museum is housed in a low industrial warehouse with no marquee; look for the open front door on the public display building.
Did Clive Cussler actually own all these cars?
Yes. Every car in the collection was personally bought and owned by Clive Cussler, who frequently wrote his real-world vehicle purchases into his Dirk Pitt adventure novels.
How many cars are on display at once?
The full collection numbers over 100 vehicles spanning 1906 to 1965, with roughly 60 displayed on the main showroom floor at a time while the rest stay in the adjacent storage building.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · visitarvada.org · uncovercolorado.com
last checked: 2026-06-07