Entry No. 23 — the Tampa file — filed under: automotive history
Tampa Bay Auto Museum
Founded by French engineer Alain Cerf, this hyper-focused collection highlights early 20th-century automotive engineering oddities rather than typical muscle cars. Visitors can inspect rare Czech Tatras, rear-engine pioneering designs, and a working replica of a 1920s propeller-driven car.
The story
Most Florida car museums are glossy shrines to Detroit muscle, red Corvettes, and chrome tailfins. You won't find any of that here. Tucked inside an industrial park in Pinellas Park—literally across the parking lot from Polypack, the packaging machinery company owned by French engineer Alain Cerf—sits a collection built on mechanical anomalies, forgotten patents, and brilliant misfires. Cerf opened the museum in 2005 to showcase the radical automotive ideas history left behind.
The floor isn't arranged by brand or horsepower; it's organized by engineering audacity. You can inspect rear-engine Czech Tatras complete with dorsal fins and air-cooled V8s, lightweight French experiments like the 1940s Mathis VL 333 aluminum teardrop car, and a fully functional replica of a 1920s propeller-driven car that looks like an airplane fuselage stripped of its wings.
What it's like
The setup feels less like a public tourist attraction and more like stepping into the air-conditioned, private research lab of an eccentric engineer. There are no roaring crowds or velvet ropes keeping you at a distance, so you can stand inches away from unique drivetrain linkages and rear-mounted engine bays. Because it shares space in an industrial complex off Gateway Boulevard, it's easy to drive right past if you aren't paying attention.
The move: Geek out over mechanical anomalies and propeller drivetrains, then debate which bizarre early 20th-century prototype you would dare test-drive.
- 📍 Pinellas Park
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 3301 Gateway Blvd, Pinellas Park, FL 33782
Hours: Added 2026-07-21 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Security Lizard by Paul Eppling — Keep the industrial engineering vibe going by visiting a 30-foot lizard built from recycled scrap metal atop a city maintenance building.
- Dirty Laundry — After looking at obscure vehicular prototypes, dial a payphone inside a working laundromat to gain entry to a hidden speakeasy.
- Culture Shock Oddities & Tattoo Studio — Trade mechanical anomalies for a dark gallery packed with taxidermy, true crime artifacts, and vintage funeral photography.
- St. Petersburg Museum of History — Pivot from French and Czech car oddities to another single-minded obsession: the world's largest certified collection of autographed baseballs.
Good to know
What makes this different from a standard auto museum?
Rather than displaying polished American muscle or classic sports cars, this collection focuses strictly on early 20th-century engineering oddities, including rare Czech Tatras, lightweight teardrop prototypes, and propeller-driven vehicles.
Who created the museum?
The museum was founded in 2005 by French engineer Alain Cerf, who built it directly across the parking lot from his packaging machinery business, Polypack.
Where is the museum located?
It is located at 3301 Gateway Blvd in Pinellas Park, Florida, inside an industrial park area north of St. Petersburg.
When can I visit?
Hours have historically included Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., but schedules fluctuate. Always check their official site before visiting to confirm current hours.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: tbauto.org · wanderflorida.net · felixwong.com · Reddit · acg.aaa.com
last checked: 2026-07-21