Reno Museum Day Trip from Sparks: A One-Day Route

A one-day Reno museums itinerary is easiest to plan by matching your stops to their opening days and the kind of collection you want to see. The National Automobile Museum and Nevada Museum of Art make a downtown-focused day; the Wilbur D. May Museum offers a different collection inside Rancho San Rafael Regional Park.

For a two-stop day, pair the automobile museum with the art museum, then check their hours and admission before you set out. The automobile museum opens earlier on weekdays, while the art museum stays open later on Thursdays.

If you are visiting on Monday, the art museum is closed; on Monday or Tuesday, the Wilbur D. May Museum is also closed.

Choose the Wilbur D. May Museum instead if its collection and park setting better suit your plan. Its admission changes by season, and its opening hours differ on Sundays. The museums’ addresses and parking arrangements can help you choose between the downtown stops and the museum inside the regional park.

The National Automobile Museum brings together more than 225 cars at 1 Museum Dr. in Reno. It opened in 1989, and its galleries make it a clear first stop for a day centered on automotive history.

It is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

General admission is $16; seniors age 65 and older pay $15, active military, veterans and first responders with ID pay $14, youth ages 6–17 pay $13, children age 5 and younger enter for $3, and members enter free. Parking is free.

Daily guided tours are offered at 1:30 p.m., take about 90 minutes and depend on volunteer guide availability. Contact the museum to confirm a guide is available if you want to join a tour. The museum is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Personal-use photography is allowed with handheld cameras and available light or electronic flash. Tripods, lights, and photography for reproduction or sale require permission. For details on the collection and a visit, see the National Automobile Museum visitor guide.

The Nevada Museum of Art adds a visual-arts stop at 160 West Liberty Street in Reno. It is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; it is closed Mondays and national holidays.

General admission is $15. Students and seniors pay $13, children ages 6–14 pay $3, and children age 5 and younger and members enter free. Nevada high school students with student ID, along with students from TMCC, WNC and UNR with student ID, also receive free admission.

The museum has a parking lot on its east side. Nearby free and metered street parking may also be available. All public areas are wheelchair accessible, a practical detail to factor into your choice of stop. The Nevada Museum of Art visitor guide covers planning a visit.

The Wilbur D. May Museum is at 1595 N. Sierra Street, inside Rancho San Rafael Regional Park. Its collection spans antique firearms, European glasswork, African tribal masks, Polynesian carvings, Chinese pottery, taxidermy, and saddlery and Western ranching artifacts.

The museum is closed Monday and Tuesday, open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and open Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. From June through December, admission to the Wilbur May Collection is $7 for adults and $5 for youth ages 3–17 and seniors age 62 and older; children under age 3 enter free.

From January through May, special-exhibition admission is $13 for adults and $11 for children and seniors, with free admission for children under age 3. That rate includes the special exhibit, May Collection and Gallery. A large-scale rotating exhibit runs each year from January to April, and admission includes both the special exhibit and permanent collection.

Collection tours last one hour and are available by appointment during most normal business hours. Free parking is outside the museum, subject to special events. The Wilbur D.

May Arboretum is also inside the park; it is free and open year-round during regular park hours, though some special events may charge admission. For more on the museum, consult the Wilbur D. May Museum planning guide.

Plan the day around the museums’ separate addresses and opening schedules, rather than assuming the stops share hours. If you are driving, the National Automobile Museum has free parking, the Nevada Museum of Art has an east-side lot and nearby street parking may be available, and the Wilbur D. May Museum has free parking outside, subject to special events.

Before you go, check the official site for each museum to confirm its current hours, admission and any tour arrangements. This is particularly useful when you are coordinating a guided tour or choosing between the Wilbur D. May Museum’s seasonal admission options.

Can you visit more than one Reno museum in a day?

You can plan a day around two museums by comparing their opening hours and choosing stops that are open on the same day. The National Automobile Museum and Nevada Museum of Art are one downtown-focused pairing.

Which Reno museums are closed on Monday?

The Nevada Museum of Art is closed Mondays. The Wilbur D. May Museum is closed Mondays and Tuesdays.

Does the National Automobile Museum offer guided tours?

Yes. Tours are offered daily at 1:30 p.m., take about 90 minutes and depend on volunteer guide availability. Contact the museum to confirm a guide is available.

Is the Wilbur D. May Arboretum free?

The arboretum is free during regular park hours, though some special events may charge admission.