Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The museum preserves the Schlumpf brothers' collection, made up between 1961 and 1963, with about 480 cars, 422 of which are listed as historical monuments. Fritz Schlumpf, an industrial company, acquires these vehicles through contacts in Europe and the United States, focusing on European models. The textile crisis of the 1970s forced the brothers to deposit the balance sheet, endangering this unique collection.

In 1981, an association bringing together the city of Mulhouse, the Département du Haut-Rhin, the Alsace Region and other partners purchased the collection for 44 million francs, after authorization from the Court of Cassation. The museum opened to the public on 10 July 1982. In 1989, following decisions of the Court of Appeal of Paris, the museum must add "Collection Schlumpf" to its name on all its documents.

Installed in an old mill in 1880, the museum offers an immersion in the history of the European automobile, with spaces dedicated to conservation and mechanical evolution. A path of evolution and rings allow demonstrations and animations, strengthening its attractiveness. The collection covers 120 brands and covers a period from 1878 to the present day.

Access to the museum is through a bridge across a canal, symbol of creativity, designed by Studio Milou in 2006. This place, labeled Musée de France, is also a living space for collectors' clubs, with infrastructures such as an outdoor theatre and paddock.

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