If you ever wanted to establish a museum dedicated to the RV industry, you couldn’t find a better place than Elkhart, Indiana. Fortunately, the non-profit RV/MH Heritage Foundation did just that, establishing its headquarters in a new facility located right alongside Interstate 80 in Northern Indiana. With more than 80 percent of all RVs being manufactured in the immediate area, it’s the perfect location. This 56,000-square-foot facility was built in 2007 to allow more room, easier access, and greater visibility than was had at the previous cramped location in downtown Elkhart. The new facility houses a convention center, library, hall of fame, and museum. It’s truly a must-see stop for any RV owner visiting the area.

The 5,000-square-foot second-floor library contains virtually anything and everything ever published regarding RVs or RV travel. The library houses manufacturer catalogs, dealer materials, photographs, books, and periodical publications. Complete magazine collections exist featuring issues as old as 1941, so if you ever need to research anything pertaining to a classic RV, you are bound to find it here. If you have any questions, the museum’s historian, Al Hesselbart, is a walking encyclopedia and will undoubtedly know the answer to any RV-related question.

The RV Founders Hall museum contains an extensive collection of many classic RVs. The oldest travel trailer in the world, a 1913 Earl greets visitors who first enter the museum. Exhibits such as Model T “Telescoping Apartment” motorhome follow as you take a walk through time. Some of the more popular exhibits are Mae West’s 1931 Chevrolet House car, a 1954 Shasta, a 1928 Pierce Arrow House car, a 1974 GMC Motorhome, and a 1967 Winnebago “Eyebrow” Motorhome.