Cité de l'Automobile (Musée National de l'Automobile), Mulhouse

The Musée National de l'Automobile, Collection Schlumpf, long marketed as the Cité de l'Automobile, is France's national car museum, housed in a former spinning mill in Mulhouse in southern Alsace. It holds the largest Bugatti collection in the world and suits car enthusiasts, families and anyone travelling between Alsace and Basel.

How the Schlumpf brothers built the collection

The cars were gathered by Hans and Fritz Schlumpf, brothers who founded a woollen spinning business in 1935. They bought the mill that now houses the museum in 1957. Fritz began collecting seriously in the early 1950s, bought the 30 Bugattis of the American collector John Shakespeare in 1963, and by 1967 the brothers owned 105.

When the textile business declined and labour unrest broke out in 1977, the brothers left for Switzerland and workers opened the collection to the public. It was classified as a historic monument in 1978, sold in 1981 to an association and reopened in 1982 as the national automobile museum. After renovation by Culturespaces it reopened in March 2000 as the Cité de l'Automobile; the museum now uses its national museum name again.

More than 450 cars, led by three Bugatti Royales

The museum describes a collection of more than 450 cars. Its Bugattis form the largest group of the marque anywhere and include three Royales, two originals and a replica. Racing cars include a line of Bugatti Type 35s, Maserati 250Fs, Mercedes-Benz W125 and W154 cars and Gordinis.

The main hall is lit by lamp posts modelled on those of the Pont Alexandre III in Paris. Driving simulators, films and the outdoor Autodrome, used for demonstrations, round out the visit. Newer additions include an escape game called Le secret Schlumpf, a virtual reality experience, QR-code commentary, activity booklets for children and a music space devoted to the Alsatian singer Claudio Capéo.

In late 2026 renovation work in the "Aventure" section means ten vehicles are off view, among them a Bugatti Type 40, a Lancia Lambda and a Lancia Dilambda. Check before travelling if a particular car is the reason for your trip.

Two cafés and classic car drives

The museum has two places to eat: L'atelier Bar, a 1920s-style bar for coffee and cocktails, and L'atelier comptoir, serving traditional food with views over the Autodrome towards the Vosges. Through a partner, Myclassic, visitors can book drives in classic cars.