Winter Wonderland: A Holiday Lights Spectacular is fun for the whole family! It's A unique experience unlike any other holiday lights show attraction you can imagine. Enjoy a driving tour through the lighted grounds, surrounded by festive music and decorations, then journey inside the museum to meet Santa Claus and explore the Gilmore’s Festival of Trees as you walk through our galleries filled with hundreds of classic cars.

In addition to the twinkling lights and delightful decorations, Winter Wonderland boasts a variety of memorable experiences for Gilmore guests to enjoy this winter.

Activities

Visits and photo opportunities with Santa

Gourmet hot chocolate, adult drinks, holiday-themed food & sweets, and holiday gift shopping

A giant, one-of-a-kind maze of holiday inflatables

A nostalgic 1960s fresh Christmas tree and wreath lot, complete with vintage Shasta camper trailer

Dashing Through the Snow family rides through the lights in Ford Model T’s, a Checker Taxi Cab, a ‘63 Cadillac convertible, and several other vintage cars from our collection

A stop inside Santa’s Garage, the big man’s hot rod workshop, located inside our 1930s Shell Station

Classic cars from the museum’s collection dramatically displayed inside Gilmore Snow Globes

Featured outdoor artwork exhibits from legendary automotive illustrators, including Art Fitzpatrick, Van Kaufman, and Jeff Norwell

Buy your tickets now!

Ticket Pricing

At Door:

Adult (18+) - $20
Youth (age 5 - 17) - $12
Child (age 4 and under) - FREE

Online:

Adult (18+) - $17.50
Youth (age 5 - 17) - $9.50
Child (age 4 and under) - FREE

Dates & Hours

Beginning November 25th: Open Thursday through Sunday, 5pm to 9pm

Additional open dates:

Tuesday, December 13th
Monday, December 19th
Tuesday, December 20th
Wednesday, December 21st

FAQs

Yes. Winter Wonderland will be closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.

Tickets are NOT date specific. You may use your ticket on any day between Friday, November 25th and Friday, December 30th. The Winter Wonderland event is closed on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays except for select dates.

Winter Wonderland hours are 5p to 9p each night of operation.

No. Parking at the Gilmore Car Museum is always FREE.

During Winter Wonderland not all outer buildings will be open.

Open: Heritage Center, Franklin, Lincoln, Ford Model A, Cadillac, Steam Barn, Carriage House, Shell Station, Diner, Cafe
Closed: CCCA Museum, Pierce-Arrow, Train Depot, Campania Barn, Pedal Car Bar, Motorcycle Gallery

No, we encourage guests to take advantage of all Winter Wonderland has to offer until the event ends.

Handicap accessible restrooms are available in the Main Gallery.

Yes. The Heritage Cafe, George and Sally's Blue Moon Diner and Gilmore Bar will all be open.

Yes. Regular alcoholic drinks - beer, wine and spirits - will be available as well as holiday themed drinks.

The museum gift shop, three Bavarian Christkindlmarket stalls and a glow cart will be open during the event.

Yes, a limited number of wheelchairs (free) and mobility scooters (a $25 daily rental fee) are available for those who may need assistance. Both are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please ask one of our Museum Store attendants upon your arrival for assistance.

Guests are welcome to bring their own wheelchairs and scooters.

The Gilmore Car Museum does not provide refunds or exchanges on tickets once purchased. All Winter Wonderland programming will occur in all-weather conditions. The Gilmore Car Museum would cancel programming only in the case of extreme weather. Please check for updates on our social media pages or website.

Warm clothing and appropriate footwear are recommended, as part of the Winter Wonderland experience consists of outdoor walking areas.

Please be aware that Winter Wonderland includes the following:

Dark environments with areas of uneven terrain. Please bring a flashlight if you feel it will assist you
in navigating the event.
Crowds
Wood smoke and open flame
A possibility of ice and/or snow on walkways. We do regularly salt and shovel, but slippery conditions may still exist.

Strollers and wagons will not be available to rent for this event. However, you are welcome to bring your own wagons and strollers. Keep in mind that strollers/wagons which are particularly wide may not fit through some of the site’s more narrow passageways.

Sorry, but no. Winter Wonderland is for humans only.

Photography and video recording for personal use are permitted. No tripods, monopods, or drones are allowed on the site and NO storage is available for these items. You will not be allowed to enter with these items so you must leave them in your car or at home.

The drive-through light show is 1.0 mile long.

The Gilmore Car Museum does not provide refunds or exchanges on tickets once purchased. Tickets are not refundable, but are transferable between persons, not events. You can gift your tickets to someone you know if you can't make it.

Your membership card does not grant you access to special events.

The tunnel of lights is 12 feet tall and 22 feet wide, but slopes on the sides as it's an arch. Standard size vehicles will fit, no problem, but lifted vehicles may have to be measured at home first.