Mack Trucks Historical Museum | Allentown

The Mack Trucks Historical Museum is a 38,000-square-foot archive and exhibition center that chronicles more than 120 years of heavy-duty trucking innovation. Housed inside Mack’s former engineering development building on the Lehigh Valley Operations campus in Allentown, Pennsylvania, the museum combines restored vehicles, interactive engineering displays, and deep corporate archives to tell the story of the bulldog brand.

Exhibition halls

• Vehicle Gallery – Forty fully restored Mack models line a two-level, skylit hall. Highlights include a 1911 AC “Bulldog” chain-drive, a 1938 ED sedan delivery, the 1957 B-61 tandem that helped standardize diesel in long-haul fleets, a rare 1978 Cruiseliner cab-over in period Petro-Canada livery, and the last-off-the-line 2005 Freedom Series Vision sleeper. Each rig is staged with original sales literature, drivetrain cutaways, and an audio clip of its in-cab sound profile.

• Powertrain Lab – Transparent housings and animated lighting reveal the evolution from early bronze-bushed crankshafts to today’s MP® series high-pressure common-rail diesels. Visitors can rotate a 12-speed mDRIVE™ automated manual via handwheel while a floor projection shows real-time gear mesh.

• Design Studio – Drafting tables, clay styling bucks, and CAD stations trace the shift from pencil sketches to digital surfacing. A 1:5-scale wind-tunnel model of the 1988 CH613 sits beside VR goggles that let guests step inside the current Anthem™ sleeper cab.

• Military & Fire Apparatus Wing – Displays a 1943 NO 7.5-ton 6×6 artillery prime mover, a 1945 Mack-built LVT-4 amphibious landing vehicle sectioned to show the driveshaft tunnel, and a 1951 L-series pumper with its original Hale 1,000 gpm two-stage pump still operational for demonstrations.

Archives and research center

Over 80,000 engineering drawings, 100,000 photographs, and every service bulletin since 1920 are stored in a climate-controlled vault. Scholars and restorers may request supervised access; reproduction services cover blueprint scans, parts manuals, and serial-number build sheets.

Restoration shop

A glass-front workshop allows visitors to watch volunteer mechanics performing frame-up restorations. Current project: a 1927 AK chain-drive dump recovered from an Idaho mine, with weekly progress briefings posted on a whiteboard.

Visitor amenities

• Hours: Tuesday, Thursday, and the first Saturday of each month, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. (closed major holidays).
• Admission: Suggested donation supports preservation; veterans and current CDL holders admitted free.
• Guided tours: 90-minute docent-led walk begins at 10:30 a.m.; group bookings available.
• Gift shop: Branded die-casts, grille-badge belt buckles, service manuals on USB, and locally roasted “Bulldog Blend” coffee.
• Parking: Oversize spaces accommodate motorcoaches and tractor-trailers; RV hookups not available.
• Accessibility: All exhibits on a single level with 36-inch aisles and tactile panels for key displays.

Special programs

March: “Women Behind the Wheel” seminar highlights female owner-operators and Mack’s in-cab ergonomics research.
July: Antique Truck Club of America national meet, with a parade of visiting classics looping the test track.
November: “Drive the Bulldog” experience—licensed attendees can pilot a restored B-Model around the plant’s two-mile oval under instructor supervision.

Practical tips

Arrive early to secure a docent-led tour slot, bring ear protection if you plan to watch an engine-run demo, and dress in layers—the Powertrain Lab is kept at 60 °F for component preservation. Photography is welcomed except in the archives room. Allow at least two hours for a thorough visit; truck enthusiasts often spend half a day.