Stellantis is considering opening its extensive Conner Center vehicle collection to the public, a move that could give the automaker its first museum-style destination dedicated to its American brands in the United States. Company executives say discussions are ongoing as Stellantis explores plans for the former Dodge Viper assembly plant in Detroit.
Stellantis Eyes Public Access for Historic Vehicle Collection
Among Detroit’s Big Three automakers, Stellantis is the only company that does not operate a car museum in the United States. While General Motors has the GM Heritage Center, it is not open to the public.
Stellantis does operate several museums in Europe, including the Stellantis Heritage Hub and Alfa Romeo Museum in Italy, along with the Peugeot museum in France. However, it does not currently have a comparable museum in the U.S. focused on its American brands.
According to The Detroit News, the company is considering reviving earlier plans to transform the former Conner Avenue Assembly Plant into a public automotive attraction.
Conner Center Could Become a Public Destination
Tim Kuniskis, Stellantis’ Head of American Brands for North America Marketing and Retail Strategy, discussed the possibility with The Detroit News.
“We have a pretty cool car collection in Detroit that we’ve had many debates about,” Kuniskis said. “Should we be opening that up to the public and things like that? TBD if we’re going to do that, but I’m pretty sure people would (come).”
Kuniskis was referring to the former Conner Avenue Assembly Plant in Detroit, where Dodge Viper sports cars were produced until 2017. The facility has long served as storage for vehicles from the Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram brands and occasionally hosts media events, but it is not open to the public.
He added, “Can you imagine if (Conner Center) was full of all of the stuff that we have?” As an example, Kuniskis said the automaker owns “beyond hundreds” of Easter Jeep Safari vehicles located at various sites. “I think people would love to see those all in one place at one time,” he said.
Design Chief Wants More Than a Traditional Museum
Stellantis Chief Design Officer Ralph Gilles also discussed the project during a media tour of the automaker’s North American headquarters in Auburn Hills.
“There’s a few details we have to fix with the building for fire code, because it was set up as a plant, not a public space,” Gilles told reporters. “So we’re doing that this summer, and we’re hoping to obviously have select events to start the process of opening it.”
Gilles said the collection currently displayed in rows inside the former plant would be expanded with additional vehicles. He also noted that he does not want the facility to resemble a traditional car museum.
Company Says Plans Are Still Being Developed
Stellantis later issued a broader statement without confirming specific plans for public access.
“We are actively exploring opportunities to welcome visitors to our Conner Center in the future and hope to share more details as our plan evolves,” company spokesperson Dale Jewett said in a statement to The Detroit News.
More Than 400 Vehicles Stored at Conner Center
The collection at the former Viper plant includes a wide variety of vehicles, ranging from a 1948 Chrysler Town & Country and a 1951 New Yorker to an IndyCar pace car.
The inventory also features movie vehicles, including the Jeep Wrangler from “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider,” as well as former Stellantis CEO Sergio Marchionne’s personal Dodge Challenger SRT Demon.
In total, the Conner Center currently houses more than 400 vehicles, with approximately 85 of them on display. As Stellantis continues evaluating its plans, the company says it will provide additional details as the project develops.
