RENO – More than 55 individuals and families became members of the National Automobile Museum, The Harrah Collection before it was even built and are still members today. Many of them will be at the museum as it celebrates its 20th anniversary today with free admission from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The museum opened Nov. 5, 1989 to rave reviews. Long-time supporters have interesting stories to tell about the museum’s history.

Bob Rusk has been a member since Jan. 6, 1987, two years before it opened. He is also a former trustee of the Harrah Automobile Foundation.

Rusk remembers downtown Reno redevelopment was just getting started when Holiday Inn Corp., which had purchased Harrah’s hotels and casinos including Harrah’s Automobile Collection, announced they were planning to sell the automobile collection cars.

“A cry went up from the community to save the automobile collection,” Rusk remembered. “We told Holiday Inns the automobiles belonged in the community – and the corporation should be part of the community and let the cars remain.”

The museum is located on the corner of Lake and Mill Streets. Parking is free in the museum lot. For more information on the National Automobile Museum, visit www.automuseum.org or call 333-9300.