Hoods Up Week Returns to Tampa Bay Automobile Museum — May 4–11, 2026
- May 1
- 2 min read
Car enthusiasts across the Tampa Bay area have a full week of engines, engineering, and automotive history to look forward to this May. The Tampa Bay Automobile Museum is bringing back one of its most popular annual events — Hoods Up Week — running from Sunday, May 4th through Monday, May 11th.
What Is Hoods Up Week?
The event gives visitors an unusually close look at what powers some of the most historically significant automobiles ever built. During Hoods Up Week, the museum opens up its collection to showcase the engines inside — something not typically visible during a standard visit.
Guests can explore 2-, 4-, 6-, 8-, and 12-cylinder engines across a range of vehicles, as well as automobiles equipped with rear-mounted, air-cooled, rotary, and sleeve-valve engines. The collection also includes cars powered by electricity and hydrogen.
One of the standout highlights of this year's event is a vehicle that features two engines — one mounted in the front and one in the rear — offering a genuinely rare look at automotive innovation.
Why It's Worth the Trip
For anyone with an interest in how cars actually work, this event offers access that goes well beyond what most automotive museums provide. The combination of engine variety — from vintage configurations to alternative power sources — makes it appealing for both longtime car enthusiasts and curious first-time visitors.
The museum's collection spans vehicles that represent pivotal moments in automotive history, and Hoods Up Week frames that collection through the lens of mechanical engineering in a way that's accessible and visually engaging for all ages.
Dates, Location, and Admission
Hoods Up Week runs from May 4th through May 11th at the Tampa Bay Automobile Museum, located at 3301 Gateway Centre Blvd in Pinellas Park, FL 33782. The event is included with regular museum admission, which is priced between $10 and $16.
For Wesley Chapel and North Tampa residents, Pinellas Park is approximately 45 minutes southwest via I-275, making it a manageable day trip. The museum is family-friendly and suitable for visitors of all ages and automotive knowledge levels.
More information and tickets are available at tbauto.org.
