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Category: British Motor Museum
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On 1 May 1993, the British Motor Museum, known at the time as the ‘Heritage Motor Centre’, opened its doors for the very first time. Purpose-built to hold the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust’s collections, the Museum was created with one goal, to preserve the motoring history of Britain, now and into the future. A charity from the start, public support has helped the Museum collect, conserve and share the collections to inspire this generation and the next.
To celebrate this milestone anniversary, the British Motor Museum is hosting a 30th Anniversary Celebration week from 14-20 August, packed with activities and events featuring old favourites, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences. A Raffle, which will raise funds for the Museum’s future plans, offers a rare opportunity to take a ride in one of five legendary vehicles from the collection, including Huey, the first pre-production Land Rover and the Ford Anglia from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Tickets cost just £5.
A selection of the Museum’s famous cars will be put through their paces around the Museum grounds from Monday to Friday in Cars on the Move, offering visitors the chance to glimpse them in action. On 14, 16 and 18 August, visitors will have the opportunity to ride in a range of vehicles driven by the Volunteer team, including the 1952 Riley RMA and the 1960 Standard Ensign.
For one week only, the Welcome Gallery in the Main Museum will be playing host to “Our Story – 30 Years of the British Motor Museum”, a unique display featuring photos and materials from across its 30-year history. Bonnets Up, Doors Open will also take place every day, from 10:30 to 11:30 and from 14:30 to 15:30, when visitors can see inside the bonnets, boots and even doors of a selection of cars. The Volunteers will also be giving a selection of History Talks from Monday to Friday. In addition, there will be a special MG Centenary Tour, running on 17 and 19 August, to commemorate 100 years of MG, another significant motoring milestone for 2023.
The summer activities and family tours have a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Maths) theme, and the popular Science Shows return for the anniversary event, running from 17-19 August. Children will learn and laugh along with the Museum’s brainy scientists as their experiments explore friction, electricity and more!
A designated Access Day will take place on 16 August to provide a pleasant and enjoyable visitor experience for the widest possible audience. ‘Quiet hours’ will run from 9am to 10am and 5pm to 6pm, with lowered lighting levels and the audio-visuals turned off. Touch and Access Tours and Object Handling Workshops will also be held, allowing visitors to get hands-on with the cars and artefacts. Meanwhile, out on the Northern Arena, Young Driver will be offering accessible 15-minute taster sessions that visitors from 10 to 110 can enjoy – regardless of accessibility needs! Plus, there will be an air-drying clay activity in the Learning Space.
A 30th Anniversary Quiz Night will take place on the evening of Friday, 18 August, with a BBQ dinner and rounds covering general knowledge, music, movies and the last 30 years of the Museum’s history, plus a cash prize for the winning team! Finally, in the tradition of the Gaydon Gatherings, there will be a 30th Anniversary Breakfast Meet on Sunday, 20 August. Anyone can turn up in any vehicle, car, bus, lorry, motorbike, scooter, tractor, etc. Delicious breakfast is available to buy inside the Museum's Junction 12 Café, or you can grab a light bite to eat outside.
Jeff Coope, Managing Director at the British Motor Museum, said, “Since that first day, 30 years have passed, the collections have grown dramatically, and millions have passed through our doors to discover the history of the motor industry in Britain, through over 400 historic British vehicles and our amazing archives. We’re proud of how far we’ve come and excited about our plans for the future. There is a wide range of activities available for the Anniversary Week, and there’s really something for everyone. We’re looking forward to celebrating with you”.
For more information about the Museum, please call 01926 895300 or visit the website at https://www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk.
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Award-winning leading Midlands conference and events venue, The British Motor Museum has extended its South Wing following continued expansion in line with client demand. Within only six months after an initial £70k investment, the conference centre has been developed further to offer South Wing 5. This spacious room seating up to 110 delegates boasts natural daylight and direct vehicular access making it an ideal space for conferences, product launches and exhibitions. South wing 5 is complemented by South Wing 1-4 which are excellent breakout spaces to create a self-contained event experience.
Direct vehicular access offers exceptional ease of loading right up to the event space itself minimising the time and effort in arranging the logistics and delivery of large-scale display product and associated equipment. The South Wing offers five conference spaces totalling 477sqm of flexible conference and exhibition space. Each room in the South Wing is fully air-conditioned and equipped with the latest data projectors and benefit from the Museum’s free 1Gbps Wi-Fi.
The South Wing offers a range of flexible spaces comprising South Wing 1, 3 and 4 each offering space for up to 50 delegates. South Wing 4 offers additional scalable event space and can be divided into 2 smaller rooms, via a partition wall, each with its own entrance. South Wing 2 offers a smaller more intimate space taking up to 16 delegates theatre style.
Toby Batchelor, Head of Commerce at the British Motor Museum commented, “We are delighted to announce South Wing 5 which further demonstrates our commitment and investment and even greater choice for our clients. This large modern event space further extends the South Wing and offers several scalable break-out options for delegates. We pride ourselves in supporting a unique delegate experience and to this end we provide all British Motor Museum conference delegates with free access to the adjoining British Motor Museum collection which is easily accessed directly from the South Wing”.
For more information about the event and meeting spaces available please visit britishmotormuseum.co.uk/conferences/spaces
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The British Motor Museum will be hosting four nostalgic motoring shows in July, which will include the Wythall Busfest on 1 July, the BMC & Leyland Show on 9 July and the Old Ford Rally and Rootes Heritage Day, both on 23 July.
The Wythall Busfest is arranged in partnership with the Transport Museum Wythall, and will feature over 100 restored, vintage, and modern buses and coaches. 2023 sees the 50th anniversary of the last Daimler bus being built in Coventry, so the organisers are inviting all Daimler buses to come together and celebrate this milestone year.
The BMC & Leyland Show will feature a wide range of British marques produced by the British Motor Corporation, British Leyland and The Rover Group. Hundreds of vehicles will be lined up outside the Museum, from Minis and Morris Minors to the larger Rover 800s, Montegos and Maestros, as well as a variety of vans and lorries. 2023 marks 50 years of the Allegro and 40 years of the Maestro and Montego, and the organisers are inviting all owners of any of those makes to come along and display their cars.
The Old Ford Rally will enable fans to see around 400 classic Fords, aged between 50 – 100 years old. There will be a huge range on display, from Model Ts to the cars of the pre-war austerity years as well as the more luxurious post-war Zephyrs, Zodiacs and Granadas,plus the fan-favourite Anglias, Mk1 and Mk2 Cortinas, Capris, Escorts and Fiestas. Clubs that will be attending include Deuces of Britain, with their collection of 1932 Fords, and the XR Owners Club, who will be bringing over 30 vehicles from their range.
On the day, the Museum will also be playing host to a massive Meccano exhibition, in partnership with the Midlands Meccano Guild. This regular fixture of the show has grown from 25 tables in the beginning, to over 50 tables for this year’s show, holding an impressive collection of Meccano models from all over the country. Modelling fans will love seeing the creations on display, and may even find some inspiration for their next great project.
Taking place alongside the Old Ford Rally, the Rootes Archive Centre Trust will be holding their Rootes Heritage Day, celebrating all kinds of Rootes classics, from earlier Hillmans, Humbers, Sunbeams and Singers to the later Chryslers, Simcas and Talbots. Ticket holders on the 23 July will be able to enjoy both the Old Ford and Rootes shows, as well as entry to the Museum and Collections Centre, all with one ticket.
Tom Caren, Show Manager at the British Motor Museum, stated, “We have a great range of motoring shows for our visitors and enthusiasts to enjoy next month. With so much choice, there’s something for everyone, and this year many of our shows are celebrating milestone anniversaries too!”
Advance show tickets cost £14.50 per adult, £9 per child, £12.50 per concession and £40 for a family. Anyone wishing to enter a vehicle into a show can do so online. Camping is also available at some of the shows. Tickets on the day cost more.
For more information about the shows, please visit the website at www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/whats-on
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The British Motor Museum has plenty of choice for those looking for a gift or special day out for Father’s Day on Sunday 18 June. Those visiting the Museum on Father’s Day itself, can enjoy the spectacle of 500 vintage and veteran motorcycles at the annual Vintage Motor Cycle Club's Banbury Run. It’s the biggest gathering of motorcycles and three-wheelers produced before 1931 and makes for a wonderful spectacle.
If you’re looking for the ideal gift for an owner of a cherished classic car, then take a look at the Heritage Certificate products. Heritage Certificates are the official ‘Certified Copy of a Factory Record’ for a classic car showing the car’s specification as it left the production line. For more information visit britishmotormuseum.co.uk/archive/heritage-certificates.
You could buy a Gift Voucher for Father’s Day! Treat Dad to a visit to the British Motor Museum whenever suits him the best. Simply buy the Gift Voucher Museum ticket and he can redeem it online ahead of when he plans to visit. Find out more at www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/book-now
Or if Dad would prefer multiple visits to the Museum, why not treat him to an annual Membership so he can enjoy admiring over 400 British classic cars and attending all the motoring shows? Gift Vouchers are available for Memberships too! Starting from £42 for the year, not only does it include free entry to the Museum and its events, but also special Member only events including ‘Museum on the Move’ where Members get to ride in a selection of the Museum’s cars. Find out more at britishmotormuseum.co.uk/membership.
The Museum’s online shop also stocks a range of gifts from novelty motoring themed items such as ‘Dads Garage’ and ‘Man Cave’ tin signs, to motoring cuff links, hip flasks, mugs, and memorabilia as well as many unique marque products. To find more Father’s Day gift ideas please visit britishmotormuseum.co.uk/shop.
The museum has taken the decision to hold its 2023 entry prices at 2022 rates. Entry is just £40 for a family in advance or £44 on the day, £14.50 for adults in advance or £16 on the day, £12.50 for concessions in advance or £14 on the day, £9 for children (5-16 years) in advance or £10 on the day and under 5s are FREE. There is also the option to Gift Aid or donate your entry fee and get an Annual Pass in return, at no extra cost.
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The British Motor Museum has opened a brand-new exhibition entitled “The Gallery: Auto Art at the British Motor Museum”, which will run until 30 June 2023. The exhibition, which is run in collaboration with Historic Car Art, features a collection of over 30 motoring-related pieces from seven of Britain’s most creative automotive artists and sculptors.
The Gallery showcases five leading artists - Simon Britnell, Neil Collins, Adam Gompertz, John Ketchell, and Andy Shore, who work with a variety of media, including acrylics, oil, watercolour, pen, and pastels. Alongside the evocative paintings, Jonny Ambrose and Gary Smith bring their eye-catching sculptures to the exhibition, artwork created in wood and in bronze.
Historic Car Art has been operating from its rural Derbyshire base since 2004. It has been built over time from a passion for art, cars, automotive history and the racing exploits of drivers and manufacturers, combined with a great interest in how this has all been depicted over the years in both artwork and promotional advertising. Historic Car Art is now a leader in acquiring and supplying original automotive art and vintage posters, building collections for discerning private and corporate clients worldwide.
Rupert Whyte, Director of Historic Car Art, commented, ”It is a pleasure to partner with the team at the British Motor Museum to present just a small selection from our portfolio of renowned automotive artists against the backdrop of the Museum's stunning collections.”
Stephen Laing, Head of Collections at the British Motor Museum, added: "We're delighted to team up with Historic Car Art to bring the work of some of Britain's most talented artists to this new exhibition, a perfect complement to the amazing array of historic cars and automotive archive that can be seen at the Museum."
Access to the exhibition is included with standard Museum admission tickets. The Museum has held its visitor prices for 2023, for even greater value! Museum entry costs just £40 for a family in advance or £44 on the day, £14.50 for adults in advance or £16 on the day, £12.50 for concessions in advance or £14 on the day, £9 for children (5-16 years) in advance or £10 on the day and under 5s go FREE. There is also the option to Gift Aid or donate your entry fee at the time of booking and upgrade your ticket to an Annual Pass in return, at no extra cost.
To find out more information about the exhibition, please visit the website at https://www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/explore/the-gallery
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