15 replies to this topic

[Derwent Motorsport]

Over the past twenty five years or so the number of motor museums in the UK has steadily dwindled. I suspect that the growth of classic cars shows where you can see hundreds of cars for the same admission price and the action type of nostalgia events has killed off the smaller private collections that were created in the 50s and 60s.

I thought it would be good to try and make a definitive list of those that are still going:

 

National Motor Museum

Donington

Brooklands

Coventry

Cotswold

Gaydon

Lakeland

Myreton (Dunbar)

Alford

There are also car displays in other museums like the Science Museum, Manchester and Glasgow.

 

How many others are there?

Edited by Derwent Motorsport, 25 October 2013 - 11:03.

[Vitesse2]

Haynes Motor Museum in Sparkford is the most obvious omission from your list.

 

Some vehicles of local interest in the M Shed in Bristol

[Tim Murray]

There's the Atwell-Wilson Motor Museum at Calne in Wiltshire:

 

http://www.atwellwil....uk/museum.html

[David Beard]

Coulthard Museum

[Nick Savage]

There's a car collection at Caister Castle, Norfolk,  (see the other 'Museums' thread)  -  set up by the late Dr P.R.Hill. They are very concerned not to call it a museum, just cars collected by Dr Hill.. About 100+ exhbits, very quirky with quirky opening times. An untouched Lotus 33 is on display amongtst quite a few interesting and unusual exhibits  ...  and every RR that Dr Hill owned. The site was recently enlarged, so if you have not been there in the last couple of years, worth a visit.

 

And if you want to be terminally depressed, you could apply for a Researcher Access visit to the Science Museum's car collection at the Large Object Store, Wroughton Airfield, nr Swindon. Many cars, buses, lorries, traction engines etc stored mainly in leaky hangars on this ex-RNAS wartime airfield. The physical deterioration of some quite rare exhibits due to the storage conditions is alarming. None of this stuff is on public view, and the Museum does not hold Open Days like it used to. This is not the fault of the Wroughton staff  ....  the Science Museum just will not spend any money at Wroughton on these vehicles.

Nick

[Barry Boor]

Although only viewable organised groups, the Filching Manor museum has a small but interesting collection of cars and memorabilia - much of it dedicated to the Campbell/Bluebird history.

[Geoff E]

Elgin http://www.moraymotormuseum.org/

[alansart]

There's a small museum at Stondon in Bedfordshire.

 

http://www.motor-museum.co.uk/

[Gregor Marshall]

There is also the Vauxhall Heritage Centre in Luton - open to the public twice a year.
Obviously only Vauxhalls though... but a great collection from the beginning to now.

[hillsprint]

There is the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum at Cultra outside Holywood, Co.Down, which also happens to be the location of the oldest operating hillclimb in the UK

[fuzzi]

There is the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum at Cultra outside Holywood, Co.Down, which also happens to be the location of the oldest operating hillclimb in the UK

Over in pedants corner: Same name (first used 2001) but not the same course as that last used in 1911.

[jtremlett]

The slightly eccentric History on Wheels at Eton Wick near Windsor: www.historyonwheels.co.uk

 

and also www.londonmotormuseum.co.uk/ and www.bentley.org.uk in Sussex.

 

Oh and stretching it a bit but both Williams and McLaren have their collections which, whilst not generally accessible to the public, can be visited on occasions.

 

Jonathan

Edited by jtremlett, 25 October 2013 - 20:59.

[LotusElise]

Getting Researcher Access to major museum stores is a pain. Even finding someone who will deign to answer your email or letter is a challenge. The only effective method I've found is knowing someone who works at that institution.

 

I believe the little motor museum in Bourton-on-the-Water is still going. I haven't been for years.

 

Not a motor museum exactly, but if you visit Sandringham, you can usually view some of the Royal Family's car collection - Princess Anne's Reliant Scimitar stuck in my head for some reason.

[Allan Lupton]

Princess Anne's Reliant Scimitar stuck in my head for some reason.

Is it displayed with the famous speeding ticket perhaps?

[275 GTB-4]

I believe the little motor museum in Bourton-on-the-Water is still going. I haven't been for years.

 

Twas still there in 2010 when I visited....wonder if they have pumped up James's tyre yet

 

Edited by 275 GTB-4, 26 October 2013 - 10:52.

[arttidesco]

 

When I saw the Wolf WR7 show car at Brooklands early last year the tyres had been inflated,

 

 

but closer inspection revealed the car was not standing on it's own wheels, if it ever did.

 

A couple more to add to the list,

 

Bugatti Trust at Prescott is small but the quality is worth the trip.

 

Mercedes Benz World next to Brooklands was free when I went.

 

Morgan also have a small collection and museum at their premises in Malvern for something like £10 you get a free factory tour thrown in, but one does need to book in advance.

 

One I have not managed to get to is the Cameron Collection has anybody been ?