British Motor Museum

Om museet

The British Motor Museum was set up by the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust to keep alive the memory of the British motor industry. The Trust's preserved car collection had outgrown its two earlier homes, at Studley in Warwickshire and at Syon Park in London, so a purpose-built home was commissioned at Gaydon. It opened in May 1993 as the Heritage Motor Centre, with space for the cars and the motoring archive as well as educational and conference facilities.

In 2006 and 2007 a Heritage Lottery grant of £1.3 million paid for a five-month redevelopment. New displays such as Making British Cars and Under the Skin explained how cars are made and how they work, and a new mezzanine floor was added for feature exhibitions. The museum reopened in September 2007 and has since been renamed the British Motor Museum. The art deco style museum building and the modern Collections Centre stand together in about 65 acres of landscaped grounds.

The collection holds more than 400 British cars from the veteran, vintage and classic eras, together with over a million historical items. In November 2014 Arts Council England gave the Trust's collections Designated status, recognising their national and international importance. The Collections Centre gives visitors a behind-the-scenes view of how the vehicles are stored and restored.

Højdepunkter

• More than 400 historic British cars
• Time Road display of motoring history
• Under the Skin interactive zone
• Behind-the-scenes Collections Centre
• Designated collection with a large motoring archive
• Free guided tours included in admission

Permanente udstillinger

• The Museum – Displays on the history of the British motor industry, including the Time Road, Making British Cars and the interactive Under the Skin zone.
• Collections Centre – A behind-the-scenes store where visitors can see how historic cars are kept and restored.

Grundlagt

1993

Ejer

British Motor Industry Heritage Trust

Entrépriser & rabatter

Prices shown are the cheaper advance online prices. On the day, tickets cost £21 for adults, £19 for concessions and £10 for children. Admission includes the museum, the Collections Centre and a guided tour. Visitors can donate their entry fee with Gift Aid and have the ticket turned into a 12-month Annual Pass, which is not valid on up to five show days a year when separate event prices apply. Blue Peter badge holders aged 6 to 15 enter free with an adult paying the adult or concession price.

Tilgængelighed

• Kørestolsvenlig
• Elevator
• Handicaptoilet
• Handicapparkering
• Servicehunde tilladt
• Taktile tilbud
• Rundvisninger på tegnsprog: ingen oplysninger
• Letlæste tilbud: ingen oplysninger
• Synstolkning: ingen oplysninger

The site is step-free, with level ground from the car park, automatic doors and lifts in both buildings. A limited number of wheelchairs can be borrowed free from the museum pay desk (reserve in advance). There are accessible toilets on all levels of the main building and in the Collections Centre, and a Changing Places toilet in the museum rotunda that opens with a Radar key. Portable induction loops are available. Blue Badge parking is signed on site, with a drop-off point outside the entrance. Guide, assistance and hearing dogs are welcome. Free ear defenders are available at the family activity station, and a visual story and an access video help visitors prepare. Sensory Touch and Access Tours can be pre-booked.

Børn og familie

Velegnet til børn og familier

• Familieomvisninger & workshops
• Opgavehæfte, skattejagt eller audioguide for børn
• Interaktive stationer
• Barnevognsvenlig
• Puslerum
• Legeplads / legehjørne

There are interactive exhibits, sit-in cars, activity sheets and themed trails, and extra activities in Warwickshire school holidays. Visitors can swap pushchairs for push-along cars at the pay desk. An outdoor play area and picnic area are in the grounds. Baby changing facilities are in the accessible toilets on the ground and first floors of the museum. The café has children's meals and lunch boxes.

Transport & parkering

The museum is about 1 mile from junction 12 of the M40 on the B4100 near Gaydon, signed with brown Motor Museum signs. The site's own advice is to enter the museum as a point of interest in a satnav rather than using the postcode. There is a bike park behind the main building. On show days follow the signs to the visitor car park.

Service & spisesteder

• Café
• Museumsbutik

The Junction 12 Café on the first floor serves breakfast from 10:00 to 11:30 and lunch from 11:30 to 14:00, with children's meals and gluten-free options; it is for museum visitors only. There is also a gift shop. Card payments are accepted.

Arrangementer & udlejning

• Lokaler til leje
• Firmaarrangementer

Op til 600 personer.

Meeting rooms, conference and exhibition space for up to 600 delegates, and outdoor event areas in the 65 acres of grounds.

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