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Category: British Motor Museum
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Step into a Christmas to remember at the British Motor Museum from the 5 to 30 December. From their brand-new 12 Cars of Christmas trail to a hands-on sleigh-building workshop, there's festive fun for everyone to enjoy!
The 12 Cars of Christmas sees six mischievous elves hiding in historic motors and six festively decorated cars making up the 12 Cars of Christmas! Children can help find the elf-culprits responsible for decorating these Christmas cars and set off on the trail to match each elf to their merry motoring masterpiece!
Santa's Holiday Hangar takes place from 6-7, 13-14 and 20-23 December, when children can stop by the Holiday Hangar and design and build a sleigh from a range of craft materials to take Santa around the world, using their imagination. Will they design a fast sleigh to get the job done quicker or a big sleigh to carry the biggest presents?
The Science of the Sleigh takes place from 20 - 22 December with Professor Pickle and Doctor Pumpkin getting into the holiday spirit! Children can join them in the not-so-secret lab as they dive into a raft of holiday experiments to uncover the science behind the season.
The Winter Access Day takes place on 22 December, when visitors can discover a day-long showcase of accessible activities and initiatives, bringing a welcoming visitor experience to the widest possible audience, including an accessible festive Science Show! The Museum will also be open later, to give everyone the chance to get in on the action.
Twixmas Crafts runs from 28 - 30 December with a range of LEGO® activities. Whether children are dreaming up a fun festive mosaic or building something completely unique, the Museum has mountains of LEGO® bricks ready for their imagination to run wild. The Museum will be closed between 24 - 27 December and 31 December - 1 January inclusive.
Emma Rawlinson, Lifelong Learning Officer at the British Motor Museum, said, “This Christmas, we’re inviting families to enjoy a range of festive fun activities from our brand-new 12 Cars of Christmas trail to a hands-on sleigh-building workshop! All the holiday activities are included in the admission price too, creating a great-value day out filled with Christmas memories. Book your tickets today, and let your holiday adventure begin!”
Museum entry is just £46 for a family in advance or £52 on the day, £17 for adults in advance or £20 on the day, £15 for concessions in advance or £18 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 receive an Annual Pass in return at no extra cost. To find out more information about the activities, please visit the website at https://www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/whats-on/christmas-family-activities
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The British Motor Museum is celebrating having won the prestigious Royal Automobile Club Historic Award in the Museums & Collections category. The results were announced at a glittering ceremony on 20 November at the RAC Club in Pall Mall with Formula 1 presenter Lee McKenzie. The annual Awards, which are awarded by the industry’s leading motoring organisation, the RAC, recognise outstanding achievements within the British historic motoring and motorsport world. The British Motor Museum fought off strong competition from motor museums across the country.
2025 has been another fantastic year for the Museum with the launch of so many successful and innovative initiatives focusing particularly on young people and education. The Museum’s STEM Career Days programme has been extended to home-educated youngsters, who made up a quarter of attendees for this year’s event. A national initiative mounted in collaboration with the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders saw four motor industry apprentices being trained to drive the Museum’s 20HP Thornycroft of 1904 in the 2025 London to Brighton Veteran Car Run. Aimed at helping even younger people is the Museum’s “Brick Bank” which has collected over two million unwanted LEGO® bricks, to incorporate into packs and redistribute to local Community Pantries.
Bucking the stereotype of traditional petrol heads, the British Motor Museum Collections and Education Departments are managed by two exceptional young women; Claire Broader (education), and Cat Boxall (curatorial) whose dedication and love of the collections shone through during their tour with the Judges earlier this year.
Duncan Wilshire, Chairman of the Royal Automobile Club, said: “I have simply the greatest admiration for all the winners here tonight. In their own contrasting and compelling ways, they truly enrich Britain’s historic motoring scene. Many congratulations from everyone at this Club, where we continue to make more motoring history every year. We offer a home and a backdrop to these Awards rich in history and tradition with, as ever, an eye to a soundly sustainable future. We’re also delighted to bring together all our expert judges who, really, had the hardest task – examining the huge number of brilliant nominations.”
The Royal Automobile Club started its Historic Awards in 2019, acutely aware that the UK’s historic motoring clubs, events, associations, companies and special individuals deserved recognition for their unsung achievements. Since then, more than 170 contenders have been accorded merit as finalists, chosen by judges invited solely for their expertise and independence of outlook. The Awards extend the Club’s 128-year pedigree in recognising motoring accomplishments and celebrating success through its trophies and medals.
For more information about the Awards please visit www.royalautomobileclubhistoricawards.co.uk. To find out more about the British Motor Museum please visit www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk
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The British Motor Museum is proud to announce that it will be the new home of the physical Autocar Archive. Autocar is the world’s longest-running car magazine and its archive has been available to access digitally since 2023 through a partnership with Exact Editions.
Following the completion of that project, a new home has been sought for the physical copies and future bound volumes of its title, which turned 130 years old this week. The Archive at the British Motor Museum was the obvious choice.
Autocar’s own volumes will shortly join the Museum’s existing collections, one of the world’s largest and most outstanding archives of magazines, photographs, drawings, motoring literature and film covering the motor car and Britain’s motor industry.
Following the digitisation and combining of its respective physical archives, some gaps have been identified in the collection. Autocar and the Museum are inviting readers and collectors to contribute to the physical archive to make it whole. In the future, researchers visiting the Museum in person will also be able to search Autocar’s digital archive through a dedicated terminal.
As part of the launch, Autocar editor-in-chief Steve Cropley and editor-at-large Matt Prior walked the Museum for a special immersive episode of their My Week in Cars podcast, which is published on 5 November on all major podcast channels.
Stephen Laing, Head of Collections & Engagement at the British Motor Museum said: “Our internationally recognised collections of cars, objects and archive material tell the myriad of stories behind the development of the car; the people who designed, built and sold them; and the growth of the motor industry since its inception. As the world’s longest-running car magazine, Autocar has provided a continuous commentary on the motor car for a century and more. Together we can continue to capture the stories from today and those in the future.”
Autocar editor Mark Tisshaw said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with the British Motor Museum for this very special project. The Autocar Archive tells the history of the motor car in real time back to 1895 and the digitisation of the archive was a huge moment for the brand in making this accessible to all. There is no better place for our physical archive to reside, being so close to so many of the cars we have told the story of over the past 130 years. We would love to hear from any readers or collectors who can help make the archive a complete one and would urge anyone who would like to contribute to this project to reach out to the British Motor Museum.”
A complete set of What Car? magazines, Autocar’s sibling title at publisher Haymarket Automotive, has also been donated to the British Motor Museum’s Archive as part of this partnership. What Car? dates back to 1973 and all future bound volumes of What Car? will head straight to Gaydon in the future. If you can help contribute to the physical archive or for more information on what gaps need filling, please contact https://www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/explore/museum-blog/archive-news-the-autocar-archive
To find out more information about the Museum, please visit the website at www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk
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The British Motor Museum has been shortlisted as a finalist for a Green Spark Award at the Power of Place: Midlands Museum Awards 2025. The Awards celebrate museums that show commitment to sustainable practices, in any aspect of their work, from sustainable exhibitions to innovative energy management. The Museum was nominated for the development of its Brick Bank scheme, collecting pre-loved LEGO® bricks, collating them into “kits” and donating them to community pantries, allowing the bricks to be used again in loving homes.
22 of the Midlands’ best-loved museums have been shortlisted for the Midlands Museum Awards across 5 categories, covering everything from inclusive practice to creative collections management. The Museum will find out if it has won this prestigious award at the Power of Place: Celebrating Midlands Museums event at ThinkTank, Birmingham, on Wednesday 12 November.
Stephen Laing, Head of Collections & Engagement at the British Motor Museum said, “It’s a great honour to be shortlisted for a Green Spark Award, and it’s a satisfying end to the first year of the Brick Bank. The team have worked really hard to get this project off the ground, and it’s been wonderful to see the positive impact it has had, both on the recipients of our bricks and our volunteers. We’re all looking forward to hearing the final results in November!”
Museum Development Midlands, the organisers, view the Awards as “A celebration of the creativity, innovation and impact of museums and heritage organisations across the Midlands. These awards recognise the people and projects that are pushing boundaries, making a difference, and inspiring their communities.”
For more information about the Power of Place: Midlands Museum Awards 2025, visit https://mdmidlands.org.uk/power-of-place/power-of-place-midlands-museum-awards
For more information about the Brick Bank, please visit www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/learning/the-brick-bank
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The British Motor Museum will host the Great British Model Railway Show on Saturday 25 & Sunday 26 October supported by some of the biggest names in the industry, including Hornby and Bachmann. This dedicated weekend will feature over 40 model railways, representing all interests and scales, along with specialist traders selling scenic materials, accessories and complete trains sets.
This event is also one of the biggest model railway shows in the Midlands, run by enthusiasts for enthusiasts. The show includes 40 layouts of various scales, over 30 specialist traders, a modelling skill zone and family-friendly displays for all to enjoy. From modest-size shunting layouts, to titanic masterpieces in miniature, visitors can come along and be inspired!
The show is a perfect event for families who are looking for a different and fun day out with the children. Not only can they enjoy looking at the layouts and model trains but they can also explore the Museum, home to over 400 historic British cars. What’s more, visitors can head to the Junction 12 Café for delicious hot meals, sweet treats and refreshments.
Tom Caren, Shows Manager at the British Motor Museum, said, “This family-friendly show is hugely popular and enjoyed by so many. You can admire the range of models, browse the trade area to find that perfect train project, and speak to builders about their projects to get some handy tips and advice.”
Those visiting on Saturday 25 October can hop on the free bus service from Leamington Spa Railway Station to the British Motor Museum. Tickets are available for the show and Museum access, as well as just for the show. Advance tickets are discounted so it’s best to book online before the day of your visit.
For more information please call 01926 895300 or visit the website at www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/whats-on/great-british-model-railway-show
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