Category: British Motor Museum

1. British Motor Museum appoints new Senior Archivist

   Posted on 12:00pm Tuesday 11th Jan 2022

   The British Motor Museum is delighted to announce the appointment of Imogen Watts as its new Senior Archivist.  Imogen will be responsible for the overall running of the Archive department, looking after the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust’s nationally recognised, Designated collections of documents, film and photographs, as well as the Heritage Certificate service.

   Originally a Drama graduate, Imogen qualified as an Archivist in 2016. She most recently worked for Gloucestershire County Council as Corporate & Digital Records Manager.

   Imogen Watts, Senior Archivist said “I’m thrilled to have joined the team at the British Motor Museum. I’m looking forward to getting to know the collections and unlocking more of its hidden gems. I will be working closely with Cat Boxall, our Curator, to deliver content for exhibitions and looking at how we can develop the archive service for the future. I would like to make the Archive collections more visible to visitors to the Museum and its channels, as well as continuing to provide dedicated access for researchers.”

   Imogen will be joining the 7 strong team which includes Richard, Lisa and Sharon who deliver the Heritage Certificates service, Paramjit and Cath who look after the records in the Archive, and Sarah-Jane who runs the photographic service. The Archive collections encompass a wide range of British automotive manufacturers and connected companies, and include a variety of records from factory ledgers and sales brochures to motoring journals and the personal papers of the industry greats. The Archive also holds an extensive collection of photographs and film footage, and items from the collection are regularly included in books, publications and television programmes.

   Stephen Laing, Head of Collections at the British Motor Museum said “I'm delighted to welcome Imogen to the British Motor Museum. Imogen brings a fresh perspective to how we can develop our unrivalled collections and I look forward to working with her along with the rest of our talented team to make our collections even more accessible, engaging and enjoyable for all”.

   To find out more about the British Motor Museum archive please visit https://www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/archive or call 01926 641188

2. British Motor Museum announces over 30 Motoring Shows & Events for 2022!

   Posted on 12:00pm Thursday 23rd Dec 2021

   The British Motor Museum has announced a schedule of over 30 motoring shows including several new events for 2022. This is a sizable increase on previous years and is testament to the popularity and demand for events at the Museum.

   On Tuesday 18 January the Museum will host Museum Late - ‘Factor Us In’, an exclusive opportunity to delve into the history of the West Midlands motor industry and meet the fantastic team behind the insightful 'Factor Us In' Exhibition. The evening also includes a talk from the Museum’s history volunteers and a two course supper.

   Following on from the success of the first event, the Quiz Night returns for a second time on Tuesday 8 February. Led by special guest, Danny Hopkins of Practical Classics, teams of up to 6 can compete and enjoy a fun night out while testing their motoring knowledge. There will be a mix of questions to keep everyone entertained, not just classic car buffs. Supper is included too!

   Last year’s free evening ‘Gaydon Gatherings’ proved very popular with hundreds of vehicles turning up on the second Tuesday of every month, so these events will return from Tuesday 12 April in the same format as a fun, free and informal evening gathering for motoring enthusiasts and all vehicle makes and models. 

   New for 2022 is a special Members only event, which will take place on Friday 29 April. ‘Museum on the Move’ will showcase a selection of cars from the collection with the opportunity for Members to ride in them. Also new for 2022 is an “Austin Seven  Centenary Exhibition,” opening in June, it will replace the ‘Factor Us In’ Exhibition which ends in May.

   Meanwhile, the Museum will welcome back many of its key shows in 2022 including the Gaydon Land Rover Show on 7 & 8 May, National Metro & Mini Show on 5 June & Classic & Vintage Commercial Show on 11 & 12 June.

   Other shows include the new Ultimate BMW Car Meet on 10 April, the new Indoor Doll and Teddy Fair on 15 May, the return of the indoor UK Slot Car Festival on 28 & 29 May and a new Wythall Buses Fest on 3 July.  The Electric Vehicles Festival returns on 3 July and the BMC & Leyland Show on 10 July followed by the Old Ford Rally celebrating 35 years of the Capri 280 and a new Rootes Heritage Day on 17 July.

   A new Big MINI Show for BMW Minis will take place on the 24 July and the 999 Emergency Services Show on 13 & 14 August. On Saturday 3 September Jaguars at Gaydon will celebrate the Swallow Sidecars Centenary. The Retro Truck Show returns on 11 & 12 September and on Sunday 25 September MGB will celebrate their 60^th Anniversary event. The last two shows of the year include the indoor Large Model Aircraft show on 23 October and Great British Model Railway Show on 29 & 30 October.

   For more information about any of the upcoming events, please visit www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/whats-on. Prices for 2022 will stay the same as 2021 for those booking in advance, however on the day prices will increase. Please book in advance to save! Tickets will be on sale in the new year.

3. Meet the team and characters behind the ‘Factor Us In’ exhibition at a special ‘Museum lates’ evening

   Posted on 12:00pm Wednesday 15th Dec 2021

   The British Motor Museum is to host an exclusive evening for visitors to join the ‘Factor Us In’ exhibition team and delve deeper into the history of the West Midlands motor industry. This special evening takes place on 18 January, and is part of a series of Museum Lates running over the winter months. The exhibition, which opened in July and will run until summer 2022, is the culmination of a 2 year project to uncover the stories behind the British motor industry.

   Visitors will be able to explore the exhibition and discover first hand from the Curator the stories about how the motor industry has impacted the surrounding landscapes, people and businesses of the West Midlands, with a focus on Canley in Coventry, Longbridge in Birmingham and Lode Lane, Solihull.

   The evening also includes a fascinating look at The Evolution of the British Motor Industry with a history talk by Museum volunteers Robert Venn and Cameron Slater.  This will look into the issues that have made their mark on the British motor industry including new technologies, production methods, engineering advancements, globalisation, fossil fuels and long-term pollution. 

   During the evening visitors will have the opportunity to chat to Curator, Catherine Griffin and the characters who are instrumental in bringing the exhibition to life, plus find out what inspired the team to bring the communities around the factories into the Museum's limelight. 

   Catherine Griffin, Curator at the British Motor Museum said “We are delighted to be hosting this fascinating Museum Late around our insightful ‘Factor Us In’ exhibition. If you have an interest in motoring history or you have ever wondered how exhibitions are brought to life at the British Motor Museum, we're giving you an exclusive opportunity like never before to find out”.

   A ‘works canteen’ style supper of stew and dumplings will be served as part of the evening. There will be a choice of Beef Stew and Dumplings with New Potatoes or Root Vegetable and Butterbean Stew with Herb Dumplings and New Potatoes (Vegan & Vegetarian) followed by a traditional Treacle Sponge with Custard.

   Tickets cost £15 each or £10 for Members and free for Premium Members. As this event is outside normal Museum opening hours Annual Passes are not valid. Pre-booking is essential and there are limited places available so early booking is advised.

   To find out more information please visit the website at https://www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/whats-on/museum-late-fui or call 01926 641188.

   All proceeds of the event will go towards the vital work of the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust.

4. 'No Time to Die' Defender goes on display at the British Motor Museum!

   Posted on 12:00pm Thursday 2nd Dec 2021

   James Bond fans are in for a treat as one of the Land Rover Defenders from the latest Bond film ‘No Time to Die’ will go on display at the British Motor Museum from today. The film, which stars Daniel Craig in his fifth and final Bond film, aired in cinemas on 30 September.

   One of three Defender V8s used in the high octane woodland car chase scene, this Defender V8 will appear at the Museum in its authentic, battered and bruised state. The vehicle, which sets new standards for toughness and capability, was truly pushed to its limits by the film's stunt team.

   The Defender will go on display until late January 2022 in the main entrance. Other cars from film and TV Film also on show in the Museum include Del Boy’s Reliant Robin, the Land Rover Defender from ‘Skyfall’, Lady Penelope's FAB1, the Land Rover Defender from ‘Laura Croft Tomb Raider’, the Land Rover CAB from ‘Judge Dredd’ and a replica of the DeLorean from ‘Back to the Future.

   Cat Griffin, Curator, said “We’re so excited to have this infamous Defender on display at the Museum until the New Year. I’m sure the car from the iconic film will be of much interest to our visitors especially over the festive period”.

   The Museum has plenty for families to enjoy this Christmas with festive activities running from 17 – 23 December. Visitors can complete the Christmas jigsaw trail finding pieces of Santa’s sleigh around the Museum and enjoy making Automotive inspired Christmas cards. Christmas lunches are also available on 12, 16 and 17 December and are open to visitors, companies, members, car clubs and community groups. The Museum will be closed from 24 December – 1 January inclusive.

   Admission prices are: Adults £14.50, Concessions £12.50, Children £9 (5-16 years), under 5’s free, and a Family ticket £40 (2 adults & up to 3 children). Annual Membership is also available. For more information about the Museum please visit the website www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk  or call 01926 641188.

5. British Motor Museum to host brand new Quiz Night!

   Posted on 12:00pm Thursday 14th Oct 2021

   The British Motor Museum is to host a brand new Quiz Night on Tuesday 9 November, in the first of a new series of Museum Lates running over the winter months. The quiz will be led by special guest Danny Hopkins, Editor of Practical Classics Magazine. All proceeds of the event will go towards the vital work of the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust.

   Teams can enjoy a fun night out while testing their knowledge of classic cars. The evening includes time to look around the Museum from 5.30pm with round one being a trail around the Museum to find the answers which must be completed by 7pm when the next quiz rounds start.  Pie and mash including vegan & vegetarian options will be served at 7.45pm and is included in the ticket price. The bar will be open from 5.30pm for teams to buy their drinks. The winning team will receive a cash prize.

   Catherine Griffin, Curator at the British Motor Museum said “We are delighted to be hosting our inaugural quiz which promises to be a great, fun night out. Don’t worry if you’re not a classic car buff, we promise there will be a mix of questions to keep you entertained!”

   There is a maximum of six people per team. Tickets cost £15 each or £10 for Members. Premium Members can attend the event free of charge. As this event is outside normal Museum opening hours Annual Passes are not valid. Limited places available so early booking is advised.

   To find out more information please visit the website at https://www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/whats-on/museum-quiz-night or call 01926 641188.