Category: British Motor Museum

1. Join ‘Bessie the Bus’ for her birthday bash at the British Motor Museum!

   Posted on 12:00pm Wednesday 22nd Mar 2023

   Visitors are invited to join ‘Bessie the Bus’ for her birthday bash at the British Motor Museum this Easter from 1 – 16 April. Bessie is an AEC S-type Bus on long term loan from the London Transport Museum which first went into service on London’s Route 76 roads in April 1923.

   To celebrate her first trip, children can make their very own 3D cardboard cut-out Bessie to take home. Mavis the bus clippie, or Jim the bus driver, will be giving fun and informative tours of the Museum ending with a chance to climb aboard Bessie and see for themselves what bus travel looked like 100 years ago! The popular ‘Colour Creator’ Trail will also be returning for the holidays, taking visitors around the Museum to explore the colours in the collection. 

   Over the Easter Weekend from the 7 – 10 April, younger visitors can also enjoy an entertaining Easter Egg hunt around the collection. Children can pick up an Easter basket and search for eggs that are hidden around the cars. 

   Emma Rawlinson, Lifelong Learning Officer at the British Motor Museum said “We have lots of fun activities for families to enjoy this Easter! Children love our costumed characters who bring the Museum to life in a friendly and educational way”. 

   Make a Bessie the Bus takes place every day from 10am to 3pm in the Learning Space.  Bessie’s Family Tour takes place every day at 11:30am/1:30pm for around 20-25 mins. The Colour Creator Trail also takes place every day at the Family Activity Station. 

   The Museum has held its 2022 prices for 2023. Museum 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. All activities are included in Museum admission and are suitable for 3 years plus with adult supervision. During busy periods, all family activities may move to a timed ticket basis. To avoid disappointment, please check on arrival with the Family Station, as places are limited and are subject to availability.

    

   To find out more information about Easter activities please call 01926 895300 or visit the website at https://www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/whats-on/easter-holiday-activities

2. 2023 dates announced for FREE ‘Gaydon Gatherings’!

   Posted on 12:00pm Tuesday 21st Mar 2023

   The British Motor Museum’s 'Gaydon Gathering' events return on Tuesday 11 April 2023 from 5pm – 8:30pm. Informal, fun evenings aimed at motoring enthusiasts, these events are free to attend, taking place outside on the Museum's arenas on the second Tuesday of each month. Up to 500 vehicles attended last year’s events with a truly eclectic mix of vehicle types, makes and models. 

   Whilst free to attend, pre-booking is essential and tickets will be released online a few weeks before each event and will be announced on social media. Tickets for the April event are now available. The dates for the rest of the Gatherings are; 9 May, 13 June, 11 July, 8 August, 12 September, and 10 October.

   In addition to providing an opportunity for likeminded motoring enthusiasts to display their vehicles, each Gathering will feature the 'Gaydon Garage' at 6:30pm when the workshop doors open to reveal one of the many fantastic vehicles from the Museum’s collection before it’s driven around the site. Hints as to which car will emerge from the garage will be posted on the Museum’s social media channels in the run up to the events.

   Tom Caren, Show Manager at the British Motor Museum stated “Last year’s ‘Gaydon Gatherings’ proved immensely popular and we are looking forward to hosting them this year. All vehicles are welcome, no matter how many wheels they have or where and when they were made! It’s an opportunity for petrol heads to indulge their passion with a burger and drink, hopefully in the spring sunshine!”

   Display vehicles will be parked in front of the Museum whilst there will be separate free parking for those visitors who aren’t displaying. Visitors can enjoy refreshments including burgers as well as hot and soft drinks. Wriggly Monkey Brewing from Bicester will also be on-site selling their range of lagers and ales.

   Dogs are welcome on leads. Please note that the Museum itself will not be open for the evening gatherings. For more information and to book your FREE tickets for April’s Gaydon Gathering visit https://www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/whats-on/gaydon-gathering-april

3. British Motor Museum opens a second exciting motorcycle exhibition with Triumph ‘History in the Making’

   Posted on 12:00pm Saturday 25th Feb 2023

   The British Motor Museum has expanded its visitor appeal and opened another exciting motorcycle exhibition in a new collaboration with Triumph Motorcycles. The first exhibition opened last July to celebrate one of its most iconic road and race bike names – the Daytona. The second, entitled ‘History in the Making’ will run until the end of April 2023. Visitors can celebrate over 120 years of Triumph motorcycles, both on the road and on the track. Since 1902, Triumph has been a homegrown favourite of bikers all over the world. From Number One, Triumph’s first motorcycle, to the Speed Triples of today, the company’s back catalogue demonstrates many remarkable contributions to the history of British motorcycling.

   The History in the Making exhibition celebrates this heritage by showcasing some of the company’s most iconic motorcycles through the lens of its four core values: Passion, Performance, Innovation and Excellence.  Impressive bikes like the Rocket 3 221 Edition are on display, named after its world-leading 221 Nm of peak torque, and renowned for being the largest production motorcycle engine on the planet.

   The exhibition allows visitors to get up close to all of the bikes on display, including those that have featured in movies and TV, such as the Scrambler 900 that David Beckham famously rode through the Amazon, and the Bonneville T120 TT ridden by Jason Statham in Mechanic: Resurrection.

   The Scrambler 1200 XE is also on display, custom-built in collaboration with Guy Martin for an attempt to recreate the famous original jump from the 1963 film The Great Escape, starring Hollywood actor, Steve McQueen.

   Additionally, the Speed Triple 1200 RR Bond Edition is also featured, celebrating 60 years of Bond^TM, individually numbered and beautifully handcrafted, as well as classic favourites like the Bonneville T120 1958 plus a selection of the finest examples of Triumph custom builds from Down & Out Motorcycles.

   Triumph’s innovation is also showcased with the TE-1 on display, a stunning final prototype electric motorcycle that demonstrates class-leading USPs and hints of the exciting future for Triumph fans across the world.

   Jeff Coope, Managing Director at the British Motor Museum said, “This exhibition features a fantastic exhibit of stunning motorcycles for visitors to see and enjoy, made possible thanks to the Dick Shepherd Collection. Triumph is an iconic British brand, and this is a great opportunity to share the story of Triumph’s continued evolution and the important role that British motor manufacturing still plays today.”

   Simon Thrussell, Head of Customer Experience for Triumph Motorcycles commented: “We are delighted to extend our collaboration with the British Motor Museum for a second exhibition which gives us a great opportunity not only to extend our 120-year celebrations but provide the museum with a fantastic display of motorcycles that really are History in the Making. I would also like to express my thanks to the Dick Shepherd Collection.”

   An ”Evening With” event to compliment the exhibit, featuring guest speakers from Triumph Motorcycles will be taking place on 29 April, further details will be published shortly.

   The History in the Making exhibition is showcased in the Rotunda Gallery. Access to the exhibition is included within normal Museum admission tickets. The Museum has frozen its 2022 visitor prices for 2023. Museum 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 at the time of booking and benefit from an upgrade to an Annual Pass in return, at no extra cost.

   To find out more information about the exhibition please visit the website at www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/explore/triumph-history-in-the-making

4. British Motor Museum secures significant funding from Arts Council England

   Posted on 12:00pm Thursday 10th Nov 2022

   The British Motor Museum is delighted to announce that it has secured a further £225,000 per annum from the Arts Council for the period 2023-2026 as a National Portfolio Organisation (NPO). Arts Council England are boosting spending in arts, museums and libraries in villages, towns and cities where investment is currently low. The Museum is one of 990 National Portfolio and Investment Principles Support Organisations who will share the £446m a year investment.

   The funding will support activities and development work at the Museum through its exhibitions and programmes. The themes the Museum will be exploring will include the development of alternative solutions for the car and mobility, the process of design and the personal responses it evokes, and the relationship between cars and music - both of which are deeply rooted in popular culture.  Running through all these themes is the Museum’s commitment to diversify its audiences, its workforce and its governance.   As part of its commitment to young people, the Museum will continue to provide activities for children who have limited access to cultural experiences. It will also maintain the Travel Support Scheme for schools and community groups, to subsidise the otherwise prohibitive transport cost of getting to the Museum.

   Jeff Coope, Managing Director at the British Motor Museum said, “We are delighted to receive this investment from Arts Council England which will help to ensure the resilience of the Museum in the future and also cement our reputation as one of the outstanding Museums in the region. Our programmes are strongly grounded in working with a wide variety of communities and giving as many people as possible the opportunity to engage with the Museum's amazing collections and culture”.

   Arts Council England Chief Executive, Darren Henley, said: “Together, each of the 990 organisations that have been offered funding will contribute to a portfolio that is rich, varied and truly national. This is our widest ever spread of investment across the country, ensuring that many more people will have access to a wider choice of exceptional art, culture and creative opportunities on their doorsteps. We are in tough times but we must remember creativity brings with it extraordinary dividends, boosting our country’s economic growth, creating jobs, bringing communities closer together, and making us happier as individuals. Everyone deserves to enjoy the benefits it brings, and with this investment, we believe we’ve taken a decisive step towards making that vision a reality.”

    

   To find out more about the British Motor Museum please visit the website at www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk  or call 01926 895300. For more information on the Arts Council England’s 2023-26 Investment Programme visit www.artscouncil.org.uk/investment23

5. British Motor Museum wins VisitEngland's ‘Best Told Story’ Award!

   Posted on 12:00pm Friday 4th Nov 2022

   The British Motor Museum is celebrating after being awarded a coveted ‘Best Told Story’ Award from VisitEngland. The Museum is one of 97 attractions awarded accolades for the outstanding experiences they provide to visitors across categories including Welcome, Best Told Story, Quality Food & Drink, Hidden Gem, and Gold for overall winners. The Best Told Story award is presented when the judges feel “visitors have left the venue having thoroughly enjoyed an entertaining and interesting visit”.

   Jeff Coope, Managing Director at the British Motor Museum said, “We are absolutely delighted and proud to have won this prestigious Award. The team work hard to ensure every single visitor to the Museum has a wonderful and memorable time – so this is testimony to their dedication and passion.  This year alone we have added two new exhibitions – ‘Small Car. Big History - celebrating 100 years of the Austin Seven’, and ‘The Legendary Daytona Motorcycle’ and it is an honour to be acknowledged for sharing the story of Britain’s incredible motoring heritage with our visitors”.

   VisitEngland Director Andrew Stokes said: “It’s so exciting to see our brilliant attractions providing outstanding experiences for visitors and to recognise and showcase the variety and quality across the country. England has unmissable visitor attractions and experiences that deliver world-class customer service. They also provide the warmest of welcomes and unforgettable storytelling that connects the whole experience, including retail and food and drink offers that exceed expectations.”

   Introduced in 2014, the accolades are available to VisitEngland’s Visitor Attraction Quality Scheme participants across a wide range of tourism experiences in England from museums and galleries, farm attractions, historic houses and gardens to churches, cathedrals, and country parks.  Participating attractions are supported by a network of highly trained and experienced assessors who advise them on improving and promoting the quality, accessibility, and sustainability of their offer.

   For more information on the Awards please visit https://www.visitbritain.org. For more information about the Museum please call 01926 895300 or visit the website at https://www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk/