NEWS, V8 Register - MG Car Club, support and services for all MG V8 enthusiasts and owners, MGBGTV8 and MGB GT V8 for sale, Costello MGBV8 for sale, MG RV8 for sale, MG RV8 buying guide, MGBGTV8 and MGB GT V8 buying guide, MGV8 price guide, MG SV, MG X80, MG ZT260V8, MG owners, MG enthusiasts

British Motor Museum is the new name of the Heritage Motor Centre

British Motor Museum is the new name of the Heritage Motor Centre. The new name reflects the Arts Council England ‘Designated’ status of the Museum’s collections and is the first step in a multi-million pound redevelopment to showcase the world’s largest collection of historic British cars. The Museum will close from Monday 30th November 2015 for this major refurbishment, and will re-open, along with the new Collections Centre, on Saturday 13th February 2016.

See the new British Motor Museum website. More

Contributor: Chris Hunt Cooke
Posted: 151121

An investment of £1.1m by the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust will transform the Museum at Gaydon, which will close to the public from 30th November to allow the refurbishment to take place. The changes will result in a much more visually exciting and immersive display, designed to appeal to both current fans as well as new audiences yet to experience all that it has to offer.

An introductory gallery within the new visitor entrance will set the scene and flow into distinctive new themed zones, including ones for movie cars, prototypes and sports cars. The popular ethos of allowing visitors to get up close to the exhibits will not change, but there will be different ways to view the cars, with many on raised plinths and some at eye level. Families and enthusiasts alike will be able to stroll along the Time Road, look under more open bonnets, and enjoy new interactive content including sound, film and touch screens. Whether the visitor is 3 or 103 years of age, there will be something about each car and its history to fascinate.

The final element of the multi-million revamp is the new Collections Centre. Supported by Heritage Lottery Fund, Jaguar Land Rover and the Garfield Weston Foundation, as well as the two charitable Trusts involved, the £4m project will store around 250 vehicles from the reserve collections of the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust and the Jaguar Heritage Trust. Many of these vehicles are one of a kind and most have never been seen by the public. A new team of volunteers will take visitors on a ‘behind-the-scenes’ tour to view both the cars and the conservation work in progress in the historic vehicle workshops. Entry to the Collections Centre will be included within the Museum ticket price and tours can be booked on arrival.

Julie Tew, Managing Director at the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust said: “We are delighted to announce these exciting new changes which will significantly enhance our status and appeal. The Museum refurbishment and the new Collections Centre will enrich our visitors’ experience and showcase our collections to their full potential. Not only will our prized collection of 300 historic British cars be far more accessible, but our Museum will give people the chance to learn more about the past, present and future of the British motor industry, its technology and its people.” More