The Heritage Motor Centre, home to the British Motor Industry
Heritage Trust, announced a number of exciting new changes on Friday
13th November. The world’s largest collection of historic British cars
is re-branding the name of its venue at Gaydon to the British Motor Museum,and undertaking a major refurbishment of its Museum this winter as well as unveiling a new £4m Collections Centre.
The change of name to the British Motor Museum will more accurately
reflect this Accredited Museum’s recently achieved Arts Council England
‘Designated’ status which confirms the national and international
significance of its collections.
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
30 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.”
The transition to the new name begins once the Museum closes for its
redevelopment from the 30 November and the venue will be officially
known as the British Motor Museum when the Museum and Collections Centre re-open to the public on Saturday 13 February 2016.
For more information please visit: britishmotormuseum.co.uk
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