British cars at their best
A day out to remember a proud heritageI guess the heyday of the British car industry is over. Sure, cars are still made in Britain, but the big names in the industry are under foreign ownership. However there was a day when there was a Great British car industry, and the British Motor Museum celebrates that.
The museum is just outside the village of Gaydon, close to Stratford-upon-Avon (15 miles/27km).
You should give yourself a few hours to explore the history of a once-great industry.
It's a great day out for anyone interested in British motoring heritage.
![The Pin image for our post - 'A visit to the British Motor Museum'](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/A-visit-to-the-British-Motor-Museum-Pin6.jpg)
![The welcome board to the British Motor Museum, detailing the prices from 2018, plus a scene from the fish of a historic race.](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Welcome-to-the-British-Motor-Museum-a-visit-to-the-british-motor-museum-british-car-museums-things-to-see-in-warwickshire-days-out-in-warwickshire-V5.jpg)
Where is British Motor Museum?
How to get to British Motor Museum
- By Car
The British Motor Museum is Just 1.5 miles from Junction 12 of the M40 and has ample parking on-site.
- By Train
You can get trains to Warwick, Leamington Spa & Banbury, but then you'll need to get a taxi to the museum.
Discovering the Britsh Motor Museum
Let's start at the beginning![A front view of a bright red 1960's E-Type Jaguar in the entrance lobby of the British Motor Museum](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/The-iconic-E-Type-Jaguar-a-visit-to-the-british-motor-museum-british-car-museums-things-to-see-in-warwickshire-visit-warwickshire-V5.jpg)
![A rear view of a White 1971 Austin Max prepared for the Daily Mirror World Cup Rally in front of the information desk of the British Motor Museum](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/A-rally-prep-austin-maxi-a-visit-to-the-british-motor-museum-british-car-museums-things-to-see-in-warwickshire-days-out-in-warwickshire-V5.jpg)
British Motoring Heritage
The oh so familiar smell![A mock of a period motor garage, from the 1930s, complete with a black Austin from the era.](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/The-John-Carter-Garage-a-visit-to-the-british-motor-museum-british-car-museums-things-to-see-in-warwickshire-days-out-in-warwickshire-V5.jpg)
Other motor museums we have visited
On our travels, I have, on occasion, popped into a car museum or two.
Both were in Germany, and whilst we were visiting the German Christmas Markets, they were the Mercedes Museum in Stuttgart and the Audi Museum in Ingolstadt.
Memories of British Motoring
A touch of nostalgiaNext to the garage is a period cinema. It shows film clips of the heyday of British motoring; it's also an excellent chance to take the weight off your feet.
We have just begun our tour, so we'll pop back later.
![The entrance to the Motoring Cinema at the British Motor Museum](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/The-Motoring-Cinema-a-visit-to-the-british-motor-museum-british-car-museums-things-to-see-in-warwickshire-visit-warwickshire-V5.jpg)
Where to stay nearby
The story of the British Motor Industry
Entering the main hall![Full size prototype British cars displayed on scaled-up toy boxes](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Prototypes-a-visit-to-the-british-motor-museum-british-car-museums-things-to-see-in-warwickshire-visit-warwickshire-V5.jpg)
![Cars parked on the Time Road at the British Museum, underneath a timeline of the era](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Looking-back-on-Time-Road-a-visit-to-the-british-motor-museum-british-car-museums-things-to-see-in-warwickshire-days-out-in-warwickshire-V5.jpg)
This timeline highlights key cars in the British motor industry's journey, along with the historical events that they inspired.
Where would the swinging '60s be without the iconic mini?
![A green Triumph Herald and a golden Alvis on the Time Road at the British Museum](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Step-to-the-future-on-Time-Road-a-visit-to-the-british-motor-museum-british-car-museums-things-to-see-in-warwickshire-days-out-in-warwickshire-V5.jpg)
![A side view of a green MG J type convertible sports car from the 1930s](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/A-broad-range-in-the-British-Motor-Museum-a-visit-to-the-british-motor-museum-british-car-museums-things-to-see-in-warwickshire-visit-warwickshire-V5.jpg)
And that iconic Mini, in full 1967 Monte Carlo Works Rally spec'.
This was the giant slayer that ruffled so many feathers.
It was not until the Audi Quattro arrived in the early 1980's that such a disruptive influence was felt.
![Paddy Hopkirk's bright red Mini Cooper that won the Monte Carlo rally on display in the British motor museum.](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/The-classic-Mini-Cooper-a-visit-to-the-british-motor-museum-british-car-museums-things-to-see-in-warwickshire-visit-warwickshire-V5.jpg)
![A dark green, almost black, Rover P5B, from the late '60s/early '70s, on display at the British Motor Museum](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/A-favourite-of-mine-a-visit-to-the-british-motor-museum-british-car-museums-things-to-see-in-warwickshire-days-out-in-warwickshire-V5.jpg)
Then you find yourself in a section I love: Film & TV Car's. There's stuff here I recognise straight away.
One of the Land Rovers from 'James Bond—Skyfall', A Reliant Robin three-wheeler in 'Only Fools and Horses' livery, and the 6-wheeler FAB 1 Pink Rolls-Royce from the 2004 live-action Thunderbirds movie, to name but a few.
![One of the Land Rover 90s from the James Bond movie 'Skyfall' featuring the scars of the chase sequence](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/A-Land-Rover-from-James-Bond-Skyfall-a-visit-to-the-british-motor-museum-british-car-museums-things-to-see-in-warwickshire-visit-warwickshire-V5.jpg)
More info
Exploring the British Motor Industry
The Next Level![A gunmetal grey 1960s Aston Martin DB6, as featured in the TV series Car S.O.S](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/A-restored-Aston-Martin-DB6-a-visit-to-the-british-motor-museum-british-car-museums-things-to-see-in-warwickshire-days-out-in-warwickshire-V5.jpg)
![A powder blue For Capri 3100, as featured in the TV series Car S.O.S](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/A-Car-S.O.S-project-a-visit-to-the-british-motor-museum-british-car-museums-things-to-see-in-warwickshire-visit-warwickshire-V5.jpg)
More at the British Motor Museum
The Collections Centre![Looking down from the first floor to the Restoration Workshop of the Collections Centre in a separate building from the main museum. Here Three cars from different periods are being restored to their former glory.](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Looking-down-on-the-workshop-a-visit-to-the-british-motor-museum-british-car-museums-things-to-see-in-warwickshire-days-out-in-warwickshire-V5.jpg)
![The frontal view of a 1914 Austin 20hp Vitesse Phaeton in a deep red colour in the Collections Centre of the British Motor Museum](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/A-classic-in-the-Collections-Centre-a-visit-to-the-british-motor-museum-british-car-museums-things-to-see-in-warwickshire-visit-warwickshire-V5.jpg)
![The frontal view of a 1953 Jaguar C-Type Le Mans car in a British Racing Green colour within the Jaguar Heritage collection at the British Motor Museum](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/A-Heritage-Jaguar-a-visit-to-the-british-motor-museum-british-car-museums-things-to-see-in-warwickshire-days-out-in-warwickshire-V5.jpg)
![A side profile of the leaping Jaguar bonnet ornament from a 1960s Jaguar car](https://www.ourworldforyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/All-types-of-Jaguars-a-visit-to-the-british-motor-museum-british-car-museums-things-to-see-in-warwickshire-visit-warwickshire-V5.jpg)
Have You?
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