Haynes Motor museum due to reopen after extensive improvements.
After six months of hard work the team at Haynes International Motor Museum are working on the final touches in time for reopening at October half term, on Saturday 24 October, subject to any change in Government Guidance.
The reopening of the Museum will certainly be worth the wait. The enforced lockdown in March led the Museum to take the decision to bring forward some major planned improvements and new exhibitions.
The Haynes International Motor Museum is the UK’s largest collection of cars from the dawn of motoring in the late 1800s through the 1950s and 1960s, to modern cars, including world renowned super cars like the Jaguar XJ220.
Located just off the A303 at Sparkford in Somerset the Museum currently offers 19 individual exhibitions with tours, talks and activities for families, children and enthusiasts alike.
New exhibitions
John Haynes OBE – The Man, the Manuals and the Museum
John H Haynes OBE was a car enthusiast, whose love for motoring was the driving force behind the hugely successful Haynes Manuals, which became the global go-to guide for car and motorbike owners.
This exhibition explores: ‘The Man’, John’s life, his energy, the support of his wife Annette and his love of people and life; ‘The Manuals’, the petrol-head entrepreneur feeding a new culture of hands-on enthusiasm for repairing your own vehicle and of course ‘The Museum’, his legacy, the cars and the stories behind them.
Williams F1 – The Drivers and the Driven
This exclusive exhibition from Williams F1 explores the world of F1 racing from all angles.
Williams has an extraordinary legacy, making them currently second only to Ferrari in terms of team statistics in the history of Formula 1. Whether you are a fan or a bystander, adult or child, you will get a sense of the excitement, achievement, lifestyle and the need for speed as you uncover the story of Williams.
Enzo Ferrari – The Man and the Machine
This fresh interpretation of the Museum’s Ferrari display unveils the human side of the story, exploring the origins of the brand with the tale of the ambitious, young Enzo Ferrari in both words and film. Understand what lies beneath the shiny metal, where the name Ferrari ‘Dino’ originated and the legend of the prancing horse in a newly installed display space in which you can get up close to the cars and the story of the man behind the name.
More improvements and updates have been added to the other exhibitions and galleries including:
The Vintage and Veteran exhibition, where visitors can understand a little more about the history of motoring with a new layout and a unique ‘slice’ of our road history from cart track to Roman to Tarmacadam; the famous Red Room now delves further into the history of the colour Red. Find out why red is so popular in motoring, what it means across the globe and why it is such an emotive colour; Further history of the Roaring Twenties has been added into the American Dream exhibition to provide context to the beautiful cars on display, which were on the road in a period so influential to our economic, social and celebrity history.
Welcoming you back safely
The Museum has also been awarded the ‘WE’RE GOOD TO GO’ industry charter mark by Visit England, a mark of confidence for visitors to know that all the processes have been put in place to ensure a safe and enjoyable visit for all.