The museum was established in 1985 by John Harold Haynes OBE (1938–2019). It is a registered charity under English law.[1]
The exhibitions
The museum is divided into fifteen exhibitions:
The Dawn of Motoring includes exhibits dating from 1886 including a replica 1886 Benz Patent Motorwagen.
Veteran and Vintage includes 1903 Darracq Type L and a 1922 Rover 8 hp.
Wheels around the World includes a 1975 Bricklin SVI and a 1967 Citroen DS.
Minis and Micros includes a 1964 Trojan 200 and a 1965 Morris Mini MK2.
Great British Marques contains a 1965 Jaguar E Type and a 1977 Lotus Elite Type 75.
Custom and Bespoke includes a 1941 Chevrolet 1/2 ton Custom Pick Up and a 1958 split screen Morris Minor van (ex-Post Office)
The American Dream includes in pride of place a 1931 Duesenberg J Derham bodied Tourster, one of only eight built.[2]
Motorcycle Mezzanine explores the history of British motorcycling over the past 150 years.
Williams F1: The Drivers and The Driven includes an FW14.
Hall of Motorsport depicts varied disciplines of motorsport including a 1996 Ferrari Formula 1 Type F310 (DC) and 1950 Healey Silverstone.
The Morris Story includes 1917 Morris Cowley and a 1955 Morris Minor Convertible.
Memory Lane contains a 1965 Ford Cortina Mk1 and a 1950 Rover 75.
Travelling in Style: Luxury Cars includes a 2007 Bentley Continental GT and a 1957 Bentley Series 1.
Ferrari: The Man, The Machine, The Myth contains a 2000 Ferrari 360 F1 and a 1980 Ferrari 512 Berlinetta Boxer.
The Red Room, contains red sports cars from around the world including a 1966 Ford Mustang Convertible and a 1959 Austin-Healey Sprite.
The museum also has an outdoor children's play area.
In popular culture
The museum featured in an episode of the police drama McDonald & Dodds titled A Billion Beats as the headquarters of fictitious Formula 1 team Addingtons which included scenes shot in The Red Room.[3]
