An exciting new phase begins for us as work on our new gallery begins tomorrow the 29th October. As result some of our top floor galleries of the Museum including the Cycle Gallery, Motorcycle Gallery and Motorsports Gallery will remain closed to the public from Thursday 29th October (12noon) until Monday 2nd November 10am.
We regret any inconvenience caused due to the closure.
The new gallery ‘Ghost town? What happened to the Coventry car industry?’ will open in January 2010. Watch this space for more information.
Wednesday, 28 October 2009
Wednesday, 21 October 2009
1971 Rover P5B
A 1971 Rover P5B has been offered to Coventry Transport Museum. We have accepted the offer and will add the car to our collection early next year.
The car was built in Solihull (the current Land Rover factory) and was bought at a dealership in Coventry. The gentlemen who will donate the car to us has been the only owner and it has always been based in Coventry.
Click here to see photos of the Rover
We have a Rover P4 and Rover P6, so it fills a gap in our collection.
The car was built in Solihull (the current Land Rover factory) and was bought at a dealership in Coventry. The gentlemen who will donate the car to us has been the only owner and it has always been based in Coventry.
Click here to see photos of the Rover
We have a Rover P4 and Rover P6, so it fills a gap in our collection.
Tuesday, 20 October 2009
The BIG DRAW 2009
Lots will be happening here at the Museum this October Half Term with the The Big Draw where you can make your mark. We are having a series of master art classes where kids over 12 can work with local artists and learn unique, smart and wacky forms of art. From turning socks into cute kittens, puppies and bears to technical drawings and Japanese manga art, the idea is to keep the kids busy with something exciting and creative. For the under 12s, we will have craft activities such as ceramic and fabric painting and spare part arts.
Our Highlights Tours will be on throughout the week along with a number of hands-on activities, where you can discover about Coventry's past.
Spaces at the master class sessions are limited, so do hurry to book your place. Further information about the October Half Term events is available here
Our Highlights Tours will be on throughout the week along with a number of hands-on activities, where you can discover about Coventry's past.
Spaces at the master class sessions are limited, so do hurry to book your place. Further information about the October Half Term events is available here
Friday, 16 October 2009
New Gallery
We are clearing out the Icons gallery to make room for the new 80’s, 90’s and today gallery. This will open early in the new year, the building of it has to be finished before Christmas though. Basically we have cleared the ‘row of old cars’ in front of the ‘old café area’ and the icons area and temporary moved these cars into store or into the current 80’s 90’s and today gallery (next to the offices).
Most of the cars have been removed and we are currently removing the ramps and other equipment.
Most of the cars have been removed and we are currently removing the ramps and other equipment.
Tuesday, 13 October 2009
1950's Police Box
Our police box was positioned on the corner of Humber Road and Binley Road in Coventry. It was donated to the museum in January 2008 by a resident of Lower Stoke in Coventry. The police box was acquired by the donor’s father in 1970 and used as a garden shed.
It is a wooden police box as apposed to the concrete Tardis-style concrete boxes. Different police services around the country used different (local) designs. This is a Coventry box that would have been used in the 1950’s and 1960’s.
View some images of the Police Box as it was found here
When we received this police box it was in a rather poor condition although many of the original features were still there (like the blue police light on the roof). Due to other commitments we had to look for partners to help us restore it. Luckily we were able to start the initial restoration with help of the local probation service.
After inspection it was found that additional restoration was needed to bring this historic police box up to display standard, so the local city college was contacted to see if they could help us. The college’s wood working department was very keen to help and work should start in the next few weeks. With added information from the restored police box at Avoncroft museum we are hopeful that we can resurrect this Coventry police box.
When the restored item returns to the museum, it will go on display at Coventry Transport Museum.
It is a wooden police box as apposed to the concrete Tardis-style concrete boxes. Different police services around the country used different (local) designs. This is a Coventry box that would have been used in the 1950’s and 1960’s.
View some images of the Police Box as it was found here
When we received this police box it was in a rather poor condition although many of the original features were still there (like the blue police light on the roof). Due to other commitments we had to look for partners to help us restore it. Luckily we were able to start the initial restoration with help of the local probation service.
After inspection it was found that additional restoration was needed to bring this historic police box up to display standard, so the local city college was contacted to see if they could help us. The college’s wood working department was very keen to help and work should start in the next few weeks. With added information from the restored police box at Avoncroft museum we are hopeful that we can resurrect this Coventry police box.
When the restored item returns to the museum, it will go on display at Coventry Transport Museum.
Thursday, 20 August 2009
Festival of Motoring News Round-up
The Festival of Motoring draws ever closer and by the end of this week, the runners and riders will receive their run numbers. There are a number of interesting entrants, amongst them Judy Woolfenden, MBE who is looking forward to taking part in the 60-mile car run on Sunday 6th September.
Diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy at the young age of 36, Judy refused to let her medical condition override her zest for life. She integrated her passion for adventure with her cause to raise positive awareness of disability through her charity organisation ‘The Judy Woolfenden Challenge’. Judy has accomplished amazing challenges including 54 hot-air balloon flights, cross-country ski challenges, been pushed in her wheelchair in several marathons, and ridden pillion on Harley-Davidson and BMW motorbikes. Her organisation has raised over £60,000 for the various charities she supports.
The Festival of Motoring is shaping up to be a truly exciting and memorable event with a packed programme of family entertainment throughout the weekend and, of course, a 60 mile run through Coventry and Warwickshire.
As part of the event, the Museum will host a civic reception and dinner on the evening of Saturday 5th September and Richard Noble, OBE will be guest speaker at the event. Richard was the holder of the land speed record between 1983 and 1997, and was the project director of Thrust SSC, the vehicle which holds the land speed record set in Nevada in 1997. At the Festival Dinner, Richard will be speaking about his new engineering adventure for the 21st century ‘Bloodhound SSC’ and his quest to achieve the first 1000mph record on land. Both of Richard's record holding vehicles are on display at the Museum.
Tickets to the Dinner cost £22.50 per person and can be bought from the Museum by calling 024 7623 4270.
This week Festival organisers faced the tricky task of re-working the route for the Sunday run due to road works in Kenilworth town centre. The run will now take a different route for the Kenilworth part of its 60-mile ride on Sunday 6th September as major gasworks repairs are in place on that route leading to the closure of New Street. Alternatively, the Run will now proceed from Upper Spring Lane, Beehive Hill, Malthouse Lane and High Street.
Organisers are asking the runners and riders and people holding street parties on the day to make note of the new changes in the route for the Sunday Run.
For further information please visit the Festival website: www.festival-of-motoring.co.uk
Diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy at the young age of 36, Judy refused to let her medical condition override her zest for life. She integrated her passion for adventure with her cause to raise positive awareness of disability through her charity organisation ‘The Judy Woolfenden Challenge’. Judy has accomplished amazing challenges including 54 hot-air balloon flights, cross-country ski challenges, been pushed in her wheelchair in several marathons, and ridden pillion on Harley-Davidson and BMW motorbikes. Her organisation has raised over £60,000 for the various charities she supports.
The Festival of Motoring is shaping up to be a truly exciting and memorable event with a packed programme of family entertainment throughout the weekend and, of course, a 60 mile run through Coventry and Warwickshire.
As part of the event, the Museum will host a civic reception and dinner on the evening of Saturday 5th September and Richard Noble, OBE will be guest speaker at the event. Richard was the holder of the land speed record between 1983 and 1997, and was the project director of Thrust SSC, the vehicle which holds the land speed record set in Nevada in 1997. At the Festival Dinner, Richard will be speaking about his new engineering adventure for the 21st century ‘Bloodhound SSC’ and his quest to achieve the first 1000mph record on land. Both of Richard's record holding vehicles are on display at the Museum.
Tickets to the Dinner cost £22.50 per person and can be bought from the Museum by calling 024 7623 4270.
This week Festival organisers faced the tricky task of re-working the route for the Sunday run due to road works in Kenilworth town centre. The run will now take a different route for the Kenilworth part of its 60-mile ride on Sunday 6th September as major gasworks repairs are in place on that route leading to the closure of New Street. Alternatively, the Run will now proceed from Upper Spring Lane, Beehive Hill, Malthouse Lane and High Street.
Organisers are asking the runners and riders and people holding street parties on the day to make note of the new changes in the route for the Sunday Run.
For further information please visit the Festival website: www.festival-of-motoring.co.uk
Wednesday, 22 July 2009
Museum awarded top prize!
We were all very pleased to be awarded a prestigious VisitBritain prize last week, following a day-long assessment of everything the Museum has to offer.
The Visitor Attraction Quality Assurance Scheme (or VAQAS) is VisitBritain’s quality assessment service for all types of visitor attractions throughout England.
All areas that impact on the quality of the visitor experience were included in the assessment, ranging from an initial enquiry via our Admin team, information gathered from our website - www.transport-museum.com - through to the facilities available to visitors.
The Visitor Attraction Quality Assurance Scheme (or VAQAS) is VisitBritain’s quality assessment service for all types of visitor attractions throughout England.
All areas that impact on the quality of the visitor experience were included in the assessment, ranging from an initial enquiry via our Admin team, information gathered from our website - www.transport-museum.com - through to the facilities available to visitors.
Friday, 17 July 2009
Let's Do It! - Summer activities at the Museum
The summer holidays are pretty much upon us now and we are putting the very final touches to our hectic programme of events called 'Let’s Do It!'. It's a real crafts extravaganza and will be taking place at the Museum from 20th July to 28th August.
There's a different theme each week where young and old alike can try out model making, painting, designing, thread work, drawing and making a fabulous array of items including tea light holders, helicopters and photo frames.
Museum staff will also be on hand to help visitors explore the Museum and Coventry’s past including fascinating stories about the pioneers of Coventry’s motoring heritage and there's also the chance to get to grips with some of the Museum’s artefacts.
We're also hosting very special circus workshops for kids to learn how to spin plates, juggle and much, much more. Circus workshops take place every Wednesday morning.
Finally (I did say it was hectic!) our special quizzes are also available Monday to Friday.
The Museum itself is guaranteed to keep everyone entertained and what’s more, it’s absolutely free to get in!
Let’s Do It starts on 20th July and activities take place every Monday to Friday until 28th August; there’s no need to book in advance. For further information on all the events taking place at the Museum over the school holidays, visit the Museum website: www.transport-museum.com
There's a different theme each week where young and old alike can try out model making, painting, designing, thread work, drawing and making a fabulous array of items including tea light holders, helicopters and photo frames.
Museum staff will also be on hand to help visitors explore the Museum and Coventry’s past including fascinating stories about the pioneers of Coventry’s motoring heritage and there's also the chance to get to grips with some of the Museum’s artefacts.
We're also hosting very special circus workshops for kids to learn how to spin plates, juggle and much, much more. Circus workshops take place every Wednesday morning.
Finally (I did say it was hectic!) our special quizzes are also available Monday to Friday.
The Museum itself is guaranteed to keep everyone entertained and what’s more, it’s absolutely free to get in!
Let’s Do It starts on 20th July and activities take place every Monday to Friday until 28th August; there’s no need to book in advance. For further information on all the events taking place at the Museum over the school holidays, visit the Museum website: www.transport-museum.com
Coventry Transport Museum
Welcome to the Museum's first blog post - keep checking back regularly for updates from the home of the world's largest collection of British road transport.
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