Haynes Motor Museum, Bath - Review
Posted on: 2017-05-30
Our rating:
This is a day out that anyone can enjoy, and certainly one of the South West’s most interesting attractions.
The Haynes International Motor Museum is a fun packed and varied day out for the whole family. Boasting the UK’s largest collection of cars from around the world, the museum keeps the interest levels high with activities that everyone can enjoy, whilst providing an educational experience.
Starting at the very beginning, with information about the dawn of motoring in the 1800s, the museum takes you on a journey where you can visualise different periods in automobile history. This is great if you’re a visual learner like me, as everything is laid out in an easy to follow manner, with huge Top Trumps style boards scattered around. My siblings and I had fun trying to find them all, comparing stats over cars… which I can't say I ever thought we would spend an afternoon doing!
Little innovative and charming touches make this museum what it is. Brass rubbings of the cars for children to discover, cars and bikes you can sit on after dressing up and have your picture taken, and the sheer diversity of the collection of vehicles inside. I particularly enjoyed the upstairs dedicated to scooters and motorbikes, with its interesting room on Mod culture; and the old-style ambulance that looked like something straight out of Back To the Future… (There was a Delorean too!)
For those of you who love the nostalgic classics of the 1950s and 1960s, there are whole rooms dedicated to just that; with information, interactive learning facilities and immersive décor. Numerous Bentleys and Rolls Royces are displayed in full shining glory and a series of world renowned supercars like the Jaguar XJ220 are on display in their own room.
One particularly interesting Morris Minor had been used as a canvas and crafted into one of the most beautiful artefacts I have ever seen. Every single part of the car, including the chassis, all the pipes and everything below the hood had been painted and stylised. It really defies description, but definitely worth seeing as a piece of gorgeous and unique artistic work.
As with a lot of museums these days. They have the foresight to branch out into more interactive activities and something to keep the little ones busy while everyone else has a coffee… and yet somehow they have outstripped any competitor in this department, providing literally hours of fun for the younger generation. For properly little ones there is a huge outdoor play area, massive sand pit, and indoor soft-play that is free of charge – enough to satisfy imaginative kids for as long as necessary. If you’re willing to spend a little bit of money (and I really do mean a little, a pound or so) the kids can have a go on the go-karts, robotic diggers, or outdoor entertainments.
As amazing as this is for little ones, there is also plenty to keep older kids occupied. An old-style arcade with racing games on various formats sits within sight of the play area, with games costing just £1 a go. My family and I were very impressed by this – usually, when you go somewhere you still have to disappoint the kids if another expensive activity pops up, but the options here are cheap and well worth the money – enough to allow the adults time for a cup of tea, anyway.
The museum is one of the best that I have ever been to, certainly in terms of its immersive uniqueness and provisions for families. You could easily spend a whole day here, learning, playing, exploring, and even dressing up – and it really seems to be a place where families can come together to all enjoy a past-time that may have previously only appealed to one family member. We went with Two adults in their 40s, me in my 20s, a 16 year old, a 4 year old, and a 2 year old… and I guarantee everyone had the same amount of fun and took away something special from the day. This is a day out that anyone can enjoy, and certainly one of the South West’s most interesting attractions.
For further information please visit www.haynesmotormuseum.com and keep up to date via Facebook and Twitter
Article by:
Miri is an English literature student at the University of Bristol who enjoys folk-punk & math-rock music, trailing round art galleries, and playing video games. She is a keen follower of politics and will read any science fiction you throw her way. Having lived near Bath for many years she has developed a keen interest in the music and literature scenes and independent restaurants. Miri is the Assistant Editor of 365Bath.com. Email miri@365bath.com.
