Just thinking about 2026 & potential MX-5 trips in the UK. Just looking randomly at the map & the Haynes Motor Museum popped up. It looks worth visiting, has anyone on here visited recently? Opinions welcome! I also noted that The Fleet Air Arm museum is close by. There are also plenty of other attractions in the area. I am in East Yorkshire, so quite happy to travel and have a few nights away for a change of scenery. I think Gaydon is a good venue, especially the JLR heritage part, but have already visited several times. We went to Beaulieu last year but was a little disappointed. I thought it looked a bit tired and wasn’t as big as I remember. Sammy Miller’s museum in the New Forest is a brilliant day out however, if you are interested in motorcycles.
Don’t forget the National Rally is at the British Motor Museum in Gaydon this year.
Our area visited The Great British Car Journey a few years ago: https://greatbritishcarjourney.com/
It was very good and the staff were very accommodating towards a prearranged group visit from the Club.
Thank you. I have been looking for dates and details but haven’t found them yet. Can you point me in the right direction please?
More detail to follow.
And not just motorcycles.
I’ve been thinking about the Shuttleworth Collection, in Bedfordshire. Planes, Vehicles, House and Garden. They aim to keep all the collection in running order.
Been to the Haynes museum, enjoyed it, it’s a more modern museum and would go again if it was closer.
The Lakeland motor museum is also worth a visit, a smaller museum with the addition of the Campbell land speed cars in a separate building, although I think one/some are replicas.
We visited Gaydon again last year the day after the national rally, we wanted somewhere to visit on a rainy day, they give you a 12 month pass there, the others don’t.
The Great British Car Journey is quite local to me, it’s a smaller museum but very enjoyable, only British cars of course. You also get to drive a classic car, needs booking, on certain days of the week, choose your car to drive.
I visited the Lakeland motor museum at the southern end of Lake Windermere a couple of years ago and enjoyed it. Google Maps
This The Bubblecar Museum » Discover a fascinating period of history, in Britain’s most unusual motor museum. is well worth a look. A bit on the basic side but that is part of it’s charm.
Another is here The Trolleybus Museum at Sandtoft which is very good. You can take a ride on the busses all day, very nostalgic for a Bradfordian.
I visited last year on the way down to goodwood from kintyre. I’ve always been fascinated by the land speed record and they have a great display of Malcolm and Donald Campbell’s efforts. Definitely worth a visit!
Pencil museum in Keswick. Fascinating! 
Is this thread drawing to a close then?
Blimey you’re easily lead aren’t you.
Silverstone 
Childhood memories of coloured pencil sets in a real wooden case. “Lakeland by Cumberland” I seem to recall. Very evocative scent!
When I was in Bristol I used to pop along to the Haynes Museum several times a year, either last weekend of the month or first weekend of the month they have a Classic Car Gathering which usually includes at least a handful of MX-5’s well worth a visit with good facilities, cafe and a nice display of motorcycles. Not been to Fleet Air Arm for a few years but anywhere that has a Concorde is always worth a visit, doubly so because there are a few prototype aircraft there that helped prove the Concorde concept. If your into military vehicles Bovingdon is down that wayish, I keep meaning to go to one of there demo days where they have been known to run a Tiger. If you are staying in the west country Morehampstead Motor Museum has a splendid display of smaller vehicles, my personal favorite is Atwell Wilson near Devizes where the club had a spring meeting a couple of years ago.
Also worth poping into Coventry Motor Museum if you are thinking about going to Gaydon. Have fun which ever you choose.
I remember going to Beaulieu as a nipper.
Pendine Sands if you are fascinated by land speed record attempts. Not a full day out but don’t drive past it if you are in the area.