Motor Mad : The Best Transport Museums in the UK!

All the info you need on the best Transport Museums in the UK right here! After our recent Top 5 UK Car Museums article (read here), the team at Into The Blue still had plenty of fuel in its tank to travel a few more miles! 

So here is our pick of our Top 10 fun and quirky motor transport museums to inspire road trips and days out around the UK whatever the weather.. 

The Transport Museum in Covent Garden 

A must-see in central London! Find out how London’s transport system has grown over 200 years, both on the streets and underneath your feet. Exhibits range from Victorian horse-drawn trams, to early motorised double-deckers through to the unmistakable red Routemaster Bus. 

And talking of British design icons, you can also learn about the brilliant story of the instantly recognisable London Transport ‘roundel’ logo and the development of the underground map. Versions of the Tube map can now be found in every train and underground station around the world!

Brooklands Museum in Surrey

Another great day out in the South East of England, Brooklands is located on the site of the world’s first purpose-built motor racing circuit with its famous banked concrete track. With this globally important motor racing heritage, it’s no surprise that Brooklands has a fantastic collection of vintage sports cars and motorbikes at its heart.

In addition, the Museum has aircraft and commercial vehicles on display too and is also home to the London Bus Museum – so there should be something of interest for everyone.

County Classics Motor Museum in Taunton

This museum in Taunton in the South West of England is Britain’s newest automotive attraction. Opened in November 2023, around 200 motorbikes and cars from the 1950s to 1980s are on display.

What makes this collection special is that it is displayed in a former department store right in the centre of Taunton. The collection is described as ‘everyday, accessible classics’ by founder Patrick Hawkins, whose career in car dealing began when he bought, repaired and then sold his first car – at the age of 11! 

Moray Motor Museum near Inverness

Located in Elgin near Inverness, the Museum has a collection of wonderful classic cars and motorbikes, along with motoring memorabilia and automobilia. With everything from Bubblecars to Aston Martins, the highlights of this museum are sports cars from the Veteran, Vintage and Classic eras including Bentleys, BMWs and Frazer Nash.

Riverside Museum in Glasgow

The history of transport in Scotland is celebrated at the fantastic Riverside Museum on the bank of the River Clyde in Glasgow.. This award-winning building, designed by architect Zara Hadid, houses anything and everything with wheels, from skateboards to steam locomotives – there’s even a tall ship docked outside!

In particular, look out for the story of Linwood, Scotland’s largest car factory. Part of the Rootes Group empire, production of Linwood’s most famous car, the Hillman Imp began in 1963. This was alongside variants including the Sunbeam Stilletto, Hillman Husky and Singer Chamois. 

The exhibits are displayed like a collection of model cars on shelves attached to the museum wall – and it looks amazing! 

The best of the rest – quirky, small and unique:

Our final five picks are smaller, quirky museums located near popular tourist spots, so definitely make for a fun visit if you are in the area. These are:

Cotswold Motoring Museum and Toy Collection, Bourton-on-the-Water

A family-friendly museum that featured in the children’s tv series Brum. The actual Brum model car (a half-scale replica Austin 7) that starred in the show is also on display.

Llangollen Motor Museum in North Wales

This Welsh transport museum features cars, motorbikes, models and Britain’s oldest motor-drawn caravan!

Lakeland Motor Museum, near Bowness, Cumbria

Here you’ll find an eclectic collection of cars, vans, scooters and motorcycles in a bucolic location in the heart of the Lake District

Caister Castle Car Collection, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk 

Quite unexpectedly, this little museum on the coast includes the very first Ford Fiesta off the Dagenham production line in 1976!

Bubblecar Museum, Boston, Lincolnshire

Now this is quite niche! A unique collection of over 50 microcars – small single or two-seater cars that make a classic Mini look roomy. Also definitely wins the vote for the quirkiest of the fun days out on this list. 

If all of this inspires you to want to get behind the wheel of a classic vehicle yourself, Into The Blue offers a range of driving experiences and classic car hire all around the UK. For more information and to book your classic driving experience, visit the Into The Blue website here.