Alistair Hardaker | Image: National Motor Museum
Move will expand learning programmes and establish new heritage engineering apprenticeships training centre.
The National Motor Museum is to leave its base in the village of Beaulieu in Hampshire as it reaches the end of its 60-year lease.
The National Motor Museum Trust made the announcement, and said it has begun a search for a “transformational new home”.
The trust said the move is hoped to allow it to reach a new generation of motoring enthusiasts and diverse communities, while preserving its Designated collection of over 200 vehicles and associated motoring items.
The move is also hoped to allow the museum to expand its work in learning and community engagement, with a new training centre for heritage engineering apprenticeships.
The museum was founded in 1952 by Edward Montagu, 3rd Baron Montagu of Beaulieu, as a tribute to his father, an early motoring pioneer, starting with a small car display at the family’s Palace House. It grew into the official National Motor Museum by 1972 and remains part of the Montagu family’s Beaulieu estate today.
The trust said it had, in the past two years, worked with the Montagu family to explore ways to achieve its ambitions at Beaulieu through major donor investment and potential redevelopment.
It now says that the museum’s goals are best achieved through a move to a new home.
Robert MacGregor, chair of the board of trustees of the National Motor Museum Trust said: “We are sad that the National Motor Museum will be leaving Beaulieu but are at the same time very excited about this once in a generation opportunity to transform the Museum for the future.
“A new home can refresh our whole approach, enable us to make the collection more accessible, expand our educational and community impact, and ensure Britain’s motoring story remains relevant.”
Lord Montagu of Beaulieu added: “I remain committed to honouring my father’s legacy by continuing to do all I can to support the trust”.
