Cotswold Motoring Museum facts for kids
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Established | 1978 |
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Location | Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire, England |
Type | Transport Museum |
The Cotswold Motoring Museum is a fun place to visit in the beautiful Cotswolds! It's located in the charming village of Bourton-on-the-Water, in Gloucestershire, England. This museum takes you on a journey through the history of cars and other vehicles from the 1900s.
Contents
Discover the Museum's Amazing Vehicles
The Cotswold Motoring Museum has a huge collection of cool vehicles. You can see many different types of cars, motorcycles, and even bicycles. They also have old caravans and lots of interesting items related to driving from the 20th century.
Explore the Toy Collection
One of the most exciting parts of the museum is its toy collection. It's filled with all sorts of miniature vehicles. You'll find:
- Pedal cars that kids used to ride
- Small bicycles
- Toy cars, buses, and even airplanes
- Model kits you could build
- Amazing creations made from Meccano sets
- Old wooden and metal vehicles
- Classic penny tin toys
Meet Brum, the TV Star Car
A very special part of the museum is the famous car, Brum! If you've ever watched the children's TV show, you'll recognize him. Brum was the star of the first two series of the show.
The museum itself is also featured in the TV series. In the opening credits, you see Brum leaving the museum to go on adventures in the "Big Town." At the end of each episode, Brum drives back into the museum, where he is usually on display. It's a real treat to see him in person!
The Museum's History
The Cotswold Motoring Museum first opened its doors in 1978. It was started by a car collector named Mike Cavanagh. He was also involved with the Brum TV show.
In 1999, Mike Cavanagh sold the museum. It was bought by the Civil Service Motoring Association. This group is a not-for-profit organization. They continue to run the museum today, making sure everyone can enjoy its fantastic collection.
Awards and Recognition
The museum has won some special awards for being a great place to visit.
- In 2003, it won the "Visitor Attraction of the Year" award from the Heart of England Tourist Board.
- In 2004, it received the "Museums and Heritage Award." This was for a project called "Big Ideas for Small Children." It showed how well the museum helps young kids learn and have fun.