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Lakeland Motor Museum facts for kids

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Lakeland Motor Museum
Lakeland Motor Museum.jpg
Established 1978; 47 years ago (1978)
Location Backbarrow, Cumbria, England
Type Transport Museum
Nearest car park On-site (free)

The Lakeland Motor Museum is a fun place to visit in Backbarrow, Cumbria, England. It's filled with amazing old cars, motorcycles, and bicycles. You can also see lots of cool items related to motoring history. A special part of the museum celebrates the incredible speed records set by Sir Malcolm Campbell and his son Donald Campbell. They were famous for going super fast on both land and water!

History of the Museum

How the Museum Started

The Lakeland Motor Museum first opened its doors in Grange-over-Sands in 1978. It was created by a man named Donald Sidebottom. He had been collecting cars and other motoring items since the 1960s. His collection became so big and interesting that he decided to open a museum to share it with everyone. It was first an extra attraction at the beautiful Holker Hall.

Moving to a New Home

The museum stayed at Holker Hall for over thirty years. In 2006, a company called Winander Group Holdings Ltd bought the collection. This company also owns the popular Windermere Lake Cruises.

In 2010, the museum moved to its current location in Backbarrow. It found a new home in what used to be old factory buildings. This new spot gave the museum more space for its growing collection.

Exploring the Collection

Campbell Railton Blue Bird Replica
Replica Campbell-Railton Blue Bird

The Lakeland Motor Museum has a huge collection of over 30,000 items related to cars and transport. You can step back in time and see a re-creation of a 1920s garage. It shows what a car repair shop looked like many years ago.

Amazing Vehicles to See

The museum has many unique cars. One is a 1913 Star 15.9 car. There's also a 1936 Bentley 4¼-litre that used to belong to Donald Campbell himself. You can also see a World War II Willys Jeep, which was a very important vehicle during the war. Another cool car is a 1955 Jaguar XK140.

The Campbell Speed Record Story

A very special part of the museum is dedicated to Sir Malcolm Campbell and his son Donald. These two men were true heroes of speed. They set many world records for going fast on land and water. You can learn all about their amazing adventures and the incredible machines they used.

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