National Motorcycle Museum (UK) facts for kids
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| Established | October 1984 |
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| Location | Solihull West Midlands England |
| Type | Motorcycle Museum |
| Visitors | 250,000 per year |
The National Motorcycle Museum is a fantastic place in Solihull, England. It holds the world's largest collection of British motorcycles! You can see over 1,000 motorcycles there, some more than a hundred years old. The museum also has special areas for conferences and events. It is easy to reach, being close to Birmingham Airport. About 250,000 people visit this amazing museum every year.
Contents
History of the Museum
The museum exists thanks to one special person, Mr. Roy Richards. He was a builder who loved motorcycles. In the 1970s, he started collecting great examples of British motorcycles. The museum first opened its doors in October 1984. It began with a collection of 350 motorcycles. Roy passed away in 2008. However, his family, including his wife Christine and sons Simon and Nick, continue his important work. James Hewing is the museum's director and looks after all the motorcycles.
The 2003 Fire and Rebuilding
A big fire sadly damaged the museum on September 16, 2003. Investigators believed a cigarette started the fire. It quickly spread through the museum's ceiling areas. The building had smoke detectors and alarms. These systems quickly told the fire service. However, the fire had grown very strong before it was found.
Museum staff and visitors helped save over 300 historic motorcycles. But three of the five exhibition halls were completely burned. About 120 firefighters worked to put out the fire. It was so big that people could see it from 15 miles away! Fire crews faced delays because of traffic. They also had trouble with a water hydrant at the site. The fire was put out after about an hour and a half. Sadly, 380 motorcycles were lost or badly damaged. The cost of the fire was estimated at over £14 million.
After the fire, the museum was rebuilt. This took fifteen months and cost £20 million. A new sprinkler system, costing £1.2 million, was also installed. The museum reopened on December 1, 2004. Many of the motorcycles damaged in the fire were beautifully restored. Some looked as good as new!
2014 Burglary Incident
On the evening of August 27, 2014, burglars broke into the museum. They stole more than 100 motorcycling competition trophies. These trophies were taken from a glass display cabinet. The museum offered a £20,000 reward. This reward was for any information that could help get the trophies back.
Amazing Exhibits to See
The museum displays many famous motorcycle brands. You can see bikes from BSA, Triumph, and Norton. There are also motorcycles from less common makers. These include Coventry-Eagle, Montgomery, and New Imperial.
The Golden Dream Brough Motorcycle
One of the most valuable motorcycles in the world is here. It is called the Brough Superior Golden Dream. This motorcycle is very special because it's the only one of its kind. George Brough built it as a show model for an exhibition in 1938. He built it by hand with Freddie Dixon. The Golden Dream has a unique engine design. It has two pairs of cylinders, one above the other. This design helps it run very smoothly. Two Brough Dream Fours were made, but World War II stopped their development. The second Brough Dream motorcycle is black and chrome. It is owned by a private collector.
The Wilkinson Luxury Tourer
The Wilkinson Sword company built the Wilkinson Luxury Tourer. This was before the First World War. The first Wilkinson motorcycles were made for military use. You could even get optional extras. These included a sidecar with a machine gun! You could also choose a steering wheel instead of handlebars. The model at the museum was built in 1912. It is a top-of-the-range version. It has a four-cylinder, water-cooled engine. It also has a shaft drive. The Wilkinson TMC engine was originally air-cooled. It became water-cooled from 1911. People described it as a 'Luxury Touring Motor Cycle'.
See also
- Outline of motorcycles and motorcycling
