REME Museum facts for kids
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Former name | REME Museum of Technology |
|---|---|
| Established | 1956 |
| Location | MoD Lyneham, Wiltshire, England |
| Type | Military museum |
The REME Museum is a cool place to visit in Lyneham, Wiltshire, England. It's about 14 kilometers (9 miles) southwest of Swindon. This museum shows off amazing machines and historical items. These items are all connected to the work of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME). REME is a special part of the British Army. Their job is to keep all the army's electrical and mechanical equipment working perfectly.
Contents
History of the Museum
The REME Museum first opened its doors in 1958. It started small, in just two rooms of a building called Moat House in Arborfield, Berkshire. This house used to be where the commander of an army horse depot lived.
Over time, the museum grew bigger. It moved into a nearby building, which gave it more space. This allowed the museum to show off even more cool objects and large vehicles.
Moving to a New Home
In April 2015, the museum closed its doors in Arborfield. It was getting ready to move to a new, bigger location at MoD Lyneham. This move was part of a big plan to change how the army trains its technical staff.
The old Officers' Mess building at Lyneham was changed and updated to become the museum's new home. This move meant the museum could completely refresh its displays. It also added new, modern facilities for visitors. The new REME Museum officially opened to the public in June 2017.
What You Can See
The REME Museum has a fantastic collection of vehicles and other items. These show how the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers help the army.
Amazing Vehicles on Display
You can see many different types of vehicles that REME engineers have worked on. These include:
- Scammell Pioneer
- FV434
- Sherman BARV (a special vehicle for beach landings)
- Challenger Armoured Repair and Recovery Vehicle (CRARRV)
- Westland Scout (a type of helicopter)
- FV106 Samson ARV
- International Half Track
- Morris Commercial
- Churchill Tank ARV
- Western Star
- Snow Trac
More Than Just Vehicles
Besides the vehicles, the museum also keeps a huge collection of military records. These records help people learn about the history of REME.
The museum building also has a shop where you can buy souvenirs. There's a large café if you get hungry. For schools and families, there's a special education area with workshops. If you're a researcher, there's a reading room and places for meetings.
Images for kids
-
A Beach Armoured Recovery Vehicle (BARV) on display in the old museum. The Sherman BARV was a British military support vehicle used for amphibious landings.
