The new exhibition was officially opened by well-known TV presenter Jon Bentley with an event attended by Lord Montagu of Beaulieu and invited guests on 26 March 2026.
“Driven: Britain’s Motoring Story” has five distinct areas focusing on how Britain has changed over the decades, delving into the social and cultural impact of motoring. It will feature stories to surprise, engage and inspire. There’s a on spotlight loan vehicles and fun interactive displays, previously unseen items from the Museum’s collections, along with opportunities to watch and hear videos and sounds from the Museum’s archives.
The £600,000 project – funded thanks to support from National Lottery Heritage Fund, Garfield Weston Foundation, the Wolfson Foundation, and the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Community Foundation – creates a new welcoming space, alongside a full redevelopment of the upper galleries.
This exhibition heralds an exciting new look to the Museum from the Spring of 2026. Dr Jon Murden, Chief Executive of the National Motor Museum says it’s “Creating new displays with the overarching story of motoring from its earliest times to the present day. Britain without cars and motorcycles would be unrecognisable – they have changed the shape of our cities, nations and landscapes, revolutionised the way we make and sell things, and transformed how we live our lives.”
