The Museum of British Road Transport is entering a truly exciting new phase of development, set to continue over the next five years which will include not only new exhibitions but also a fabulous new frontage as part of the imaginative Phoenix Initiative.

The Museum has recently been designated as a museum with an outstanding collection of national importance, which places it in a unique group of only 50 museums displaying the most significant collections in the country.

The Museums and Galleries Commission have designated the Museum because of its importance in telling the story of the road transport industry in Great Britain and the unique contribution made by the city of Coventry in creating this internationally renowned legacy.

The Museum is now embarking on a major development programme that will ensure that its twenty-first century displays provide ever more exciting and interesting exhibitions for visitors of all ages.

Phase One sees the top floor being completely re-interpreted with interactive exhibitions that tell the story of the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, in a much more dynamic style. It is anticipated that this display will be open by Easter.

This is just the start of a total re-organisation of the museum’s world-renowned collection. Future displays will include lots more fun and interactive elements for visitors to enjoy. 

In a national first, the Museum will be taking a completely new approach to telling the history of transport.

The amazing story of Coventry’s transport industries, the people who worked in them, and the people who drove the vehicles produced in the city, will be brought to life through a series of characters introduced to the visitors throughout the displays. 

Visitors will also be able to access the Museum’s developing oral history programmes to hear the stories and recollections of people who worked in the industry in Coventry.

In addition, many of the reserve collections, which are not normally seen, will be displayed to ensure that visitors can appreciate the size and scale of Coventry’s pre-eminent contribution to the world-wide transport industry.

The Museum will also become the ‘landmark’ destination at the northern end of Coventry’s new Millennium Walk - a major multi-million pound development project due for completion by the end of 2001.

This will provide the Museum with a major new entrance far more in keeping with the scale and prominence of the collections and displays inside. With the completion of this new frontage, a new shop, café, and additional quality exhibitions, the Museum will be able to provide top of the range facilities for all of its visitors.

Councillor Arthur Waugh, Chairman of the Museum’s Board said:

"This is an extremely exciting time for the Museum. The new developments will enable the Museum to portray Coventry’s history on an international level and attract visitors from all over the globe.

"We are already acknowledged as being one of the top transport museums in the world. This will give us the opportunity to broaden our appeal to an even wider audience, both locally and internationally. 

"The new developments will make a visit to the Museum of British Road Transport an even more unique and memorable experience, and all of our staff are looking forward to welcoming the public to the new look museum."