Coventry Transport Museum
Coventry is the birthplace of the British cycle and motor industry. Discover the fascinating story behind the development of road transport from the earliest cycles to land speed record breakers.
With thrills , nostalgia , inspiration and a little bit of education, join us on a surprising and emotional journey through 150 years of innovation and find out about the people who made it happen.
Collection:
Coventry Transport Museum is home to one of the largest collections of road transport in the world – a collection of designated national importance, consisting of 300 cycles, 120 motorcycles and 250 cars and commercial vehicles and over a million archive and ephemera items.
Although we are well-known as a motor museum, we have a significant collection of cycles which ranges from the earliest boneshakers and Penny Farthings to the latest safety cycles, tracing the history of Coventry’s significant contribution to the cycle industry from the early Victorian period to the modern times. Our motorcycle collection ranges from early tri-cycles to the modern Triumph models and also includes bikes from around the world. Our vehicle collection is adorned with the some of the most iconic cars of different times including the 1935 Daimler Limousine (Queen Mary’s Daimler), Triumph Italia 2000, 1975 E-Type Jaguar and the World Land Speed Record Breaker Thrust SSC. We have separate gallery dedicated to commercial vehicles such as the Coventry Corporation buses.
Galleries
The Museum's collection includes over 240 cars, commercial vehicles and buses, 94 motorcycles, 200 cycles, 25,000 models and around 1 million archive and ephemera items. This unique collection will enthral even the most avid enthusiast but the displays tell other stories too: of invention, vision and enterprise; technology, skill and industry; passion, resilience and hope. Our journey spans 150 years and is told through the stories and products of the people that built an industry and helped build a city.
VISITORS INFORMATION:
Opening Times and Location
The Museum is open everyday 10am until 5pm with last admission at 4:30pm
The Museum is open every day except 24th, 25th and 26th December and 1st January. Please note that the Museum reserve the right to alter opening times without prior notice.
Admission is free!
By Road
Coventry is close to the M1/M6/M40/M42. Follow signs to city centre and take junction 1 or 2. As a city centre attraction there is no parking available at the Museum itself however, city centre pay and display car parks are all within walking distance. The nearest car parks to the Museum are Bishop Street, West Orchards Shopping Mall, Fairfax Street and the Belgrade Plaza. Click here for further details about car parks around the Museum.
By Rail
There are excellent links to London Euston via Virgin Trains; Cross Country routes north and south and local services to Nuneaton and Northampton. The Museum is a 15-minute walk from the station. Buses numbered 17, 27 and 49 stop near the Museum.
By Bus
Most buses stop at Pool Meadow bus station or on Trinity Street, both of which are a 2 minute walk from the Museum. Coventry has a North and South Park & Ride services and both the North and South routes have a stop-off point at Junction of Corporation Street and Burges, which is very close to the Museum. The North route operates from the AT7 Centre in Bell Green which is to the north of the city centre. This location is ideal for the M6 Junction 3 - A444. The south route operates from Coventry's War Memorial Park situated on the Kenilworth Road/ A45.
By Canal
Coventry Canal Basin is a 5 minute walk from the Museum - please use the footbridge over the inner ring-road.
By Foot & Bicycle
Coventry Transport Museum is close to the National Cycle Network. To find the nearest cycling and walking route view the Sustrans map for the area.
Address:
Coventry Transport Museum
Millennium Place
Hales Street
Coventry
CV1 1JD