The UK has a rich history of motorcycling. From Butler Petrol Cycle in 1884 to Isle of Man TT races, history is full of the British having a way ahead in motorcycle innovations. 

Most of our motorcycling history is well-preserved. If you are a motorcycle enthusiast, it is a must to visit leading motorcycle museums in UK. 

These museums are also suitable for a lovely family holiday. 

Get all the information you need about the top museums in the UK, including location, features, admission fee, and open timings. Plan your trip to have a great time at the motorbike museum of your choice. 

Explore the best places to visit on motorcycles in the UK here. 

1- National Motorcycle Museum, Hampton-in-Arden

• Location: Bogay Hall Henwood Lane, West Midlands, B91 2TH

• Features: World's largest British motorcycle museum with over 1,000 machines from 170 manufacturers.

• Admission Fee: 

• Adult Admission: £17.00

• Child Admission: £10.00

• Senior Admission: £15.00

• Student Admission: £15.00

• Admission Party 10+: £12.00

• School Party Admission: £8.00

• Open Timings: 08:30 – 17:30 (all week)

• TripAdvisor Rating: 4.5 (1207 ratings)

The National Motorcycle Museum is the largest motorbike museum in the UK. It houses about 1000 classic motorcycles and attracts over 250,000 visitors every year. 

The museum is located near the A45 and M42 junction and only 5 minutes from the National Exhibition Center, Birmingham. The museum is a great spot for exploring British motorcycles. 

The museum started with its founder, Roy Richard’s personal collection of 300 classic motorcycles. An enthusiast and lover of British motorcycling, he decided to build a museum to celebrate British motorcycling. Currently, Roy Richard’s widow and sons manage the museum. 

2- Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum, New Milton

• Location: New Milton, Hampshire

• Features: Over 400 motorcycles, including rare and exotic models, many in working condition.

• Admission Fee: 

• Adult: £15.00

• Junior (7-16 years): £6.00

• Senior (66+ years): £13.00

• Family Ticket (Two adults and two children): £36.00

• 6 Years & Under: FREE

• Open Timings: Winter – 10 am to 3.30 pm

• TripAdvisor Rating: 5.0 (617 Ratings)

Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum in New Milton is a wholesome holiday point. Visit with family, kids, or alone and enjoy a range of fun activities, a lovely cafe, and an excellent collection of bikes by Sammy Miller. 

If you don’t know already, Sammy Miller is a motorcycling legend. He is a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) with over 1400 wins. The list includes 11 consecutive British Trials Championships, 2 European Trials Championships, 13 consecutive Hurst Cup wins, and a lot more. 

The museum has a little over 300 classic motorcycles and tricycle vehicles. 

3- National Motor Museum, Beaulieu, Hampshire

• Location: Beaulieu, Hampshire, SO42 7ZN

• Features: Includes historic motorcycles alongside a significant automobile collection.

• Admission Fee: 

• Adult: £28.00

• Senior (60+): £27.00

• Child (5 -16): £17.00

• Family (2 adults and up to 3 children, or 1 adult and up to 4 children): £75.00

• Under 5s: FREE

• Open Timings: 

• Wed 1 Jan – Fri 23 May: 10 am – 5 pm

• Sat 24 May – Sun 7 September: 10 am – 6 pm

• Mon 8 September onwards: 10 am – 5 pm

• TripAdvisor Rating: 4.5 (7676 ratings)

National Motor Museum, or Montagu Motor Museum, is located in the village of Beaulieu, Hampshire, in the heart of New Forest National Park. The surroundings and the museum are worth visiting for their scenic beauty, rich history, and a big collection of classic motorcycles, cars, and other vehicles. 

The fun activities you can do at this New Forest motorcycle museum include 

• visiting palace house 

• TV/film iconic car rides

• monorail and veteran bus tour

• play area at Little Beaulieu

•  visit the secret army exhibition

• visit Beaulieu abbey, gardens

• Art Russe Art Gallery, 

• or a tour around the New Forest National Park. 

4- Lakeland Motor Museum, Backbarrow, Cumbria

• Location: Backbarrow, Cumbria, LA12 8TA

• Features: 140 classic and historic vehicles, including motorcycles, set in the Lake District.

• Admission Fee: 

• Adults (16+ years): £12.00

• Children (5-15 years): £7.20

• Families (2 adults & up to 3 children): £32.50

• Child (under 5 years): FREE

• Open Timings: 09:30 – 17:30 (full week, around the year except Christmas Day)

• TripAdvisor Rating: 4.6 (1767 reviews)

The Lakeland Motor Museum is a collection of classic motorcycles, bicycles, pedal cars, and classic cars. 

Donald Sidebottom created this museum with his collection of cars but the whole collection was bought by Winander Group Holdings Ltc in 2006. The museum was relocated to its current site at Backbarrow in 2010. 

The museum has a lot more than classic motorcycles. It has about 30,000 exhibits, including classic cars, aeroplanes, etc. It also has a separate Donald Campbell & Bluebird exhibition. 

Visitors often appreciate its vast collection of classic automobilia, free parking, onsite cafe, a quiz booklet for kids, and wheelchair-friendly parking area. 

5- Cotswold Motoring Museum, Bourton on the Water, Gloucestershire

• Location: Bourton on the Water, Gloucestershire, GL54 2BY

• Features: Motorcycles, scooters, and a wide array of motoring memorabilia.

• Admission Fee: 

• Adult: £8.50

• Children (ages 5-16): £5.75

• Child (under 5): FREE

• Family: £26.00

• School: £6.00

• Group: £7.75

• Open Timings: Closed for winters, opens from 15th February 2025

• TripAdvisor Rating: 4.5 (2125 ratings)

Mike Cavanagh started the Cotswold Motoring Museum in 1978. Currently, the Civil Service Motoring Association runs this museum. 

Cotswold is an excellent tourist attraction and family holiday point. The museum houses a large collection of classic motorcycles, classic cars, pedal cars, toy cars, and other vehicles. There is a lot to see for everyone. 

Museum visitors often praise fabulous displays of exhibits, activities for kids, Brum TV show models, detailed plates for each item, a beautiful village around, and great value for money. 

6- Norfolk Motorcycle Museum, North Walsham

• Location:  North Walsham, Norfolk

• Features: This museum showcases a diverse collection of vintage and classic motorcycles, offering insights into the evolution of motorcycle engineering.

• Admission Fee: 

• £3 for one person

• £5 for two people

• £8 for a family of two adults and up to three children

• Free for seniors 

• Open Timings: 

• Monday: 10 am-4 pm

• Tuesday: 10 am-4:30 pm

• Wednesday:10 am-4:30 pm

• Thursday: 10 am-4:30 pm

• Friday: 10 am-4:30 pm

• Saturday: 10 am-2:30 pm

• Sunday: Closed 

• TripAdvisor Rating: 4.5 (115 ratings)

An elegant collection of classic motorcycles, Norfolk Motorcycle Museum is a good stop to explore old, loved motorcycles. The museum is a result of 25 years of collection by George Harmer. 

Currently, the museum has about 150 motorcycles, diecast toys, and many replicas. 

Visitors praise the friendly staff and good time for a brief stay. 

7- Grampian Transport Museum, Alford, Aberdeenshire

• Location: Alford, Aberdeenshire

• Features: A range of transport exhibits, including motorcycles, highlighting the history of transportation in the region.

• Admission Fee: 

• Adult (16+): £13.00

• Concession (60+): £11.00

• Child (3-15) Children must be accompanied by an adult: £5.00

• Student*: £11.00

• Family (2 Adults + 1 Child): £27.00          

• Family (2 Adults + 2 Children): £29.00

• Carer*: Free

• Dogs: Free

• Open Timings: Closed for winter 

• TripAdvisor Rating: 4.5 (390 ratings)

Grampian Transport Museum is a transport museum in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Local transport enthusiasts and collectors established this museum in 1970. 

The museum houses classic cars, classic motorcycles, snowploughs, buses, bicycles, steam vehicles, and electric trams. It also has toy model vehicles. 

Visitors praise friendly staff, stuff for all ages, a nice cafe, a great steam vehicle collection, and lovely tea rooms. 

8- Moray Motor Museum, Elgin, Banffshire

• Location: Elgin, Banffshire

• Features: Collection of classic cars and motorcycles, reflecting the rich motoring heritage of the area.

• Admission Fee: 

• Adults £12.00

• Juniors (under 14):  Free

• Open Timings: 11 am - 4 pm, from April 1st (currently closed for winters)

• TripAdvisor Rating: 4.5 (195 ratings)

Moray Motor Museum is a small, old museum of classic cars and motorcycles. It is more like an exclusive collection. 

The museum charges a small entry fee. People can also hire classic cars for weddings. 

Visitors praise the quality of the collection, well-maintained garden area, entertainment for the whole family, and free entry for kids. 

9- Craven Collection of Classic Bikes, York

• Location: York

• Features: Personal collection of Dick Craven bikes from the 1920s to the 1980s and more. 

• Admission Fee: 

• Adults: £7.50 cash only

• Juniors under 12 yrs:  free

• Open Timings: Closed for winters, Re-Opening Sunday, April 7th 2024, 10 Till 3 pm. 

Dick Craven is a motorcycle enthusiast who started collecting motorcycles at the age of 15. He has a rich collection spanning from the 1920s to 1980s. He has put his lovely collection on display for the public in a series of barns behind his house. 

Craven Collection of Classic Bikes was also featured in RideApart magazine for its rich collection. If you are interested, visit it during the open hours. 

FAQs

How long does it take to walk around Beaulieu Motor Museum?

Though you can spend the whole day enjoying yourself around the Beaulieu Motor Museum, we recommend at least dedicating 4 hours to fully explore the museum and the beautiful surrounding buildings and gardens. 

How many cars are in the Beaulieu Motor Museum?

According to the official sources, the Beaulieu Motor Museum has over 280 cars. 

Where is the biggest motorcycle museum in the world?

The Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum in Birmingham, Alabama, USA is the biggest motorcycle museum in the world. 

How many bikes are in the National Motorcycle Museum?

There are over 1000 machines in the National Motorcycle Museum near Birmingham. 

How much is the National Motorcycle Museum?

The admission fee for the National Motorcycle Museum ranges from £8-£17.