Heritage Motor Centre’s collection awarded Designated status by Arts Council England

Warwickshire’s motor museum at Gaydon has been added to the Arts Council England’s roll call of nationally important Designated collections.

The Arts Council’s Designation scheme is a mark of distinction awarded to the finest cultural collections housed in non-national museums, libraries and archives across England.

The British Motor Industry Heritage Trust, Gaydon, owns the world’s largest collection of historic British cars and features vehicles produced by notable manufacturers including Austin, Morris, Mini, MG, Wolseley, Riley, Triumph, Rover and Land Rover.

Together with the equally extensive archive of films, images and other associated artefacts, this comprehensive collection describes the history of Britain’s motor industry, from its beginnings in the 1800s to the current day.

Stephen Laing, Curator of the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust, welcomed the award “The Trust’s collections are unrivalled in recording the story of one of Britain’s most important modern industries: the motor industry. We are thrilled that the collections have been recognised by Arts Council England as of national significance and justly deserve to be given Designated status.”

It is one of four new collections to join the Arts Council’s list of 140 pre-eminent Designated collections, which already includes other regional collections such as Compton Verney’s Archaic Chinese Bronzes and Coventry Transport Museum’s holdings.

Scott Furlong, Director, Acquisitions, Exports, Loans and Collections at Arts Council England, said: “We are delighted that the importance of these collections has been recognised with the award of Designation. We are also grateful to these organisations for helping to trial our new application process which will support the launch of the refreshed Scheme next Spring.”

The Designation scheme was set up in 1997 to identify exceptional cultural collections housed in non-national institutions which tell significant stories from England’s rich history, from Churchill’s archives, to the Romantic Movement and the history of the surgical profession. Since 1997 a total of £32 million has been invested in the protection and development of these collections of national importance to make them more accessible for the public to use and enjoy.

To find out more information visit the website at heritage-motor-centre.co.uk.