Hotels near the Coventry Transport Museum

Coventry Transport Museum displays the largest collection of British road transport in the world and is designated as a collection of national importance. The city was the birthplace of Britain's cycle and car industries and visitors can see hundreds of cars, cycles and motorcycles.

Major recent developments have provided the museum with a superb new frontage, state of the art visitor facilities and four major new galleries. The displays take a "people's eye view" of how road transport changed lives and what it was like to work in Coventry's transport industry.

The Introductory Gallery explains the importance of the city's transport heritage and demonstrates the sheer size and scale of the collection. There is also a gallery devoted to the 1980s and 1990s, which completes an existing walk through time from the 1860s, beginning with the haunting words of The Specials' song Ghost Town, which traces the demise of Coventry's car industry in the 1980s and its stabilisation during the 1990s. Along the way it explores themes such as the globalisation of car companies, increasing environmental concern, the growth of interest in cycling (particularly BMX-ing and skateboarding) and the influence of fashion and lifestyle.

A new interactive Futures Gallery will complete the chronological story of the city's road transport, exploring road safety, the environment and the high tech developments we might see in the future. There will also be a new temporary gallery with regular high profile exhibitions.

These displays are added to existing highlights such as the highly emotive Blitz Experience and the Spirit of Speed Gallery (where you can feel what it's like to set the World Land Speed Record at 763mph), to form a unique attraction that appeals to all the family.