Lakeland Motor Museum – fun for all the family in The Lake District
Tucked away at the end of Windermere is Lakeland Motor Museum – a purpose-built museum sharing the history of motors from over the last 100 years.
With over 150 cars and 30,000 exhibits, Lakeland Motor Museum is more than just a car museum, it’s a fresh take on social history which can engage all ages. There is something for everyone here; from TT racing to Al Capone’s Killer Car, to the Back to the Future car, to vintage car games, you can play on your way around.
On a rainy Lake District Day, this is a great place to come and explore. But on a fair day, this museum fills with light, and you can also take advantage of some walks around the museum as well.
How to get to Lakeland Motor Museum
There are plenty of ways to get to the Lakeland Motor Museum.
The museum is just off the A592 and about 20 minutes from the M6 turnoff.
You can come by bus – just take the 6 / X6 Service that links Windermere, Kendal, Ulverston, Barrow and Grange
You can come by steam train from Lakeside & Haverthwaite and in summer can sometimes get a combined ticket
The nearest pier to the museum is just a 2-mile walk, so you can take the yellow cruise from Windermere. If you don’t fancy walking, you can hop on the train next to the pier and make a full day of it!
What to expect at Lakeland Motor Museum
Walking into the museum, you’re blown away by the sheer amount of vehicles in the museum.
It’s an absolute delight; aeroplanes and hot air balloons above you, and a whole host of cars in front. In the distance, you can see a vintage garage set up, and you can just make out a purpose-built street recreating the sixties. It’s a feast for the eyes!
There is a natural route through the museum; walk past vintage cars, read about the history of not only the local area, but also key moments such as Land Army Girls, the swinging Sixties, Al Capone’s car and 1930’s garage.
As you head upstairs, past some vintage road signs, and you come to the games section. Here are classic machine games which take 20p’s and are a lot of fun! Go through the history of pedal bikes, before coming to the Isle of Man TT racing exhibit.
As you come back down to the ground floor, you walk through the 1960’s garage, and you’re hit by the smell of oil which makes it feel so real.
The attention to detail in the museum is incredible, and transports you to these places.
But there’s more. Head out of the museum, past the vintage caravan, and to the Campbell Bluebird exhibition.
This is a tribute to the father and son duo, Donald and Malcolm Campbell, who both broke land and water speed records. Featuring full-sized replicas of the 1935 Blue Bird car, 1939 Blue Bird Boat K4 and 1967 jet hydroplane Bluebird K7, this is an incredible exhibition.
The Facts – price, parking, cafe etc
This is an incredibly dog-friendly exhibit – four-legged friends can go into all areas of Lakeland Motors!
Entry fees are;
| Adults (16+ years) | £10.00 |
| Children (5-15 years) | £6.00 |
| Families (2 adults & up to 3 children) | £29.00 |
| Child (under 5 years) | FREE |
There is also a cafe on site, Café Ambio, which has views of the river. This is a lovely, cosy cafe that has amazing cakes and meals (their Sunday lunches looked incredible). Where possible, the cafe uses locally sourced home-made food and local ingredients.
There’s also a shop, a quiz for children, free wifi and free parking on site.
Final thoughts
The Lakeland Motor Museum is the perfect family day out in The Lake District.
There is something for all ages here and the fact you can bring your dog is brilliant too.
The attention to detail is incredible, and as someone who isn’t a car enthusiast, I still found it incredibly interesting and fun!
For more rainy day activity ideas, make sure to check out our guide to a rainy day in The Lake District. If you’re looking for a relaxing base for your trip, here’s our review of Beech Hill Hotel and Spa to entice you! And for more travel inspo, head over to our travel section
