We had a fabulous first visit to Haynes Motor Museum last week.

To begin with, as you’d expect from a motor museum there is ample free parking and it is signposted on main roads.

Of course what makes this such a great place to visit is the fantastic range of cars. And yet there is so much more to this museum than this. It doesn’t feel overly commercial; instead it is very clearly committed to preserving the cars in a visitor friendly environment.

They have a fantastic pricing policy: with free return throughout the next 12 months if you gift aid your ticket purchase at no extra cost. Discounts are offered for family tickets. We later found local hotels and service stations display leaflets with vouchers to reduce the admission price.

It is good for children in so many ways. Of course what kids want in a museum is for it to be interactive. Haynes is interactive in so many ways: a fantastic large outdoor play area, a small motor vehicle related arcade and free toys to play with, numerous brass rubbings, various buttons to press, a design a car competition running for the school holiday and a top trumps challenge to win a badge. My only suggestion is that it would be nice if kids, and indeed adults, could get into a couple of cars. I appreciate the cars they have are valuable and they don’t want them to get damaged; but if they acquire 1 or 2 low value cars that perhaps are less than mint condition it would be a nice touch to let kids get in them prior to restoration.

A great gift shop, not overpriced, with everything from serious models to circa £1 gifts for kids. This works well for the museum and customers alike. We bought lots because items were at fair prices. Other museum gift shops that charge high prices scare off price conscious customers.

It has a nice little café, again not a big corporate catering venture. Just right for families wanting some straightforward and tasty refreshments. I hope when the museum is redeveloped that they keep the café simple with reasonable prices.

Finally a mention for the staff. Everyone there was friendly and helpful.

Even though we are far from local, I anticipate that we will be back there again within the next 12 months. We really look forward to our next visit.

Your opinion of this museum will depend on what you want and expect from it. Much of its publicity seems to be slanted towards "childrens' entertainment". Actually if you go for this you will be disappointed. There are a couple of computer arcade-type motorbikes and car games in the museum - that will consume great quantities of parents/grandparents' pound coins if you give in to child pester-power, but these are nothing exceptional and the outside attractions are worth a quick look, but little more. The museum does not seem to set out to be as educational and informative as, for instance the Coventry Motor museum (which is free), the Gaydon Heritage museum (which, like Haynes, isn't), and as has been noted elsewhere, the facilities - cafe, bookshop etc are very poor - but will soon be incorporated in what looks like a magnificent new reception resource currently under construction (about which there seems to be no information available there).
However, the collection of cars is unparalleled - it is quite superb. (not the motorbikes, of which there are a few, but nothing to remotely rival the National Motorcycle museum); The car display is headed by the simply stunning £5m Deusenberg, a good selection of Rolls Royces of various vintages, sports and racing cars and the sublime "red collection".
I would certainly like to visit again - once the building work is complete, and spend more time there without the distractions of an 8-year old in tow. Despite the pubilicity it is really not for children.
As purely a collection of beautiful and notable cars - unbeatable!

first time i been here and would visit again a fantastic collection of cars and motorbikes from all era`s all are inclosed in halls so doesn`t matter what the weather is like,easy access so if you have a wheelchair no problem the only down side i would say is the cafe is not great and the shop could stock more models etc

Despite a sign in the reception/shop area warning you that some exhibits may be not on display during the redevelopment of the museum, expected to be completed in Spring 2014 according to the sign, there is still plenty of value for money in regards to the number of cars and motorcycles on display. There is a good variety of cars, both classic and modern. The collection of F1 cars from the various eras kept me entertained, whilst my friend who I visited with was more interested in the big American classics.

We have already planned to return after the work is completed on the museum, to see the difference, and also which new exhibits are on display