Where
The National Cycle Collection (NCC) is in the Automobile Palace, an art deco former garage in Llandrindod Wells, Powys, Wales.
What
The museum houses 250 bicycles of all ages and types. Run by trustees of the National Cycle Museum Trust, the NCC has a shop/office and a display room in the Automobile Palace.
Opened
1997.
Collection
“The museum has several very important collections, including those of [original Automobile Palace owner] Tom Norton and David Higman, the museum’s founder and its former curator,” says Freda Davies, one of the NCC’s trustee/curators. Many bicycles came from the Lincoln Cycle Museum when it closed about 10 years ago. There are a number of racing trikes, penny farthings (“or ordinaries as they are correctly called”), boneshakers and hobby horses – the first type of bicycle. It also owns lots of cycling memorabilia such as club badges, trophies and paintings.
Help at hand
Two trustees – John Gill and Davies – share the curatorial work.
Budget
Adult admission is £4. Revenue comes from visits to schools, donations, online library sales and membership of the Friends of the Museum Trust, plus a digital archive, organised with the Veterans Cycle Club and Warwick University.
Highlights
“My favourite cycle is an 1885 Kangaroo bicycle,” says Davies. “We’ve also got Chris Boardman’s 1992 Olympic gold-winning Lotus, and Eileen Sheridan’s 1940s Hercules on which she cycled from Land’s End to John O’Groats in two days, 11 hours.”
Visitors
About 2,500 a year.
Sticky moment
“A squirrel came into the office last summer,” says Davies. “It was quite scary chasing it out when I had open-toed sandals on.”
Survival tip
“Don’t give up,” says Davies, who believes that small museums need to think laterally to gain exposure. “We are part of the Victorian Spa Heritage experience, where local attractions get together to offer a package deal.”
Current project
The NCC is applying for grants to expand its school visit programme and is pursuing Accreditation.
www.cyclemuseum.org.uk
The National Cycle Collection (NCC) is in the Automobile Palace, an art deco former garage in Llandrindod Wells, Powys, Wales.
What
The museum houses 250 bicycles of all ages and types. Run by trustees of the National Cycle Museum Trust, the NCC has a shop/office and a display room in the Automobile Palace.
Opened
1997.
Collection
“The museum has several very important collections, including those of [original Automobile Palace owner] Tom Norton and David Higman, the museum’s founder and its former curator,” says Freda Davies, one of the NCC’s trustee/curators. Many bicycles came from the Lincoln Cycle Museum when it closed about 10 years ago. There are a number of racing trikes, penny farthings (“or ordinaries as they are correctly called”), boneshakers and hobby horses – the first type of bicycle. It also owns lots of cycling memorabilia such as club badges, trophies and paintings.
Help at hand
Two trustees – John Gill and Davies – share the curatorial work.
Budget
Adult admission is £4. Revenue comes from visits to schools, donations, online library sales and membership of the Friends of the Museum Trust, plus a digital archive, organised with the Veterans Cycle Club and Warwick University.
Highlights
“My favourite cycle is an 1885 Kangaroo bicycle,” says Davies. “We’ve also got Chris Boardman’s 1992 Olympic gold-winning Lotus, and Eileen Sheridan’s 1940s Hercules on which she cycled from Land’s End to John O’Groats in two days, 11 hours.”
Visitors
About 2,500 a year.
Sticky moment
“A squirrel came into the office last summer,” says Davies. “It was quite scary chasing it out when I had open-toed sandals on.”
Survival tip
“Don’t give up,” says Davies, who believes that small museums need to think laterally to gain exposure. “We are part of the Victorian Spa Heritage experience, where local attractions get together to offer a package deal.”
Current project
The NCC is applying for grants to expand its school visit programme and is pursuing Accreditation.
www.cyclemuseum.org.uk