Future uncertain for National Motor Museum

The National Motor Museum Trust (NMMT) has announced that its current lease of its purpose-built museum building at Beaulieu, in the New Forest in Hampshire, approaches the end of its 60-year term.

The museum has up to 30 staff members, whose roles are at risk under imminent structural changes to the organisation as a review of its building and collections centre begins.

A spokesperson for the museum said: “Changes to the organisational structure of the charity will start taking place from later this year as it pivots towards its future direction, and the resource it requires to do so. Any changes to the physical collection and the management of that will take place in a carefully managed and gradual way over the next four years.”

The museum applied for National Lottery funding recently but was not awarded funds, as it was told that the charity – which the museum operates under – was too closely linked to Beaulieu Enterprises, both run by the Montagu family that set up the National Motor Museum (NMM) in 1972.

The museum, which sees around 300,000 visitors each year, currently holds a world-renowned collection of more than 250 vehicles. The current Lord Montagu is president of the museum trust, as well as being part-time head of heritage for the Radio Times.

“When the National Motor Museum Trust was founded in 1972, it was granted a 60-year lease by the Beaulieu Estate to operate from the brand new, purpose-built National Motor Museum building. As the lease approaches the end of that initial period, this has prompted a review of the management agreement and lease held by the NMMT,” said the spokesperson.

“During the last 60 years, sources of funding have changed significantly and as such, require different obligations for both NMMT and Beaulieu. It is therefore important for both organisations to consider whether a commitment to another long-term lease is in the interests of both parties.”

The lease of the museum building officially ends in 2032 but staff have reportedly been told that the museum will only remain open until 2030.

The museum spokesperson continued: “After much consideration, Beaulieu Enterprises, the Beaulieu Estate and the Montagu family have made the difficult decision not to grant a new longer lease, as they are not able to deliver what the NMMT felt it needed from a future arrangement, without risking the financial sustainability of Beaulieu.

“The NMMT had requested a new longer (50-year minimum) lease rent free and a more favourable financial arrangement. Without this, trustees felt that the NMMT would struggle to secure funding from key sources or be able to deliver its aims. With an ever-evolving and uncertain leisure and tourism landscape which is already difficult to operate effectively, a commitment of this nature and length isn’t something that can be agreed to.”

The NMM spokesperson expanded to say that the collections centre at Beaulieu will remain operational until its lease runs out in 10 years. Meanwhile, the trust embarks on a search for a new home, in all likelihood collaborating with other museums with suitable facilities for displaying automobile collections.

“The lease on the Collection Centre has an additional 10 years to run, and as such the National Motor Museum Trust is under no obligation to move out of the building. The board of trustees together with the senior management team will be considering the location of their operation as part of their future plans, but at this stage no decision has been made,” said the museum spokesperson.

The NMMT maintain that this announcement is integral to its strategy to reimagine and reinvigorate the museum, as well as engaging new motoring enthusiasts across diverse communities, while developing and preserving the Designated collection for generations to come.

Its new home will need to meet the trust’s strategy to expand museum work in learning and community engagement, including the development of a training centre for heritage engineering apprenticeships.

Robert MacGregor, chair of the board of trustees of the NMMT, said: “We are sad that the National Motor Museum will be leaving Beaulieu but are at the same time very excited about this once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform the museum for the future. We want to thank the Montagu family for founding the trust in 1970 and for their continued support as the museum finds a new home and embarks on the next stage of its journey.

“A new home can refresh our whole approach, enable us to make the collection more accessible, expand our educational and community impact, and ensure Britain’s motoring story remains relevant.”

Lord Montagu of Beaulieu said: “My father’s underlying ambition was to record and celebrate the story of motoring for the benefit of the nation. He founded the National Motor Museum Trust to do that, but its collections and activities have expanded beyond what anyone at the time envisaged. The charity’s long-term aims will now stand the best chance of being achieved if it can be based in a new home. I remain committed to honouring my father’s legacy by continuing to do all I can to support the trust.

“Wherever the National Motor Museum and its collections may be located in the future, Beaulieu will continue to develop as a leading south coast attraction, offering a comparable range of experiences to what people enjoy today, with cars remaining very much a part of our identity.”

The trust will now begin exploring potential locations capable of supporting its long-term ambitions while safeguarding its collection and continuing public access. During this period, visitors to Beaulieu will see no change.

The National Motor Museum is an Accredited Museum, with all its collections designated by Arts Council England as being of national and international importance. Its collection of more than 1.9 million items is cared for by the National Motor Museum Trust and includes historically significant motoring artefacts, film footage, images, documents and books. The nearby Collections Centre houses and cares for a vast array of motoring artefacts, photographic images, a specialist reference library, and a film and video library.