Caravan Club Exhibition, National Motor Museum

An exciting new exhibition celebrating the history of leisure touring caravanning has been launched at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu.

Developed in partnership with The Caravan Club and Bailey of Bristol, the display showcases The Club’s unique and historic collection of memorabilia which has been housed at the museum since 2006. Visitors can discover the story of The Caravan Club, formed in 1907, and learn how the caravan holiday has changed from its beginnings in 1885.

From the flag flown by pioneer horse-drawn caravanners to the novelty items collected by members in the 50s and 60s, the exhibition shows the highlights of The Caravan Club Collection. Many of the objects, ephemera, film footage and photographs in the exhibition are on public display for the very first time. Visitors can also discover new technologies in the caravan industry, including the development of the Bailey Alu-Tech construction system. 

This is the first permanent exhibition to have featured The Caravan Club Collection at the National Motor Museum. The Curator of The Club’s Collection, Angela Cox reports, “The exhibition reveals the wealth of material held in The Caravan Club’s Collection. Many of the items on display have been donated by Club members over the years and the exhibition is a testament to their generosity.”

The Caravan Club’s Director of Marketing, Lawrence Bate, says, “The National Motor Museum is a treasure-trove of motoring history. The Club is delighted that the museum has chosen to showcase the origins of this wonderful leisure pursuit as a permanent fixture, and to be involved with the project. It also, very importantly highlights where things stand today in terms of design, development and touring enjoyment. The Club would like to thank Bailey of Bristol, a key manufacturer of both caravans and Motorhomes, for its crucial input. ”

Stephen Munn, the National Motor Museum’s Commercial Director says:

“Following its recent opening, the Caravan Club exhibition has proved very popular with our visitors, a number of whom are touring in the area. The National Motor Museum is situated within the New Forest National Park which is a favourite holiday destination for caravan goers so the exhibition has a great resonance for many of the attraction’s 350,000 annual visitors.”

Find out more about the exhibition at www.caravanclub.co.uk
and www.nationalmotormuseum.org.uk