Beaulieu National Motor Museum
Beaulieu National Motor Museum
Beaulieu National Motor Museum
4.5
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
In the heart of the glorious New Forest, Beaulieu is one of the South's top visitor attractions. Here you will find the National Motor Museum, home to over 250 vehicles telling the history of motoring. You can also visit Palace House and Gardens, home of the Montagu family since 1538, the remains of Beaulieu Abbey and World of Top Gear where you can see some of the vehicles from Jeremy, James and Richard's most ambitious challenges. Ride on the high level Monorail or climb aboard the replica 1912 open top London bus for a fun way to see Beaulieu's sights.
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See what travellers are saying
- Fiona WWoking, United Kingdom10 contributionsNot as wheelchair friendly as we thought it would beI’m disabled (in wheelchair) and visited with my husband who is my carer today. The lady at the ticket kiosk tried to charge us for two full adult tickets (£38 more) until I said isn’t there disabled and carer tickets (I’d checked online). I don’t think when you are in a wheelchair you should have to specify that you are disabled when it’s blatantly obvious. Also with most the doors being push/pull open doors these aren’t easy to contend with along with a manual wheelchair. Automatic doors would be much easier for visitors using wheelchairs or mobility scooters.Thank you for sharing this feedback with us. Beaulieu is committed to providing the best possible access for every visitor and the majority of the Beaulieu attraction is fully accessible and the site frequently audited by independent access experts. In some cases, certain buildings are listed, which does mean we are unable to undertake alterations that would undermine their historical integrity. We are however disappointed to hear the experience you received in visitor reception on arrival and will be looking into this matter further.Written 23 January 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited January 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 12 January 2023
- ChrisgaleSheffield, United Kingdom805 contributionsLovely, but give the cafe a missLovely day out out. So much to see besides the Motor Museum which was very good and well laid out. The Abbey and the house have a fascinating history and are well worth seeing. Staff in these areas are friendly and helpful and it would have been 5 stars. The cafe is the opposite, lovely space,but very poor menu and staff that don't care about customers. It wasn’t busy, I'm not surprised at 10.30 on a cold frosty morning I asked what hot breakfast items there were and was told by the girl on the till very curtly there were none. So I didn't buy anything and next time I would take my own food. The Google reviews tell a similar storyVisited January 2023Travelled soloWritten 20 January 2023
- Eleanor W34 contributionsGood day out - but a bit priceyWe spent a few hours at Beaulieu yesterday. Whilst we have been many times before, we always happily stroll around for a few hours. On this visit, we particularly enjoyed the World War 2 exhibition- so detailed and truly fascinating and the falconer; he shared so much knowledge. We enjoyed a visit to thd National Motor Museum and cars of the stars and Top Gear. We really missed the Wheels experience and hope this will return. Whilst it is expensive on face value, the gift aid passes make it worthwhile. However, we do feel some new exhibits would be welcomed.Visited January 2023Travelled with familyWritten 1 February 2023
- CRPlymHythe, United Kingdom74 contributionsBe prepared for queuesVisited with friends: 6 adults + 8 children. Took advantage of the kids go free in half term offer, which was great; I think if we'd have paid for them we'd have felt a bit short changed! Given that we'd prebooked, the long queue to get in was irritating. The Little Beaulieu play area was a massive hit and the kids would have probably stayed there all day given half a chance! Which is unfortunate for the adults as the queue for coffee and snacks was ridiculous. Not enough toilets here and they were in poor condition too. The motor museum and other car related exhibits were good, but not enough things that could be touched or otherwise interacted with to really maintain the interest of the children. Same goes for the Palace House, which we adults enjoyed. Lunch in the main restaurant was mediocre (although I had a good mocha), pricey for what it was and slow service. Jacket potato looked yucky. More queueing for the Monorail which was fun but short. And also for the vintage bus which we thought we would do at the end of the day, but disappointingly had stopped running. Bizarre gift shop with many items unrelated to the attraction which is always irritating for me as a parent. Won't be long rushing back, but would be good to spend more time looking without the kids getting fed, and when I do go back it will be with a picnic!!Visited February 2023Travelled with familyWritten 17 February 2023
- Robert AConsett, United Kingdom23 contributionsAn ambition achivedI have wanted for many years to visit Beaulieu (more specifically the National Motor Museum) and it didn't dissapoint upon arrival. It's hard to say whether my experience is typical as I paid a visit during the winter when, as expected, visitor numbers are lower (for me, an advantage) during a non-event day. Although the museum building itself isn't particularly pretty which is somewhat at odds with its setting, what lies within is a far more atmospheric experience altogether; there are nicely curated displays and some of the motoring heritage on display is of the sort I never thought I would live to see. Very impressed. Although not the purpose of my visit, I did make time to visit the Abbey and the gardens, which I would highly recommend setting time aside to do them justice (I was rather hurried, but that was lack of planning on my part. My interaction with staff was in the visitor centre, monorial and in the Brabazon Restuarant. Made to feel very welcome and not at all rushed. It's probably one of the pricier venues I have visited recently so that should be borne in mind, however, the ticket does provide 12 months entry (subject to conditions) and, as ever, cost and value are different things and for me it was worth every penny. The gift shop was very fairly priced in my opinion and there are plenty of pocket-money priced offerings as well as a good slection of goodies for the adults. It speaks volumes that I would not hesitate to return and look forward to seeign how the proposed new visitor experience crystalises. There's a lot to see so pace the time carefully if you only have a day to visit.Visited March 2023Written 12 March 2023
- Goolia2772Milton Keynes, United Kingdom191 contributionsRainy day visitWe were visiting the New Forest and needed something to do indoors as we knew the weather was going to be bad. On first impressions the whole site looks a little tired, there are a few buildings that don't seem to get as much attention as the main motor museum and feel a bit run down. The main building itself is very interesting and has hundreds of cars, it would have been nice to have seen more modern cars as a lot of the collection were classic motor vehicles. The gardens and Abbey are nice and I can imagine even more so in the summer. We didn't feel that it was worth the £24 entry, maybe if the weather was nice and we could have stayed longer but not during the winter.Thank you for your feedback on your recent visit. It is good to hear you enjoyed the National Motor Museum. The collection includes a variety of vehicles of historical significance, as well as new exhibits demonstrating the future of motoring and electric vehicles. We are sorry to hear you didn’t feel your visit was worth the entry fee – as tickets include access to the entire Beaulieu attraction, the majority of which is indoors, many of the features on site can still be enjoyed on a rainy day, such as Palace House, Beaulieu Abbey, ‘World of Top Gear’, ‘On Screen Cars’ and SOE exhibitions, as well as the National Motor Museum itself. We appreciate you taking the time to leave your comments.Written 24 March 2023This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.Visited March 2023Written 14 March 2023
- JohnaSouthampton, United Kingdom19 contributionsA Good Day OutGrandad, daughter and young grandson visit. An earlier reviewer mentioned queues; go on a damp Monday in March and you virtually have the place to yourself. Exhibits are well presented with sufficient descriptive details without being overly long. The external area of the Top Gear area looks a bit tired but the exhibits inside are good, as is Palace House. The new child’s play area is superb. Overall a very good day out.Visited March 2023Written 21 March 2023
- DaveBAmershamLittle Chalfont, United Kingdom887 contributionsA Good Day Out………..Very well maintained site with plenty to do and see. Excellent staff who were friendly and knowledgeable. For petrol heads there is the motor museum that was phenomenal with its selection of motor vehicles of all shapes and sizes. All well displayed with information boards. There is a imagined garage office complete with a cat asleep on a chair. History buffs are well catered for with the Abbey and the Domus building and their history. I found the small museum covering the Special Operations Executive that was a clandestine organisation used on enemy territories during World War 2 fascinating. Not a good time of year to see the various gardens at their best but that was expected. I would recommend taking the monorail first to see the grounds from a elevated position so the geography of the area can be learnt.Visited March 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 22 March 2023
- HugoH710London, United Kingdom22 contributionsEat your heart out LimeI thought that it was amazing to see so many iconic cars in one place. It was a thrill. They were well displayed with succinct information plaques. The Rolls Royce was just incredible, as was Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Also the motorcycle section was fascinating especially the motor scooters - eat your heart out LimeVisited March 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 26 March 2023
- Hambler007Sevenoaks, United Kingdom76 contributionsDon’t miss a visit to Beaulieu Motor Museum and AbbeyLots to see and do here for all the family, though it was just my husband and I visiting (both in our 60’s) Cars were well_displayed with good info and interesting video clips. Exhibition of cars on screen could have been enhanced with video clips of the actual movies/tv in which they featured but I guess there are licensing issues with doing that. The monorail was a great thing to do at the start (as recommended by our ticket checker). Best of all was the Abbey - such an amazing building with good info boards. Loos were clean. Cafe was spacious but food on offer was slightly disappointing in range and didn’t look very appetising so I opted for a plain croissant, which tasted like it was yesterday’s. So I’ve marked the attraction as a whole at 4 rather than 5.Visited April 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 5 April 2023
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4.5
7,568 reviews
Excellent
4,950
Very good
1,936
Average
451
Poor
151
Terrible
80
Stephenbsa60
Cromer, UK2 contributions
Sep 2023 • Family
This is what I'm talking about!! Had the best day ever can't wait to come back again next year! Happy family
Written 24 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lyndsey A
Bracknell, UK4 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
You had a Smart meet up day, and we attended it with our Smart Fortwo 453.
Very impressed to how well organised it was. Mixed with the smart car owners as well. We had a wonder around the museum and the grounds of beaulieu as well. We will return again to another meet up.
Very impressed to how well organised it was. Mixed with the smart car owners as well. We had a wonder around the museum and the grounds of beaulieu as well. We will return again to another meet up.
Written 12 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your review, we are happy to hear you had an enjoyable visit to the recent 'Simply Smart' event as well as the Beaulieu attraction. We look forward to welcoming you back again in the near future.
Written 15 November 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Fav662
Southend-on-Sea, UK18 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
Really full and enjoyable day out. Loved visiting house, abbey and of course car museum. Staff were most informative and enthusiastic about everything.
Written 9 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alec H
1 contribution
Nov 2023 • Family
Having been before I was disappointed to find it now more expensive, with less on offer. Most of the activities attractive to children need a £1 coin for a few minutes activity. All the Top Gear exhibits look forlorn, dirty & rusting. The gardens & grounds look unkempt, with no evidence of winter pruning or maintenance. The cafe, restaurant is even more expensive. Finally getting out of the car park was like negotiating a ‘suspension system test track’! There were more deep potholes than the worst of the New Forest car parks. I was anxious that real damage might be done before we got back on tarmac near the exit.
I think this site needs a comprehensive rethink. It is living on a reputation not now deserved. I will not be revisiting anytime soon even with my 1 yr free reentry!
I think this site needs a comprehensive rethink. It is living on a reputation not now deserved. I will not be revisiting anytime soon even with my 1 yr free reentry!
Written 3 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are disappointed to hear your feedback on your recent visit. It is a surprise to hear that you felt the attraction was run down. Our grounds and gardens are maintained by a team of horticulture experts with a wealth of experience. Apart from the ‘World of Top Gear’ Test Track Challenge, the entire attraction is included in your admission ticket, with no additional charges required.
The ‘World of Top Gear’ exhibition has recently been updated to include fresh new exhibits from the recent series of Top Gear with Paddy McGuiness, Chris Harris and Freddie Flintoff, as well as old favourites from challenges of past series. The demanding nature of the challenges on the show means that the condition of the vehicles on display do vary.
Due to the recent extreme weather conditions, we have seen a rise in pot holes forming in our car parks. Our maintenance team are aware of this. Please be assured that our car parks are monitored regularly to ensure they’re safe to use.
Written 7 November 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Thenannytraveller
Southampton, UK23 contributions
Oct 2023 • Family
I went with a 22 month old and a five year old. The afternoon poured with rain, but we had a wonderful time none the less. The museum is a must, as you will find somthing no matter your age or gender that will make you go "WOW". The gardens and house are beautiful. The playground for the children imaginative. The only reason the day didn't get the full five stars was the resturant. It was very disorganised with long lines (it wasn't half term) The food wasn't great, and is expensive for what you get.
Written 20 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Roselle F
Derby, UK38 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
Such a good day out. Very good value. Loads to appeal to the whole family. Apart from the main car collection I would recommend the monorail and vintage bus to see the whole place.
Beaulieu House well worth a visit.
Only negative thing I would mention which did not affect us, but may be a concern, is that there are no toilets in the main exhibition area.
Food in restaurant excellent. Lots of space, amazing food choice. Very well run. Faultless
Beaulieu House well worth a visit.
Only negative thing I would mention which did not affect us, but may be a concern, is that there are no toilets in the main exhibition area.
Food in restaurant excellent. Lots of space, amazing food choice. Very well run. Faultless
Written 17 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brenda C
2 contributions
Oct 2023 • Family
Location was easy to find and going through lovely scenery. Well laid out of the vehicles to see them all. A great facility in toilets and food quarter. The gift shop was a delight to shop in.
Written 14 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your great feedback! We are delighted to hear you had an enjoyable recent visit, and we hope to see you again soon.
Written 20 October 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Sightsee792754
1 contribution
Oct 2023 • Couples
Absolutely fantastic experience. I would recommend a visit to anybody interested in motor museums. I will be telling all my friends about my visit and encouraging them to visit too. Your staff are amazing, helpful and very knowledgeable. We will visit again.
Written 13 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This is great to hear! Thank you for your wonderful review, we are delighted that you enjoyed your visit and that you found the staff to be friendly and helpful. We appreciate you recommending us to your friends and we hope to see you again soon!
Written 20 October 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Chris
Zurich, Switzerland1,175 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
Very interesting museum with a lot of old cars. We especially liked the ride with the monorail and the exhibition about Top Gear. Very nice manor and abby grounds too. Worth a visit.
Written 13 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
xy Z
Vienna, Austria34 contributions
Sep 2023 • Couples
We wanted to visited the Museum und the building, but unfortunately our cruise ship was unable to land in Southampton due to the weather. The team was so nice to refund the tickets. Therefore I want to thank you very much!
And I hope we can repeat the visit in future.
And I hope we can repeat the visit in future.
Written 11 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
andy young
Hastings, UK82 contributions
Are there discounts for oap,s
Ray H
Chesham, UK56 contributions
Yes there is, but Senior Advanced tickets are only £1.00 less.
Chris C
Whitstable, UK
can i park my motohome in car park to visit.
Andrew Dufresne
Culham, UK72 contributions
Not sure
Coastal55663369799
Portsmouth, UK1 contribution
Do they have lockers to store bags if so how much
Tia
Penny C
London, UK104 contributions
I don’t think so
Is it necessary to pre book
1954laurence
Benfleet, UK230 contributions
We did as only letting in so many people at a time.
Is pre booking necessary
food is my passion
Manningtree, UK429 contributions
Definitely something you should do - but they are letting people pay on the day
Polly Gill
6 contributions
How many people does a family ticket admit?
Catherine R
8 contributions
Ooh I don't know-check the website. Sorry.
Is there a train station near by
Humphrey333
Poole, UK47 contributions
The closes train station to Beaulieu is Brockenhurst
Jo k
Kingston-upon-Hull, UK101 contributions
We're visiting next week. Hubby is total car fanatic, me & 5 year old aren't. Is there enough to keep 5 year old entertained or should hubby come on his own?
rachael192
Weymouth, UK13 contributions
Your hubby will enjoy it I enjoyed it even though I am not a car fanatic you should all go
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Claim your listingBEAULIEU NATIONAL MOTOR MUSEUM: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
Frequently Asked Questions about Beaulieu National Motor Museum
- Hotels near Beaulieu National Motor Museum:
- (0.45 mi) Montagu Arms Hotel
- (1.70 mi) The Turfcutters Arms
- (0.50 mi) Pepperbox House
- (0.54 mi) Mill House B&B
- (3.94 mi) The Maples
- Restaurants near Beaulieu National Motor Museum:
- (0.07 mi) Brabazon Restaurant
- (0.48 mi) The Beaulieu Bakehouse
- (0.45 mi) The Terrace Restaurant
- (0.45 mi) Pallets Tea & Coffee House
- (0.45 mi) Monty's Inn
- Attractions near Beaulieu National Motor Museum:
- (0.54 mi) Beaulieu Palace House
- (0.96 mi) New Forest Activities
- (1.23 mi) Liquid Logistics Canoeing & Kayaking
- (0.54 mi) Beaulieu Abbey Church
- (0.47 mi) Beaulieu Chocolate Studio