The collections of the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust (BMIHT) chronicle the history and development of British car manufacturing, an industry which dominated the West Midlands throughout the 20th century. BMIHT was set up in 1983 to safeguard documents, photographs and vehicles relating to British motor manufacturing.

Unfortunately, many items in the collection were in storage due to lack of space. Consultation with the public also revealed visitors wanted to learn more about local workers’ stories and how these cars were built.

Hands-on interpretation and a special events programme of activities have helped to engage a new generation of vehicle enthusiasts. An additional 500m² exhibition space was created, allowing previously unseen photographs and film to be displayed for the first time. A lift was installed to ensure wider access to the collection. Two new exhibitions were created, Making British Cars and Under the Skin, designed to appeal to wider audiences. The exhibitions illustrate the role of local people who worked on famous designs like Austin and Rover, and the importance of the motor industry to the region’s social history.

Tim Bryan, Project Director, said, “We carried out research with the public to find out what they wanted to see in a museum. The results showed that visitors wanted to learn more of what has been hidden away and they wanted to know how cars work under the skin.”