MuseumsCars

National museum at Birdwood in South Australia presents the social history around the effect of motoring

National museum at Birdwood in South Australia presents the social history around the effect of motoring
A 1928 Chevrolet AB standard sedan, made at Holden's Woodville plant for General Motors in 1928, displayed at the National Motor Museum, Birdwood.

The National Motor Museum – Australia’s largest – celebrated its 50th year in Birdwood (formerly Blumberg), in the Adelaide Hills, in 2015.

The museum displays 300 vehicles (a third of them on loan from private collectors and groups) and documents the social history of Australian road transport with brochures and maps, tin signs, petrol bowsers, toys and models and images.

The museum has become an international centre for collecting, research, preserving, educating about and displaying Australian road transport history,

Started by Jack Kaines and Len Vigar in 1964, the museum was bought by the South Australian Government three years later and became part of the South Australian History Trust.

Its large and historically important collection of cars, motorcycles and commercial vehicles includes the hand-built 1899 Shearer Steam Carriage, the 1908 Talbot and Tom Kruse's 1936 Leyland Badger truck. It has special displays of star attractions, ranging from rare veteran and vintage cars to modern ground-breaking concept vehicles.

The museum is housed in a climate-controlled modern complex next to its original home: the “Old Mill” in Shannon Street, Birdwood.

It is the endpoint of the annual Bay to Birdwood run when vintage motor vehicles are driven by their owners from Glenelg, past the city and through the hills to finish at the museum for a festival.

Other related ADELAIDE AZ articles

A scale model (top), made in 1985, of the grandstands for the Adelaide F1 Grand Prix is among Glen Dix donations to the Gilbert’s Motor Museum at Strathalbyn. Speedcars (bottom right) from Rowley Park days have also been part of the displays.
Museums >
Glen Dix's welcome flag with memorabilia donations for Gilbert’s Motor Museum started at Strathalbyn in 2018
READ MORE+
Don Bradman's great cricket moments are captured in the Bradman Collection at Adelaide Oval's Riverbank Stand.
Museums >
Bradman Collection at Adelaide Oval presents the memorabilia from greatest moments of the cricket legend Don
READ MORE+
Concept for the Drover's Encounter modern museum at Kapunda in South Australia's mid north with an experience centre, the stockman's experience, signature restaurant, adventure playground and activated historic copper mine.
Museums >
Drover's Encounter to capture Kapunda, South Australia, history from native food to copper to Kidman and the horses
READ MORE+
The range of engineering projects embraced by Adelaide Harold Clisby, ranging from a Formula One car racing engine to the miniature steam train track (bottom left) built for his children at his Adelaide Hills home.
Technology >
Harold Clisby Formula One engine only part of projects by restless, talented self-taught Adelaide engineer
READ MORE+
The interface of AusStage online database, recording Australia's history of theatre and live performance events, venues, contributors, organisations, resources and abstract (play script or score).
Museums >
AusStage, the online database compiled at Flinders University in South Australia, covers nation's theatre history
READ MORE+
Graph showing South Australia nearly matching Australian Capital Territory for electric car sales per 10,000 in 2016-17.
Technology >
South Australian per 10,000 electric car sales leads Australia with the Australian Capital Territory in 2017
READ MORE+

 

 
©2025 Adelaide AZ | Privacy | Terms & Disclaimer | PWA 1.1.58