Silverstone Interactive Museum launched

2016 saw the public confirmation of the funding that has enabled the £20m Silverstone Interactive Museum to open it’s doors in 2020. It brings the extensive heritage of Silverstone and British motor racing to life for an estimated half a million visitors a year, through the creation of a dynamic, interactive and educational visitor experience.

The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) confirmed a £9.1m grant which, together with funding from five local authorities, two enterprise partnerships and Silverstone itself, enabled the development to start at the beginning of 2017.

The attraction includes:

• A permanent exhibition that will take visitors on an exciting two hour journey through motor racing past, present and future. The exhibition will be housed in the only remaining WWII hanger on the site, which is to the left of the main entrance. The hanger will be fully refurbished and re-clad to create a fantastic, authentic backdrop.

• The latest technology will be used to tell the amazing stories of the people that have been part of the site’s history, from medieval monks and WWII air crew to the racing drivers, riders, engineers and marshals of today.

• A Collections and Research Centre, offering museum and archive accredited storage for the unique British Racing Drivers‘ Club (BRDC) archive and other motor sport collections as well as a specialist library and learning space for school groups.

• A series of bus-based and walking themed tours, to complement the permanent exhibition, stopping off at iconic points around the circuit.

Inspirationally designed by Mather & Co, the Interactive Museum helps to ensure that the heritage of Silverstone and British motor racing is explained and interpreted for today’s public as well as being protected for future generations. It clebrates the circuit and the country’s position at the very heart of the global motor sport industry by explaining their historic and continuing importance to the sport.

Petersham Group has worked with Sally Reynolds, Silverstone’s project director, since late 2015 and across 2016 to shape, develop and finesse the business plan and comprehensive underlying financial model that supported the project’s funding bids to the HLF and other funders.

Needless to say, we are delighted that the project has successfully opened and that our work was key to its funding!