You all know that I love motor racing and we’re rather big aeroplane fans in this house too. I’ve been meaning to visit Brooklands Museum for years but somehow it’s just never happened. Then it was a case of feeling that Monkey was too young to really enjoy it. But having read PODCast’s recent post I decided it was definitely time for a day of adventures at Brooklands Museum near Weybridge in Surrey. (Be warned – this is a long post as so much to see!)
The Museum is easily found, not far off the M25 and right next door to Mercedes Benz World (I feel a visit there will be required when Monkey is older!). There is plenty of free on-site parking.
I’ve always wanted to see the famous banking from the old Brooklands race track and we all wanted to take part in the Concorde Experience. You do pay a little extra for the Concorde Experience and you need to book a flight slot. We decided to book our slot as soon as we arrived so we could plan our day accordingly. Once that was sorted we gave Monkey the map and he decided where we should head to first.
There are different displays based around the site both outside and inside a number of hangers and garages. You also gain free access to the London Bus Museum.
I knew Monkey would love this as he’d really enjoyed the London Transport Museum a while back. He was off, exploring with Daddy P.
We saw buses through the ages – 100 years worth of history. It was really interesting.
Monkey had fun cranking up an electric motor.
Look at engines in maintenance.
Monkey happily climbed on board a double-decker bus – his confidence to try new things is definitely on the up!
Before we knew it it was time for our Concorde Experience. I’m not sure who was most excited if I’m totally honest.
The iconic plane used to fly over my school as a child and I’ve had the privilege of seeing it take off from Heathrow in the past. I can vividly remember the day of the fateful Air France Concorde crash and when I heard the news that the fleet was being withdrawn from service. Daddy P is a big fan and Monkey just loves planes – we were ready to go. We got our boarding cards out and went on our pre-flight check where we heard all about the history of Concorde.
Then it was time to investigate the undercarriage before heading on board.
We got to see part of the plane stripped right back and various displays before heading to our seats.
It was lovely to see Monkey as captivated as we both were, it meant Daddy P and I actually got to thoroughly enjoy the experience, rather than rushing through things as is the norm with younger kids!
We’d shortly be going supersonic.
It was an interesting experience and well worth the additional charge. Memories made and we all received a flight certificate as we left.
We were all feeling peckish so headed off to the cafe for something to eat. There was a range of meal options available although we just stuck with sandwiches and a lunchbox for Monkey. It does get busy so I’d advise an early lunch with youngsters.
Once we’d eaten it was time to head off to the iconic Brooklands banking. Can you believe that cars used to race along this – at great speed! It seems impossible but it happened.
I’m not sure that the photos can do the incline justice to be honest.
How amazing must it have been to watch cars zooming past on this in the early 1900s quite staggering in my opinion.
There are a number of aeroplanes you can board and explore – all with something different to see. Seeing a plane with bedrooms and a rather plush bathroom was a first for all of us.
Then it was time to explore the various hangars and garages and spot a familiar town from my childhood.
I particularly wanted to see the Grand Prix and Motoring displays.
Although it was getting late in the day and my son was getting tired and less engaged by this point!
So he couldn’t be persuaded to sit in the McLaren, or maybe he was being a true Ferrari fan!!
It’s certainly somewhere Guru Gramps would have loved to explore and I would have like to have spent more time looking at the displays.
We did even got to see Chitty Chitty Bang Bang!
There really was so much to see, we had a full day and still didn’t get to see everything.
After trying out some Morse Code for the first time it was time for us to head home.
One tired little boy had a day of adventures at Brooklands Museum and I’m sure we will be back again at some point. We all really enjoyed our day out, and I can thoroughly recommend it if you’re looking for somewhere to keep you busy all day.
It looks like such an amazing place, a lot to see! I like the sound of the Concorde experience 🙂
It was one of our favourite days out – action packed
What a fab place. I too would have definitely paid extra to go and sit on concord. My eldest loved the transport museum so I’m sure would love this if it was closer. #countrykids
It was a day to make some memories
This is on our to-do list this year – never did get to fly concorde but would have loved to. Looks like you had a great time
You will love it
There looks like there is so much to see. My hubby would love it. Amazing to think cars used to race along that hill/road, can imagine the adrenaline….. #countrykids
It was so hard to imagine cars driving there, such an interesting place to explore
I know when you’ve enjoyed somewhere-there are so many great photo’s 🙂
It looks absolutely brilliant and somewhere we would definitely enjoy visiting one day. I’d really like to see that incline for myself too x
It’s the post I was writing for last week but I was struggling to decide which photos to leave out! One of highlights
Oh my goodness, what a lovely place – my little boy would love it there! #CountryKids
It was so interesting
I can’t believe we lived so close and I never took my boys when they were young. Alistair was 4 when we moved and I think he would have been just old enough to have enjoyed it too. How exciting to sit on concorde, it used to fly right over us in Esher and make Alistair cry in his pram! Looks like you had a wonderful visit and I love how you can really get up close and even inside the vehicles. Thank you for sharing your lovely day on Country Kids.
It was a great day out.
Really great to get a look round, it is so different from the 24 years ago when I was last there. My parents still live very close so this will be ncie for my kids in the summer, thanks. Mich x
I can honestly say it’s one of the best days out we’ve had – so much to see.
I must arrange a trip there as this would be my husband’s ideal day out with the family!
It really was a full day out – he will love it.
Such an amazing place to visit! Would love to go there!
My children would love this place. So much to see.
Wow, what a great day out! There’s so much to do. This isn’t too far from us really, must go visit! x
There’s absolutely masses there – I’d love to see Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and planes with bedrooms myself 😀
I’ve been to the Coulthard Museum in Scotland, that was teeny by comparison (just one room), yet still fascinated us for hours.
I said before there is a photo of me as a toddler sitting in Concorde’s cockpit – unfortunately I was a bit young to remember it really 😀
It really is the fullest day out we’ve had. Not often we are leaving somewhere at closing time