Beaulieu National Motor Museum, England
Up to January th, 2024
With 100 years of MG – the magic of the Marque, the in-Focus gallery of the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu celebrates the centenary of the famous English brand. This recently added exhibition space is intended to host temporary exhibitions of photographs, works of art, objects and memorabilia related to the automobile. The Museum is thus able to exploit its immense collection of more than 1.7 million items. Photographs and film excerpts recount MG’s early years. Morris Garages, based in Oxford, began selling rebodied Morris in 1923. The company quickly shortened its name to MG, and under the leadership of Cecil Kimber, developed its own identity. Within a decade, MG was building a whole range of cars in an Abingdon factory.
MG is best known to car enthusiasts for its small sporty convertibles, the very expression of the English roadster, but the manufacturer has also produced sedans and coupes. The many photographs in the exhibition cover the origins of the brand and early models, touring cars, class speed records, motorsport and personalities associated with the MG brand. Andrea Bishop, Director of Collections and Engagement, said, “This exhibition offers a rare chance to see a selection from our extensive photographic archive. Visitors to the Museum will be familiar with the MG cars in our collection, but these images capture the magic associated with this iconic marque ».
On the other hand, on September 30, the Big Birthday Bash will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the production of the first MG model. This rally is organized by the clubs of the South Region of the MG Owners’ Club’s home counties and is open to all MGs of all ages. The day will include a timeline of MGs covering ten decades of MG production and a “Car of the Day” award voted that day by MG owners and visitors to Beaulieu. There will also be local MGOC club exhibition areas and specialized MG booths. Further details are available on the Beaulieu website.
Finally, on November 4, a conference with John Mayhead on Goldie Gardner, the famous MG racing driver.
The photos on this page belong to Beaulieu National Motor Museum, no right of reproduction without the express permission of the museum.