Head an hour out of Adelaide into the Adelaide Hills and you’ll find yourself at one of South Australia’s most impressive museums. The National Motor Museum in the town of Birdwood is part of a stone flour mill built in 1852 that now includes several buildings housing a collection of more than 300 classic, vintage and modern automobiles and motorcycles.
The museum contains vehicles from all eras of motoring history, along with automobilia, toy car collections, vehicle components and interactive displays. It’s one of the most comprehensive museums in the state and hands down the best motor museum in Australia.
To help you plan a successful day when visiting the National Motor Museum, we’ve outlined all the necessary information you need to know before you go.
The Basics
The National Motor Museum is located on Shannon Street in the heart of Birdwood. Consisting of several buildings housing a massive collection of vehicles and automobile memorabilia, the museum is also an “international centre for the collection, research, preservation, education and display of Australian road transport history.”
While tours aren’t currently available, the staff are very knowledgeable and can help with any concerns or questions you might have while exploring the museum. There are plenty of detailed plaques providing information about the displays, along with short films and interactive exhibits.
Things to Know Before You Go
• If you love anything automobile-related, the National Motor Museum is a must-visit
• The museum is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm except Christmas Day and days of catastrophic fire danger
• The National Motor Museum is completely cashless, so bring your bank card
• There is no café on the grounds, but there are plenty of fantastic bakeries and eateries opposite the museum
• Wheelchair access is available throughout the museum
What Not to Miss
If you want to truly experience everything there is to offer at the National Motor Museum, you’ll need to reserve a good three to four hours. The collection of cars, motorcycles and motoring curiosities is extensive, with many interactive displays aimed at families.
If you’re short on time, below is a list of the exhibits we think are worth checking out.
Vehicle Collections
The one thing everybody wants to see is the vehicles, and the National Motor Museum has one of the most extensive collections in Australia. Split into different eras, the selection of automobiles on offer ranges from post-vintage vehicles (1931 to 1946) right up to modern vehicles (1970 to now), with commercial vehicles and motorcycles also having their own section.
The vintage and classic section of vehicles is great for learning more about the world’s automotive history, but it’s hard to go past the modern vehicles on display when it comes to beautiful-looking automobiles. Vehicles that make up this collection include the iconic Holden Sandman, a black Bugatti Veyron and even an F1 car.
The 1920s Garage
This exhibit is a faithful recreation of Maerschel’s Garage, an actual business that operated in Birdwood until the 1980s. As well as being the first Ford dealership outside of metropolitan Adelaide, the garage provided maintenance and repair services for locals.
The majority of the equipment on display was found in 20th-century garages, while the display also houses a collection of vintage vehicles, including a Ford Model T and several motorcycles from the 20s.
[Re]assembled: Australia’s Automotive Manufacturing Journey
This one is more for the adults than the kids. The exhibit details the history of Australia’s automotive journey and includes an assembly line from Holden’s Elizabeth factory that sadly closed in 2017.
Game Engine: Digital Legends
Video game lovers and kids alike will be fans of this interactive exhibition exploring the relationship between automobiles and video games. There are nine iconic driving games you can have a crack at, including Forza Horizon 3, Crazy Taxi and Daytona.
What’s On
Several special exhibitions are currently running that are worth visiting if you’re a real car lover.
Holden Heroes: A Retrospective 1948-2017
12 December 2020 – 31 December 2024
When it comes to Australian automobile manufacturers, Holden was the leader for over a century. Holden Heroes highlights 18 noteworthy vehicles from Holden’s Heritage Collection, including the last ever Holden produced, the 2017 VF Commodore Series II SS Redline and the 2004 concept Holden Torana TT36.
An Australian Racing Icon – The Chamberlain 8
25 January 2019 – 01 January 2029
If you’re not familiar with the Chamberlain 8, then this exhibition will be a great educational tool. Built by brothers Bob and Bill Chamberlain, the Chamberlain 8 was the first and only custom racing car designed and built in Australia. Not only will learn all about this Australian feat of engineering, but the original Chamberlain 8 is on display in all its glory.
How to Get There
Travelling by car is the only viable way of reaching the National Motor Museum. Just take North East Road towards the Adelaide Hills. This eventually turns into Torrens Valley Road just before the town of Gumeracha. Keep on this road and you will hit Birdwood and the museum in no time.
The total drive time from Adelaide CBD is roughly 45-minutes, making it a great day trip.
Admission Prices
- Adult: $22.50
- Concession: $17.00
- Children: $9.00
(children under 5 free) - Family: $55.00
(2 adults, up to 3 children) - Family Concession: $43.50
(2 adults, up to 3 children)
The Bay to Birdwood
Along with being the premier motor museum in the country, the National Motor Museum is also the endpoint for the Bay to Birdwood.
This iconic annual event is one of the world’s great historic motoring processions. Over 1,500 vehicles manufactured during the 20th-century journey from Glenelg to Birdwood on October 20.
Crowds of thousands line the streets and country roads as the cars depart from Barratt Reserve, West Beach at 7:45 am. They then journey through the city and northern suburbs before venturing into the Adelaide Hills. The first cars arrive at the museum from 9:30 pm onwards, with the festivities kicking off at 10:00 am.
Throughout the day awards are presented while retro music is provided by DJ Driller and the Atlantic Street Band. There will also be food trucks and other retail stalls set up for those involved in the event.
The public is encouraged to visit and check out the cars featured in the parade along with the museum itself.
For more information visit motor.history.sa.gov.au
