Brooklands Museum

Brooklands Museum, Weybridge

Tucked away in leafy Surrey, Brooklands Museum is one of those places where British motoring, aviation and engineering history all collide — and there’s far more here than you might expect.

Brooklands was the world’s first purpose-built motor racing circuit, opening in 1907, and the remains of its enormous banked track still dominate parts of the site today. Walking alongside it gives you a real sense of just how brave — or possibly mad — those early racing drivers must have been.

But Brooklands isn't just about cars. The site also played a huge role in British aviation history, and today the museum is packed with historic aircraft, racing cars, motorcycles and engineering exhibits. One of the biggest attractions is Concorde, where visitors can get remarkably close to one of the most famous passenger aircraft ever built.

There's a brilliant mixture of polished museum exhibits and genuine pieces of industrial history. Old workshops, aircraft hangars and surviving sections of the racing circuit make the place feel less like a conventional museum and more like you're wandering through Britain's engineering past.

Its Weybridge location also makes Brooklands an easy day out from London, particularly for families, petrolheads, aviation enthusiasts or anyone who appreciates the days when speed records were being broken by people wearing goggles and considerably less safety equipment than you'd probably want.

City Lynx verdict: Brooklands is British engineering history turned into a day out — racing cars, aircraft, Concorde and the remains of one of the most important race tracks ever built.

City Lynx Quick Guide

Best for: Classic cars, motorsport, aviation and British engineering history
City Lynx pick: Walk alongside the historic Brooklands banking before heading over to Concorde
Location: Brooklands Drive, Weybridge, Surrey
Attraction style: Historic motorsport and aviation museum
Famous for: The world's first purpose-built motor racing circuit and its aviation heritage
What you'll find: Historic racing cars, motorcycles, aircraft, buses and engineering exhibits
Don't miss: Concorde and the surviving sections of the original race circuit
Nearby: Mercedes-Benz World, Weybridge, Cobham and the Surrey countryside
Best for couples: Very good
Best for families: Excellent
Best for petrolheads: Absolutely
Price level: ££
City Lynx tip: Give yourself a few hours rather than treating Brooklands as a quick museum visit — there's a surprising amount to explore across the site.

Exhibits, experiences, ticket prices and opening times may vary, so check directly with Brooklands Museum before visiting.