The Franschhoek Motor Museum

The Franschhoek Motor Museum is a world class facility situated on the L’Ormarins Estate in the majestic Franschhoek Valley, one of South Africa’s earliest and most historical regions. The museum’s Cape Dutch architecture reflects the area’s origins and exhibition space covers 2 700 m². Located at the foot of the majestic Franschhoek Mountains, the museum site is set amongst expansive lawns and indigenous foliage. Four spacious display halls are air-conditioned and de-humidified to preserve the ageing machinery, and each holds 20 vehicles – all mounted on individual plinths that allow clear viewing – plus motorcycles, bicycles and a miscellany of motoring memorabilia. Displays, often themed, are changed regularly.

The birth of the museum’s collection took place in 1974 with the establishment of a transport museum at the Heidelberg railway station in Gauteng. It was an extension of one of numerous restoration and preservation projects initiated and backed by Dr Anton Rupert, South African entrepreneur, businessman and conservationist. Dr Rupert’s enthusiasm and appreciation of the automobile had led to an ongoing acquisition of a large number of vehicles, both individually and from other collections, which ultimately led to a decision in 2004 to relocate the museum’s contents to the family’s estate in Franschhoek. Sadly, Dr Rupert passed away in 2006, shortly before the new museum was opened on 7 May 2007, but his equally auto-enthusiast son, Johann, has continued to develop the museum’s eminence, even to constructing a purpose-built 2,5-kilometre road circuit on the L’Ormarins estate to exercise the motorised vehicles.

From the rare to the exotic, from the innovative to the commercial, this superb collection of vehicles has been brought together not only from within South Africa but from around the globe. The museum’s diverse collection comprises more than 300 vehicles, of which more than 200 are in show condition, and cover more than 100 years of motoring and transport, the oldest exhibit being an 1885 Starley rear-steer tricycle. An 1898 Beeston motor-tricycle is the oldest motorised vehicle, 1917 Triumph Model H the oldest motorcycle and a 1903 Ford Model A the oldest for-wheeler. Other notable exhibits include a 1915 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost, 1922 Isotta Fraschini, 1934 Austro-Daimler, 1938 Mercedes-Benz 540K Cabriolet  B, 1957 Touring-bodied  Aston Martin Spider (one of only three built), 1968 Mazda Cosmo Sport and ex-F1 champion Jody Scheckter’s 1974 Tyrrell 007-1. Among other unique models are examples of South Africa’s only two totally home-grown marques, the GSM Dart/Flamingo and the Protea, and Nelson Mandela’s 2004 Charity 46664 BMW 760iL Security Edition. Suitable additions to the collection are made when appropriate.

The Franschhoek Motor Museum’s ever-expanding inventory rivals that of most similar private collections around the world and represents a living tribute to one family’s passion for the automobile. The international travel agency TripAdvisor awarded FMM a Traveller’s Choice Certificate of Excellence as ‘The very best of museums’. For video and photo galleries of the collection, free monthly newsletters and any other information about the museum, logon to www.fmm.co.za.

WHERE, WHAT TIMES AND HOW MUCH

The Franschhoek Motor Museum is situated on the L’Ormarins Estate along the R45 in the Franschhoek Valley in the Western Cape, which is approximately a one-hour/75 km drive from central Cape Town. Visiting is currently by appointment only – phone 021 874 9002 to make a reservation. Opening times are – Mon-Fri 10h00-17h00 (last entry 16h00), Sat-Sun 10h00-16h00 (last entry 15h00). The museum is open on most public holidays except Christmas Day and Good Friday. There is ample secure parking on site. Motorcycles and buses larger than 23-seaters should park at Anthonij Rupert Wyne from where visitors will be transported to and from the museum by charabanc.

Admission prices are R90 adults, R70 pensioners and motor club members (with membership ID), R50 children (ages 3-12). Guided tours are available upon request at no charge. The FMM Pitstop Deli offers a full menu including hot and cold beverages, croissants, tramezzinis, salads, sandwiches, platters, waffles and doughnuts. Patrons can sit either inside or out on the stoep overlooking the quadrant and display halls. Anthonij Rupert wines are also for sale for on- and off-site consumption.

For general enquiries and information Tel: 021 874 9000 Fax: 021 874 9100 E-mail: fmm.co.za Web: www.fmm.co.za