If you’re a Bond fan heading for Blighty and fancy a day of getting up close and personal with some of 007’s most famous co-stars (albeit the mechanical, not bikini-clad, variety), don’t miss out on a visit to the Bond in Motion exhibition at The National Motor Museum in Hampshire.
Featuring 50 of the most loved vehicles from 50 years of Bond flicks, the exhibition pays tribute to the most memorable of the super-spy’s high-speed adventures. It includes everything from magnificent classic cars to more bespoke methods of getting around, and has been attracting Bond fanatics from across the globe for more than a decade.
With pride of place going to the newest addition to the exhibition, the silver Aston Martin DB5 that stars alongside Daniel Craig in the latest Bond movie, Skyfall (it arrived at the museum just last week!), Bond geeks have plenty to get revved up about at the astonishing array of motoring movie history that is on display for a limited time only.
Remembering 007’s most eye-popping moments in motion, from the yellow 1937 Rolls Royce Phantom driven by Goldfinger in the 1962 classic and the amphibious Lotus Espirit from The Spy Who Loved Me, to the jet pack showcased by Q in Die Another Day, all manner of cars, bikes, boats, sleds and trikes have been brought together to create the largest official collection of Bond vehicles in the world.
And with scene’s fave Bond-mobiles of all time there to be gawped at (it’s a toss up between the full-sized crocodile submarine used by Roger Moore’s Bond to infiltrate Octopussy’s floating palace, and the Aston Martin DBS that got spectacularly battered in the opening sequence of Quantum of Solace by our 007 of choice, Daniel Craig), we’ll be making it our mission to check out this collection before it disappears on January 6 next year.
Inside info
The National Motor Museum is set in the heart of Hampshire’s sprawling New Forest on the 2,833-hectare Beaulieu estate, and what started in 1952 as a private display of Lord Montagu’s vintage car collection in the hall of his home, Palace House, grew to become a national collection that’s home to some of the world’s rarest and most famous vehicles. Advance tickets to the exhibition are Dh105 per person.
Details
The National Motor Museum, Brockenhurst, Hampshire, England, SO 42 7ZN | +44 159 0612 345 | beaulieu.co.uk
Mike Hewson's homage to the lost spaces, Christchurch, New Zealand
Transforming a natural disaster site into an art form, Mike Hewson’s optical illusion pays homage to the former Christchurch Normal School in New Zealand, which was badly damaged in the February earthquakes and awaits demolition. A civil engineer, Mike wanted to remember the historical building, so he covered the ruined site with mixed media images of people living and working there.
Christchurch Normal School | mikehewson.co.nz
Hotel everland, Paris, France
This exclusive, one-room hotel perched on a museum rooftop is an art installation by Sabina Lang and Daniel Baumann. Offering a stunning view of the Eiffel Tower and a king-sized bed, guests, who can stay for one night only and are expected to be part of the exhibit, are even encouraged to steal the gold-embroidered towels! Sadly, it isn’t taking any more bookings at the moment, but you can send friends a virtual postcard from its website.
Palais De Tokyo, 13, Avenue De President Wilson | everland.ch
