Transported from its former home, the National Bubble Car Museum now lives on a country road between New York and Boston. Happily for fans of tiny motor vehicles, that’s the proper New York and Boston, both of which are in Lincolnshire.
Opened in spring 2012, the main campsite consists of a tidy flat field behind the museum. However, the other side of a stand of young oaks, sweet chestnuts and willows lies a small paddock which will, one suspects, become the venue of choice here for most campers. After all, how could one resist pitching in an arena so perfectly formed? Loos, showers and a campers’ kitchenette, meanwhile, are also brand new and can be found in the converted barn housing the museum.
As for the museum itself, it originally opened in 2003 to display Mike’s personal collection of bubble cars, albeit that the refreshingly dangerous-looking micro three-wheelers also come in many shapes other than bubble. The famous orange Bond Bug is here, as is a monstrous bulbous affair called Bamby (not to be confused with Bambi, though both bring tears to the eyes). There’s room too for some scooters and a wonderful wooden caravan from the 1950s that is little more than a Wendy house on wheels. Also competing for your attention are a tea shop (open Friday to Sunday during the day), a farm shop and a side collection of ephemera from the last century, which has every visitor over 40 pointing excitedly and declaring to anyone who will listen that,‘Yes, we had one of those – exactly the same, I tell you.’ And it’s probably true too, so smile politely but keep them moving.
