Hello everybody,
A father's passion could become a son's passion and when we succeed to see in their eyes that sparkle of happiness and joy we would know that we gave something to them that nobody can take. A pleasure for life, a memory for eternity.
Cars are not just a small business. Cars are beautiful, you can spend lots of your time travelling, driving and fixing them. Just opened two months ago the Cyprus Motor Museum is a new place ready for lots of visitors. Big and Small :) !
Even if I would love to write you what you could find inside, I always say that better to give this opportunity to the one on charge and this time is Mrs. Annita Kyriakou Marketing Manager of the Cyprus Motor Museum:
Izzy: Dear Annita, I am very happy to discover a different type of museum here in Cyprus a place where fathers and sons can build relations and offer entertainment in the same time and for the girls of course to discover new opportunities. How did this happen, so we would enjoy such a museum in Cyprus?
A.K.: The idea of a motor museum was captured by the veteran Rally Racing champion of International and Cypriot rally competitions, Mr. Dimi Mavropoulos. After he stepped down from rallying he started collecting cars, classic, historic and limited edition cars. As many people were asking to see them, he understood that Limassol and Cyprus in general is missing a motor museum. He gave his personal collection of 70 historic, classic and collectable cars and launched this museum especially for their display.
Izzy: A museum has to offer a lesson of history, combine learning with pleasure, entertain. Is this what could we expect from a visit at the Cyprus Motor Museum? What we will be able to see?
A.K.: The visitors of the museum can admire an inside collection of 70 cars all in excellent condition, about 35 old objects for example old telephones, the first pocket phone and the first Hoover vacuum cleaner ever made. Also there is a mini cinema, a boutique with souvenirs of the museum and car toy models. Moreover, there is a small coffee shop were people have the chance to relax and have their coffee after their visit to the museum.
All the tours in the museum for our little friends are tailor made according to their age. We use interactive ways of providing information and combine pleasure with knowledge. Our targets are to make them question and extract information of what they see.
Izzy: You have there something that I am definitely sure kids will love it. What could you tell us about your Double Decker bus? Could the kids go in?There is a story behind?
A.K.: Yes the double Decker bus! The double decker is our latest acquisition. It is a 1983 Leyland Titan. It came from England last week and everyone especially the kids are very excited about it. We decided to add in our collection a British bus because the kids don’t see them in Cyprus very often and to give them the chance to get in. The bus used to belong to the London Transport and after that used to be an exhibit in a museum in Preston, Lancashire.
Izzy: Between the exhibits of the museum there are some of them that I believe will make kids and grownups very interested! Which one are these?
A.K.: One can admire the armored presidential «Cadillac» donated by the U.S. government and built especially for the President Makarios III in 1977. It weighs 4.2 tons, has bulletproof windows that do not open, and features air conditioning with protection from harmful gases. You will also find, officially certified, the famous and well known green «Mini» with the lock on the side from Mr. Bean’s movies and one of the Rover P5 cars of 1973 used by the “Iron Lady” Margaret Thatcher, previous Prime Minister of the UK.
Last, but not least, the oldest car in the collection at the moment is a Ford "T" roadster from 1912, which currently has 102 years of life on the road.
Outside of the museum the visitors can see the first tractors brought to Limassol in 1938, the old Bedford bus used in Cyprus and connected the villages with the towns and an original London double Decker bus.
Izzy: What educational programs could be provided for our small guests?
A.K.: For group visits of kids we offer a road safety seminar especially designed and according to their age. For younger ages, from about 4 to 6 years old Furthermore on our mini cinema all visitors can watch a movie about the history of the cars.
Izzy: Thank you very much for this opportunity to discover the insides of your interesting museum and before we let you go I will not forget to ask you for a story as is the tradition on our webpage.
A.K.: Some people don’t believe that all the cars in the museum are in working condition. Recently, two visitors were questioning if the cars could start, especially the Ford T of 1912 and the rest from the ‘20s and ‘30s. So Mr. Dimi – the owner- said he could start the Ford for them so they believe it is working. After a few minutes the car was started. Then, the guests started questioning about the cars next to it. “How about this one?” And Mr. Dimi was starting it... “And how about this one?” they asked about the next car in the row. And again Mr. Dimi started the car. So they started laughing and believed that are all the cars are in working condition. Their final question was “So, now we have started them...Can we take them for a ride?”.
Lots of sunny days from Izzy the Cypriot Lizard!
Cyprus Motor Museum
Entry Fee: 9 euros, pensioners - 7 euros, under 18 - 5 euros. Family ticket - 20 euros for 2 adults and 2 kids or 1 adult and 3 kids.
Kids under 3 years old are free.
Opening hours: 10:00 - 17:00 daily
Address: Epimitheos & Vertical Port Rd roundabout, 1st Limassol Industrial Area, Limassol, Cyprus
E-mail: cyprusmotormuseum@cytanet.com.cy
Phone no: +357 70 009 000 / +357 99 252 626
Webpage: www.cyprusmotormuseum.com.cy
Contact Person: Annita Kyriakou
Map Location: