Hull’s Transport Museum was founded in 1925, following Hull’s participation in the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley. Within a few years an excellent collection of vehicles had been assembled by the legendary Curator of Hull Museums, Tom Sheppard.
During the Second World War the Museum was extensively damaged and had to be closed. It was reopened in 1957 in a reconstructed building and with a renovated collection. In the early 1980s, an idea was conceived to build a new transport museum in response to the serious overcrowding and a lack of information and context in the original museum.
In 1987 work began on the first of several phases to build the Streetlife Museum of Transport; a project that was initially funded by Hull City Council and the European Regional Development Fund. In later phases the Heritage Lottery Fund financed the construction and in 2002 Streetlife was finally complete.
The collections at Streetlife include an important range of early motorcars dating from the late 19th to early 20th century. They include petrol, steam and electric powered examples. The Sturmey Voiturette car on display from 1900 is the only one of its kind, built as a prototype by Henry Sturmey. The horse drawn carriage collection is also of particular interest with over 15 examples ranging from a rare three-wheeled Hansom cab through to a plush Dress Chariot of 1860. These are mostly displayed in the atmospheric carriage galleries, setting the pieces into historic and dramatic context. As well as broader social history themes there is a large collection of early bicycles, including an early ‘Dandy Horse’ from 1818 and a bone shaker of 1865. Railway material, sedan chairs, motorcycles and later 20th century motorcars are all displayed and held at Streetlife. Further collections are held in store including a collection of nearly 500 horse brasses.
