Get Set, GO! It's Show Me's Sporty Museums Trail

Have you noticed how everyone's gone sport mad in 2004? We've had England's victory in the Rugby World Cup, we've got the Olympics to look forward to in Athens in August and for the footie fans - Euro 2004!

We've found lots of fantastic sporty museums to get you off the sofa and out and about. So, get your kit on, get set, go....!

Photo: Darren Campbell getting ready to race at the Science of Sport show..

© The Science Museum.

First off the blocks we've got the amazing Science of Sport exhibition at The Science Museum in London. This huge show gives you the chance to test your sporting know-how and your sporting skills. You get to race against the clock, tackle a climbing wall and much, much more.

This video clip from the Science Museum website will give you a taster of the show.

Photo: sprinting for glory at The Science of Sport.

© The Science Museum.

In the west country we've got the Sportastic! exhibition at At-Bristol. This is a high-kicking, fast mover of an exhibition (see below), looking at why we love sports so much and giving you the chance to be a sporting superstar for the day. Sportastic! is on until November 28 2004.

If you're into the roar of engines and the smell of diesel then you need a trip to the Grand Prix Exhibition at Brooklands Museum in Surrey or the Donington Grand Prix Collection in Derbyshire. Both museums have great collections of Grand Prix racing cars.

Photo: hop, skip and jump on down to At-Bristol's Sportastic exhibition!

© At-Bristol.

Football fan? Of course you are, who isn't these days? There are lots of football museums around - these are a good place to start.

All football fans should visit the National Football Museum in Preston, Lancashire. It's a must-see. Likewise, if you live in Scotland, the Scottish Football Museum in Glasgow. They'll tell you all you need to know about the beautiful game.

Last but not at all least, don't miss the Manchester United Museum where you can find every gory detail of the Red Devils' history, victories and heroes.

If you know who Tim Henman is, then you must be a tennis fan. Try to get to the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum. It's open all year round, you get to look out over the famous Centre Court, and you'll find out all about the history and personalities of tennis.

Photo: anyone for tennis?

© Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum.

We mentioned the Olympics at the top of the story, these two museums both have Olympic links. The National Maritime Museum in Cornwall has SIX Olympic boats to see. Their 2004 exhibition 'Will to Win' looks at the ups and downs of small boat racing.

Set right on the water, the museum makes a wonderful day out. It's not often you get to see so many Olympic champions in one place, so don't miss it!

Still on a watery theme - do you remember the Sydney Olympics in 2000? When Steve Redgrave had the nation biting its nails, on the edge of our seats?

Well, head down to the River and Rowing Museum at Henley and you get to see Sir (as he is now) Steve's personal selections of his favourite rowing artefacts. Their 'Battle of the Blues' exhibition looks at the history of the famous Cambridge vs Oxford boat race.

Photo: Sir Steve Redgrave gets bossy with a bullhorn, or megaphone, used for calling instructions to rowers.

© River and Rowing Museum.

The British Cycling Museum in Cornwall has a collection of over 1000 medals and 400 bicycles! The museum has every kind of bike you could imagine, so if you're growing up to be a fan of lycra shorts and aero-dynamic helmets, this is the museum for you.

Back to balls for the next museum, this time of the oval variety. We couldn't leave out rugby, the sport to beat all sports. If you forget the fact that rugby players end up with squashy noses and squishy ears, rugby's a great game.

At the Museum of Rugby in Twickenham, by the famous stadium, it's rugby fan heaven. We hear the World Cup is going to end up there after its tour of the nation, so keep a look-out for that.

Photo: Jonny Wilkinson, England's World Cup hero, at Twickenham when he visited the Museum of Rugby.

© Museum of Rugby.

This round-up is just the beginning, there are all sorts of museums across the UK that have sporting memorabilia and connections. Why not let us know your favourites and we'll add them to the trail?