The UK's biggest auto jumble returns to Beaulieu

If you have a weak spot for old cars and a tendency to come home with things you didn't know you needed, the International Autojumble is the one weekend to plan around. It lands at the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 September, and it is widely billed as the UK's largest automobile jumble sale. The event runs from 9.30am to 5pm on the Saturday and 9am to 4.30pm on the Sunday, so the opening times shift slightly between the two days.

The scale is the real draw here. It is described as the biggest outdoor sale of motoring items this side of the Atlantic, with hundreds of stands laid out across the grounds. You will find motoring spares, automobilia, model cars, historic vehicles and vintage collectibles all in one place, and the event's long-running motto sums it up: 'If you can't find it at Beaulieu it doesn't exist.' It is as much a family day out as a serious hunt for parts, so it works whether you are chasing a specific trim piece for a restoration or just want to browse.

It helps that the setting is part of the appeal. The museum sits within the grounds of Palace House, which has been the home of the Montagu family since 1538, with the entrance to the north of the village of Beaulieu in the New Forest National Park. The museum itself is run by the National Motor Museum Trust, a registered non-profit foundation set up in 1972, and it holds more than 280 vehicles on display, covering a century of motoring history, with over a million items tucked away in its archives. Admission to the museum is included in the Beaulieu estate ticket, so a visit to the jumble can easily double as a full day at the museum.

On the money side, booking ahead is the obvious move. An adult advanced ticket is £27, compared to £30 on the day; children aged 4 to 16 are £15.50 advanced and £18.50 on the day, with under-fours free. A family ticket, covering two adults and up to three children, is £69 advanced and £79 on the day, and there are discounted rates for disabled visitors. Public transport users get 20% off standard entry, which is worth noting if you are coming in by train, with Brockenhurst the nearest main line station. Advanced tickets can be booked at beaulieu.co.uk/plan-your-visit/ticket-prices/.

If you are already heading down for the jumble, it is worth knowing what else is on site. The museum's new gallery, 'Driven: Britain's Motoring Story', opened in the spring, and 'Streets Ahead' takes you through motoring in mid-century Britain from the 1950s to the 1970s. 'In focus: Transmission' runs until 7 February 2027, with Alan Reullier's contemporary work built from blueprints of old Land Rover, Triumph and Mini vehicles. There is also the Secret Army Exhibition, a recreation of a rustic 1930s garage, and the Shell Heritage Art Collection. Facilities include accessible lifts, disabled parking and toilets, free use of mobility scooters and wheelchairs, a café, group dining room, outdoor dining area, picnic areas, children's play areas and a gift shop, with free parking for up to 1,000 cars and overflow for busy days.