The head of the International Olympic Committee described Britain as "the nation that invented modern sport" ahead of the 2012 Olympics, and rightly so. Britain is hugely proud of its sporting heritage, with many of the world's most popular sports able to trace their origins back to the UK. If you want to learn more about Britain's prestigious pedigree when it comes to sports, check out these ten great sporting museums around the UK.
Wimbledon Museum
Tennis has been played at Wimbledon since 1877, and the onsite museum does a great job of documenting the club's rich history. Highlights include past trophies, player equipment, medals from the 1908 Olympics and even the 'ghost' of John McEnroe in the locker room. We're not sure how the still very much alive tennis star feels about that nickname, but this clever talking hologram, which reels off Wimbledon facts, really does add to the atmosphere of the museum.
MCC Museum
The MCC Museum at Lords is officially the oldest sporting museum in the world, and has displayed cricketing memorabilia since 1864. Naturally it has built up quite the collection over all these years, including the equipment of famous players, trophies, and even an unfortunate stuffed sparrow that was killed by a wayward ball in 1936. The centrepiece of this impressive collection is the original Ashes urn, which permanently resides in the MCC Museum.
Wembley Museum
Despite its recent re-build, Wembley stadium will forever be an integral feature of England's long love affair with the beautiful game. In the stadium's museum you can see the shirts of famous players such as David Beckham and Johan Cruyff, as well as take a fascinating guided tour of the stadium. After hearing the pulse-pounding story of the 1966 Wembley World Cup victory from your tour guide there is one treat left in store, as you'll be able to see the famous crossbar that Geoff Hurst rocketed the ball off while scoring the most controversial goal of all time.
World Rugby Museum
England's national rugby stadium Twickenham is home to the World Rugby Museum, which is dedicated to, yes, you guessed it; rugby around the world. Visitors will hear the much disputed tale of how rugby was invented; see the changing rooms used by the England team, and watch archive footage of some of the first televised rugby games. You can also learn about the history of the stadium and find out how it earned its affectionate 'Cabbage Patch' nickname.
River and Rowing Museum
Britain is notoriously strong in world rowing events, and much of this domination is owed to the sense of tradition and history that surrounds the sport in the UK. The River and Rowing Museum in Henley covers early events like the 1908 Olympics and the long-standing Oxford and Cambridge rivalry, and compares this with the gruelling modern training methods and competitions to show how the sport has evolved over time.
Millennium Stadium Museum
While the new Wembley Stadium was being built from 2001 to 2006, the Millennium Stadium became a key feature of football in Britain, with six FA Cup finals taking place there during these years. The 75,000 capacity Welsh stadium is now a key feature of sport in Britain and Wales in particular; displaying the country's most iconic sporting moments in the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame exhibit.
British Golf Museum
Widely regarded as the 'home of golf', the Old Course at St Andrews is a veritable Mecca for golf lovers the world over. The seaside Scottish course also boasts an impressive museum, with a huge collection of over 16,000 items of golfing memorabilia, including some whacky early golf ball and club designs. If you want to put your own golfing skills to the test there is even a putting green inside the museum, and the surrounding video footage of past champions should serve as ample inspiration.
Brooklands Motorsports Museum
In 1907 the Brooklands circuit opened in the south of England, becoming the first purpose built racing track in the world. In its prime, Brooklands attracted nearly 300,000 speed-hungry spectators for each race, but the course was sadly closed shortly after the start of WW2. There is now a museum to the famous track in its place, which contains a fascinating array of old racing cars and a glimpse at the historic course itself.
Manchester United Museum
The undisputed king of English football, Manchester United's exciting history is there for all to see in their past league and cup victories. If you want to take a closer look at how this came about, then head down to the Manchester United Museum where you can find out about past players and some of the team's most monumental moments. There is also a touching tribute to the Munich air disaster, which tragically took the lives of eight Manchester United players of the 'Busby Babes' era in 1958.
National Horseracing Museum
Newmarket's National Horseracing Museum is full to the brim with equipment and memorabilia that charts the development of horseracing in Britain throughout the years. As well as past jockey silks and portraits they also have a rather morbid display of past horses, including the skeleton of Epsom Derby winner Hyperion, and the preserved head of Cloister, a Grand National winner from 1893.
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