For the first time in Forza Horizon's history, the vibrant world of the Horizon Festival is stepping out of the digital realm and into the real world. The British Motor Museum has announced Forza Horizon 6: The Experience, an ambitious new exhibition running from May through to the end of November.
Created in partnership with Playground Games, the Midlands-based studio behind the free-roaming Forza franchise, the exhibition marks a unique collaboration between one of Britain's leading motoring institutions and what is being slated as one of the biggest game releases of 2026. However, will it be any good?
"Launching Forza Horizon 6 is a huge moment for our team, and we're excited to open a new chapter for fans with The Forza Horizon 6 Experience at the British Motor Museum. The Museum is a true home for motoring stories, and it's the ideal partner to help us showcase the craft, artistry and engineering that sits behind every great car, both on the road and in-game. We look forward to welcoming everyone to the exhibition, whether you've played every Forza Horizon game or you are discovering it for the first time." - Trevor Williams, Studio Head, Playground Games
Image: Playground Games
The Exhibition
As with previous entries in the franchise, Forza Horizon 6 centres around the fictional Horizon Festival, a high-energy celebration of cars that has touched nearly every corner of teh globe since the series' inception back on the Xbox 360. This latest instalment, launching on 15 May, transports players to Japan, a long-awaited location for most Forza Horizon players.
To celebrate, the museum will transform into the UK's first real-world Horizon Festival experience. Kicking things off on 23 May is a one-day launch event designed to capture the spirit of the game. Visitors can expect a showcase of Japanese performance cars, live music inspired by the in-game soundtrack, and a choreographed drift display from precision stunt driver Tessa Whittock.
Gaming vans will allow attendees to jump straight into the action, while younger visitors can take part in activities including a Didi car arena and face painting. Street food vendors and live entertainment round out what promises to be a lively festival atmosphere.
The Lotus Emira. Image: Newspress UK
The opening event will also feature the head of Xbox Game Studios, Craig Duncan, alongside developers from Playground Games. This will offer fans a rare opportunity to hear directly about the game's creation. RobocodeUK will host hands-on workshops that introduce aspiring developers to the basics of game design.
Real Royalty
Following the launch event, the exhibition will continue on the museum's mezzanine floor, presenting a diverse lineup of vehicles that have defined automotive culture in both the real world and the Forza Horizon universe.
One of the promised highlights is the Honda FK8 Type R and the NSX-R, cars we recently covered in our Type R retrospective! Alongside the Japanese cars will be the likes of the Lancia Stratos and Subaru Impreza 22B STI. These are joined by an eclectic mix of vehicles, from the futuristic Jaguar C-X75 hypercar to the diminutive Peel P50 and the track-focused Ariel Atom 500 V8.
The Honda Civic Type R. Image: Newspress UK
Modern luxury and performance are equally represented, with models such as the Bentley Continental GT Convertible, Lotus Emira, and the latest Toyota Land Cruiser completing the lineup.
Trying Forza Horizon 6
Beyond the static displays, the exhibition places a strong emphasis on interactivity. An Xbox gaming zone will feature state-of-the-art racing simulators, although we will be the judge of that, allowing visitors to explore Japan's roads in Forza Horizon 6 or compete against others.
Exclusive merchandise will be available for top performers, while younger visitors can take part in the "Find Tank" trail, a nod to one of the game's mascots, scattered throughout the museum.
Collaborations such as this have been attempted before and fallen flat, but with the support of PlayGround Games behind the project, it positions this project into a unique light that we cannot wait to experience what they have in store!
"The British Motor Museum has always been a place where stories of motoring come to life. This exhibition allows us to take that further than ever before; to create a space where digital and physical car cultures meet, inspire one another, and are shared with new generations." - Peter Armstrong, CEO of the British Motor Museum
What do you think about this exhibition? Is it something that you would want more studios and organisations to embrace for sim racing and racing games? Let us know in the comments down below!