History in the Making: HD Museum Opens in 2008
Motor Company is renowned for preserving its corporate history.
Manufacturing Pioneer
New York, London, or Paris can boast about their art collections, but nothing compares to the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The museum is unique in all the world. More than just displaying bikes, it chronicles Harley-Davidson's history as a manufacturing pioneer and as a cultural icon explained through permanent displays, exhibitions, and extensive archives.
Industrial Site
Opened to the public on July 12, 2008, the Harley-Davidson Museum is a relative newcomer in the Motor Company's century-plus legacy. Constructed by Minnesota's M. A. Mortenson Company, the museum is located in the historically industrial area of Milwaukee’s Menomonee Valley on a 20-acre site—formerly occupied by the Milwaukee Department of Public Works, Lakeshore Sand Company, and Morton Salt.
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Urban Appeal
The museum campus is a signature landmark for both the Motor Company and the city. Encompassing 130,000 square-feet, the museum's three buildings house the main exhibition hall, café, retail store, supporting offices and technical functions, special events and the restaurant facilities. Surrounded by water on three sides, the site blends green spaces but with an urban appeal that reflects its industrial past.
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Rare Pieces
The collection is overwhelming, with only a fraction on display at any one time. Unparalleled by any other automotive manufacturer, the museum is home to over 400 vintage and rare Harley-Davidsons, 7,000 of articles of clothing, 30,000 thousand small artifacts, 150,000 original photographs and over 1 million historical pieces of paper such as travel diaries, newsletters and meeting minutes.
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Enthusiastic Reactions
Curatorial Director Jim Fricke spoke about the museum's future impact on visitors in 2008, Los Angeles Times interview just days before the grand opening. Diplomatically considering all possible reactions he stated, “If you’re a hard-core enthusiast, you ought to get even more enthusiastic. If you’re convinced that motorcycles are evil, hopefully, you leave hating them a little less.”
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Factory Feel
The $75-million complex was the latest addition in a predominantly privately-funded revitalization of Milwaukee. It joined Miller Park stadium, the Discovery World technology museum, and the expansion of the Milwaukee Art Museum as world-class institutions. The museum's trio of gunmetal-gray buildings in steel-girder, brick and glass meld together with a raw factory feel, paying tribute to manufacturing and Milwaukee’s industrial past.
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Declined Ride
Harley-Davidson riders are clearly the target audience. Among the more touching displays is the 'Tsunami' bike—a rusted 2004 Harley-Davidson Night Train that floated across the Pacific in a container after Japan's devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami. When Harley-Davidson offered to replace it, owner Ikuo Yokoyama declined, stating he could not accept the gift after so many in his country had lost so much.
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Stands Alone
The majority of the museum's collection is from the company archives. With an almost grail-like presence, the oldest known Harley-Davidson is sealed in a glass case, ringed by a floor light that is the same dimensions as the original Motor Company 'shed.' Harley-Davidson is renowned for preserving its corporate history, and its world-class museum is an American icon that stands alone.
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For maintenance and repair guides for your Harley, browse our technical How-to articles right here on HDForums.
