Reimagined Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum Reopens To The Public

Forbes

01-04-2025

The famed Marmon Wasp that Ray Harroun drove to victory in the first Indianapolis 500 in 1911 is one ... More of the prized exhibits at the new Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame that reopens to the public on April 2, 2025.
The celebrated history of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indianapolis 500 is on display in an impressive, reimagined and renovated Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum.
On Monday, March 31, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum announced the completion of its $60.5 million, 17-month renovations – it's first significant renovation in 40 years. After a few private viewings for benefactors and other VIPs, the famed Museum reopens to the public on Wednesday, April 2.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony is schedule for 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time on April 2 and will feature special speakers IMS Museum President Joe Hale and Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Roger Penske.
Other speakers include Indiana Governor Mike Braun, Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett, Mayor, Chuck Jones, IMS Museum Board Chair and Robert Dyson, IMS Museum Chair Emeritus.
The Museum had been closed to the public since November 2023 while undergoing a comprehensive transformation of its space and experiences.
About the only thing that resembles the Museum that opened in the infield of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1976 is the outer shell of the building. Everything else has been completely rebuilt and reimagined, connecting the incredible history of the world's most famous and historic race to a boundless future.
The outside of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum
When the Museum reopens to the public on April 2, visitors will experience 40,000 square feet of additional space housing new immersive and dynamic experiences, including:
• Seven permanent and three rotating galleries.
• The lower level, an area previously restricted to only select tours.
• A new mezzanine dedicated to displaying non-vehicle artifacts, including:
ο A race suit from current IndyCar driver, and reigning champion, Alex Palou
ο The NASCAR Brickyard 400 trophy
ο A piece of the SAFER barrier to highlight safety innovations at the Speedway
• The 'Starting Line Experience', placing guests in an immersive video space showcasing the pageantry leading up to the start of the "500'.
• State-of-the art racing simulators allowing guests to try to qualify for the Indianapolis 500.
• A 'pit stop challenge' for guests to learn the tools and equipment of the racing trade.
The new exhibits and experiences will bring to life the Museum's vision to create a global destination that provides interactive, immersive and diverse Indianapolis 500 storytelling and educational experiences that can be enjoyed by guests of all ages.
'I'm thrilled to welcome guests back to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum after a massive renovation that finished on time and under budget. With the support of our campaign from Lilly Endowment Inc., the John H Holliday Family, Penske Foundation, Dyson Foundation, The Heritage Group and countless others, we have made the IMS Museum a cultural destination celebrating the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Indianapolis 500,' said Joe Hale, IMS Museum President.
In the past, an impressive collection of race cars, mainly the winning cars from previous Indianapolis 500s, were on display in a static environment. When it opened in 1975, it was state of the art, but over the past 40 years, Museums have been redesigned and reimagined to help give the visitors a more interactive experience.
To achieve that, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum includes various galleries, each with a different theme.
Jim Clark's famed Lotus Powered-by-Ford that won the 1965 Indianapolis 500 inside its Gasoline Alley ... More garage display at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum.
This exhibit allows visitors to literally stroll through history in The Heritage Group Gasoline Alley Gallery. The gallery features seven garages, representing different eras of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, that highlight the stories of each time-period through cars, decor, and immersive audio and visual elements.
Corresponding cases are on the opposite side featuring several artifacts on view for the first time, including the original 1909 Articles of Incorporation for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Company and the bucket hat Janet Guthrie wore in 1978 when she finished ninth in the Indianapolis 500, generously donated by Guthrie.
The Starting Line Experience helps guests in what it feels like to be at the starting line of the Indianapolis 500 by experiencing Race Day traditions with a seamless blend of cutting-edge technology, imagery, and show cars of the front-row drivers of the most recent '500'.
A seven-minute video will play on an 80-foot by 20-foot LED-screen that begins with the cannon firing and concludes with the green flag at the start of the race.
When the 'Drivers, start your engines' command is given in the video, the show cars will roar to life.
The Front Row for the 108th Indianapolis 500 in 2024 featured in the "Starting Line Experience."
This gallery is featured on both levels of the Museum. The John H Holliday Family Indianapolis 500 Winners Gallery celebrates the winning cars that have shaped Indianapolis Motor Speedway history. From the 1911 Marmon Wasp to Dan Wheldon's 2011 William Rast Dallara, the cars are now displayed on platforms with improved lighting and signage, including hydraulic platforms along the wall at a 45-degree angle to allow people to look inside the driver seats.
The Borg-Warner Trophy is the focal point in the center of the space, with an updated display worthy of holding one of the most unique trophies in sports.
"Having had the cherished opportunity to create the images of Indianapolis 500 winning drivers for the Borg-Warner Trophy since 1990, I am deeply honored and grateful to see my work displayed in the beautifully renovated IMS Museum,' said sculptor William Behrends, who has crafted the face of each Indianapolis 500 winner since 1990.
The process of creating Josef Newgarden's face on the Borg-Warner Trophy.
Also recognized in a special display case is the work of Julie Harman Vance, a florist from Yorktown, Indiana that makes the winner's wreath for BorgWarner.
'I am honored to be part of the new Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum BorgWarner display,' Harman Vance said. 'The fact that my years of making the winners wreath has become an amazing Hoosier tradition has brought me an enormous sense of pride and accomplishment.'
The gallery is located on two levels, with 17 winning '500' cars showcased on the main level and 12 on the lower level.
Indianapolis 500 winning cars featured in the Indianapolis 500 Winners Gallery
The Mezzanine, located above the Winners Gallery, focuses on the extensive artifacts in the Museum's collection. This oval-shaped area, in honor of the Speedway's iconic oval, allows more opportunities to tell the stories of IMS—from '500' traditions and fan experiences, to safety improvements and innovations in technology.
There will be multiple interactive kiosks, including ones dedicated to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame and a timeline of IMS's history. This gallery also showcases the other motorsports the Speedway has hosted including stock cars, sports cars, motorcycles, and air racing.
Through immersive hands-on activities like a pit stop challenge, driving simulators, a strategy challenge and more, guests can learn what it's like to be a driver, strategist or pit crew member in the new Qualifying Zone.
This area of learning has something for guests of all ages—from a soft play area for the youngest fans to the dissected car display which goes into detail on the parts that make up an Indy Car.
Adjacent to the Qualifying Zone is the Allen Whitehill Clowes Foundation Innovation Workshop, a classroom space for the new education department to offer STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) hands-on experiences for K-12 students.
The classroom will be the home for field trips, summer camps, and presentations. Students will examine the concepts, challenges, and innovations that drive a successful racing team and participate in career exploration programs designed to promote job opportunities in the racing industry.
The Penske Gallery is an interactive experience that chronicles the history of Team Penske, its team members, and the driving force behind the team, Roger Penske. The gallery features historic race cars, legendary trophies, unique artifacts, and displays honoring some of the most iconic and accomplished drivers in racing history.
The McLaren M16B that Mark Donohue drove to victory in the 1972 Indianapolis 500 — the first of ... More Roger Penske's record 20 Indianapolis 500 victories.
The Bobby Rahal Family Gallery will host rotating featured exhibitions, with the theme changing every three to nine months. The lower-level gallery will open with a feature on 'NASCAR at the Speedway'. Eight winning
Brickyard 400 cars will be showcased, including Jeff Gordon's 1994 winner, Dale Earnhardt's 1995 winner, and Jimmie Johnson's 2006 winner.
Only four drivers have achieved the prestige of being a four-time winner of the Indianapolis 500. This rotating gallery highlights those legends: A.J. Foyt, Al Unser, Rick Mears, and Helio Castroneves.
Each driver has one of their winning cars on display as well as a racing suit, helmet, and other relevant artifacts. This gallery will change every three to nine months and can be divided into two smaller modular exhibits to give the curatorial team flexibility and provide guests with a reason to visit time and time again.
The car that AJ Foyt drove to victory to become the first four-time winner of the Indianapolis 500 ... More in 1977 — the famed Coyote.
The Track Lounge serves as the conclusion to the Museum, offering guests the opportunity to book a tour of the track.
While tours will depart from the lounge, it's not just a place to board a bus—this space includes an interactive 3-D track map where guests can visually see the evolution of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway from 1909 to present day, a photo car for souvenir pictures, and the 'In the Race' video experience, where guests can see footage from the '500' projected on the walls as they walk down the hallway. A grab-and-go food and beverage stand for guests to fuel up completes the lounge.
One of the cornerstones of the renovation was ensuring accessibility so all guests felt included. New features include a wheelchair-friendly racing simulator controlled fully by the steering wheel instead of the pedals and a wellness room designed for anybody that needs a quiet, private space, from nursing mothers to those with sensory sensitivities.
The Museum is also working with Kulture City to become Sensory Inclusive™. Sensory bags can be checked out at the Welcome Center and include soundproof headphones, fidget toys, and glasses to reduce light.
Signage around the building will indicate 'headphone areas' for those with sensitivities to noise.
In 2023, the IMS Museum launched an $89 million capital campaign, The Stories Behind the Spectacle, to fund the Museum's transformation.
Of that $89 million, $64 was earmarked for the complete transformation of the interior of the Museum building. The Museum has surpassed its phase one goal, having raised $69 million to date. With the Museum renovation completed at less than initially estimated, the remaining funds are now a part of the second phase of the campaign, which includes a new off-site restoration facility.
As a public, non-profit organization separate from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the IMS Museum admission revenue helps cover operating costs, provide students nationwide with free or reduced educational programming, and allows the IMS Museum to offer a variety of community programs and benefits, including Access Pass, free Community Days, Blue Star Program for active military and others.
On April 1, IMS Museum members and donors received an exclusive preview of the new space at an invitation-only event. Then on Wednesday, April 2, the IMS Museum will celebrate with community leaders, donors and members with a special ribbon-cutting ceremony followed by the official reopening of the Museum.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum represents more than a century of motorsports history and is driven by its mission to celebrate and preserve the history behind the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indianapolis 500.
Since 1956 when the IMS Museum first opened in the old ticket office building outside Turn 1, it has brought to life the innovation, thrill, and cultural significance of motor racing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
What began with only 12 cars on display has become one of the world's premier collections of racing automobiles and artifacts – with more than 55,000 artifacts and over 150 vehicles.
• Established in 1956
• Current building opened in 1976
• 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, separate from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
• 40,000 square feet of exhibit space added with the renovation
• 55,000+ artifacts in the Museum collection
• 150+ vehicles in the Museum collection
• 140,000+ visitors annually
• 1,500 square foot STEAM classroom
• Final cost of the renovation came in at $60.5 million—under budget, and on time.
o $64 million was earmarked from the capital campaign for the renovation
• There are 33 lights in the entryway rotunda, representing the 33 drivers in the Indianapolis 500.
• The green paint in the Gasoline Alley Gallery was matched to the original green used in the actual Gasoline Alley.
• The banking in the Indianapolis 500 Winners Gallery on the lower level matches the banking of the four turns on the IMS oval: 9 degrees, 12 minutes (9.2°)
• The cutout in the Mezzanine that overlooks the Indianapolis 500 Winners Gallery is designed to resemble the IMS oval.
• The simulator steering wheels were modeled after Scott Dixon's steering wheel.
• The dissected car in the Qualifying Zone was completely assembled by the Museum's restoration team over a three-month period with real parts donated from teams and manufacturers. It weighs roughly 1,000 pounds.
• Real IMS 'Yellow Shirt' staff were used in the video telling guests to 'wait' before the Starting Line Experience.
• Shiel Sexton installed more than 14,200 linear feet of new piping—a little more than the track length.
• Excluding Museum staff, more than 180 team members from architects to fabricators to construction staff brought this project together over 164,000 work hours.
February 2023: Project kickoff. Shiel Sexton, Schmidt Associates, and JRA are chosen as construction, architecture, and design firms.
July 2023: The IMS Museum's $89 million capital campaign, The Stories Behind the Spectacle, launches with 51 percent of funds raised, including a $20 million grant from The Lilly Endowment.
September 2023: The Museum's historic collection of 150+ vintage automobiles are moved from the basement into storage.
November 2023: The IMS Museum closes to the public for a 17-month reimagining and comprehensive renovation.
February 2024: Demolition of the interior is completed.
April 2024: Exterior refresh of the IMS Museum building is completed.
April 2024: The new Mezzanine level is installed, and the skylight is removed from the old Atrium area.
November 2024: The Gasoline Alley Gallery theming and buildout begins.
December 2024: Installation of the Starting Line Screen begins.
January 2025: The dissected car, located in the Qualifying Zone, is the first vehicle to be moved into the Museum.
February 2025: The Museum's extensive collection of artifacts and vehicles are moved out of storage.
March 2025: Museum cars and artifacts are placed into their relevant exhibit spaces.
April 2025: The IMS Museum reopens to the public with 40,000 square feet of additional exhibit space.
$5 Million And Above
John H Holliday Family, The Dyson Foundation, Lilly Endowment Inc., G. Marlyne Sexton, The Heritage Group, Penske Foundation.
$1 Million - $4,999,999
Linda and Mike Curb, Robert R. Dyson, The Bobby Rahal Family, Allen Whitehill Clowes Charitable Foundation, Scott and Sandi Borchetta.
$500,000 - $999,999
Susan & David Roberts, A. Dano Davis, Hulman & Company Foundation, The Gordon Family, Thomas and Sharon Malloy.
$100,000 - $499,999
Bill Simpson Foundation, Dorsey Foundation, Jenny and Bob Hillis, Mr. and Mrs. James H. Voyles Jr., Melissa A. Caito, The William Loadvine Family, Lynn and Preston Root, Shiel Sexton Company, Inc., Hubbard Family Foundation, French-Pheffer Family, The McGuire Family, Carol and Stephen Hatfield, Duncan and Renea Dayton, The MacAllister Family, R.B. Annis Educational Foundation, Anne and David Shane, Linda and Jeff Congdon, Shelly and Jim Shook, Team Penske, Schmidt Family Foundation, Schmidt Associates and the Wayne Schmidt Family, Miller-Eads
$50,000 - $99,999
Timothy J. Cindric Family, Josie George, Laura and Tony George, Thomas and Barbara Beeler, Cheryl and Thomas VanParis, Cheri and Mitch Daniels, Karen and Mike Long, Shiel Sexton Foundation, Inc., Judy and Jim Singleton, Sue and Mike Smith, Cindy and Doug Kizer, The Wurster Family, Michael Fux and Gloria Rubin, Lila and Steve Huse, RJE Interiors, Susan and Bill Tolbert, Xtrac, Ilmor Engineering, Inc., INDYCAR, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Bruce R. McCaw Family Foundation, Dallara, Indy Racing Experience.
The Indianapolis-based Shiel Sexton Construction oversaw the construction phase of the revamped Museum.
'The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum started with a vision to transform an already iconic venue into an immersive experience that tells the stories of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing from the very beginning to present day,' said Mike Dilts, Chairman, Shiel Sexton Construction. 'It was an honor for Shiel Sexton, along with our incredible design and trade partners, to bring these concepts to reality and maintain the rich history of the Indianapolis 500 and Indianapolis Motor Speedway for generations to come.'
Indianapolis architecture firm Schmidt Associates handled the architectural process.
"The IMS Museum renovation is all about creating a more immersive, accessible, and engaging experience for Visitors,' said COO Kevin D. Shelley, AIA, LEED, AP of Schmidt Associates. 'Through thoughtful updates, the space now better connects guests to the history of racing while incorporating modern design and sustainability for the future.'
JRA, part of RWS Global, handled the Design and Creative Development.
'It has been an immense privilege to conceptualize, design and develop the reimagined Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum,' says Tony Schmidt, Director, Creative Design, RWS Global. 'The new galleries, exhibitions and interactive displays are engaging, immersive and filled with artifacts and digital experiences that will exceed visitor expectations.'
Winning cars throughout the history of the Indianapolis 500 flanking the famed Borg-Warner Trophy.