Thursday, May 08, 2008

Harley-Davidson Museum to open July 12th

Harley-Davidson Museum Rendering

It's been in the works for years, but the Harley-Davidson Museum is finally set to throw its doors open to the public with a grand opening celebration July 12. Planned festivities include a custom bike build, a tattoo artist, live music and dining at the museum's restaurant and cafe.

More than 450 motorcycles will be on display at the new 130,000-square-foot museum, which sits on 20 acres in Milwaukee's Menomonee Valley.

Board Track Exhibit

While the motorcycles Harley-Davidson has manufactured in its 105 years are the main draw, the culture of Harley-Davidson will also be brought to life with photos, videos, clothing and never-before-seen archival documents.

The Harley-Davidson Museum is located at 400 W. Canal St., Milwaukee.

Tickets for the grand opening go on sale May 20 at www.h-dmuseum.com/tickets. You can also watch the museum being built on Harley's live webcam, complete with time lapse photography.

King Kong
The Harley-Davidson Museum will feature the "King Kong" motorcycle, built by a former Harley-Davidson dealer and enthusiast in Pennsylvania. It is 13-feet long, and is powered by two v-twin "Knucklehead" engines.