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The Indianapolis
Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum, located five
miles northwest of downtown Indianapolis on the
grounds of the famous Indianapolis Motor
Speedway, is recognized as one of the most
highly visible museums in the world devoted to
automobiles and auto racing. In 1987, the museum
and Speedway grounds were honored with the
designation of National Historic Landmark.
The late Tony
Hulman and Karl Kizer, the museum's first
director, established the original Hall of Fame
Museum in 1956. The building was located at the
southwest corner of the Speedway's property
where the Speedway's Administration Building now
stands. It was large enough only to display a
few vintage race cars. Before long, it was
obvious something more substantial was needed.
During 1975,
Hulman built a larger, more modern museum within
the Speedway oval, its opening coinciding with
the United States Bicentennial celebration in
1976.
Constructed of
pre-cast cement and Wyoming quartz, the facility
encompasses 96,000 square feet of museum and
administrative office space. Museum display
space measures approximately 30,000 square feet.
A glass canopy above the main display floor
provides year-round natural light. The building
also houses two Speedway gift shops, the track's
photography department and other offices.
An air-conditioned
snack shop and departure area for bus tours of
the historic 2.5-mile oval is located near the
museum's front doors. About one-third of the
museum's estimated 250,000 annual visitors tour
the museum during May, the month of the annual
Indianapolis 500-Mile Race.
Approximately 75
vehicles are on display at all times, and among
the featured attractions are:
- The Louis
Chevrolet Memorial, featuring a bronze bust
of Chevrolet with four bronze panels about
his automotive accomplishments.
- The Marmon
"Wasp," which won the inaugural Indianapolis
500 in 1911 with Ray Harroun at the wheel,
and was featured on a postage stamp in the
U.S. Postal Service's Transportation Series.
- Four
two-time winning cars: the Boyle Maserati
(Wilbur Shaw 1939-40), the Blue Crown Spark
Plug Special (Mauri Rose 1947-48), the Fuel
Injection Special (Bill Vukovich 1953-54)
and the Belond Special (Sam Hanks 1957 and
Jimmy Bryan 1958).
- More than
30 Indianapolis 500-winning cars.
- The four
cars driven to victory by A.J. Foyt Jr.,
including his 1977 machine that represents
his record-setting fourth Indy 500 win.
- The
Duesenberg #12 Murphy Special, the only car
ever to win both the Indianapolis 500 (1922)
and the French Grand Prix at Le Mans (1921).
- Dave
Evans' #8 Cummins Diesel Special, the first
car to complete the Indy 500 without a pit
stop in 1931. oThe 1965 Le Mans-winning
Ferrari 250 LM. oA 1954/55 Mercedes-Benz
Formula One car.
- A 1957 SSI
Corvette.
- A 1998
Stewart-Ford SF-2 Formula One car.
- A rare
1935 Duesenberg Model JN four-door
convertible passenger car, of which only
three were built.
- An equally
rare 1925 McFarlan TV6 passenger roadster.
The Hall of Fame
Museum also displays the equipment and methods
used for timing and scoring the Indianapolis 500
from the first race to the 21st century,
including a viewer-activated computer
presentation that explains the progress through
the years.
An extensive
trophy collection, including the famed
Borg-Warner Trophy, which honors the winner of
each Indianapolis 500, is also on display along
with auto racing trophies, honors and awards
from around the world.
For a more visual
taste of the Indianapolis 500, the museum offers
visitors the 48-seat Tony Hulman Theater,
featuring a 20-minute presentation of rare
historic footage and Indianapolis 500
highlights.
Hours
9 a.m.
to 5 p.m.
364 days a year
Closed Christmas Day
Extended hours during the month of May.
Admission
Adults
$3.00
Children 6-15 years old $1.00
Children under 6 FREE
Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum
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