Newly Reimagined IMS Museum Is A Must See

Closed to the public since November 2023, the newly reimagined Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum re-opened its doors on April 2nd.

At a cost of $60.5-million, the museum has expanded with an additional 40,000 square feet of space housing new immersive and dynamic experiences, including:

Seven prominent and three rotating galleries.
The lower level, an area previously restricted to only select tours.
A new mezzanine dedicated to displaying non-vehicle artifacts.
The “Starting Line Experience, placing visitors 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 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, 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.

The Heritage Group Gasoline Alley Gallery

Take a 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 Janet herself.

Starting Line Experience

The Starting Line Experience will immerse guests in what it feels like to be at the starting line of the Indianapolis 500. Experience 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 John H Holliday Family Indianapolis 500 Winners Gallery (main level and lower level)

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. The gallery is located on two levels, with 17 winning “500” cars showcased on the main level and 12 on the lower level.

Mezzanine

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.

Qualifying Zone

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.

Allen Whitehill Clowes Charitable Foundation Innovation Workshop

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 Mathemetics) 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.

Penske Gallery

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 Bobby Rahal Family Gallery (Featured Car Gallery)

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.

Best of the Best: The Four-Time Winners (The Chip Ganassi Gallery)

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.

Track Lounge

The Track Lounge serves as the conclusion to the Museum, offering guests the opportunity to book a tour of the track that they just learned so much about. 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.

For more information on the IMS Museum, visit imsmuseum.org.

Dennis Krause has spent decades covering all forms of motorsports, including over 40 Indianapolis 500s, with stints at WIBA Radio, PIT PASS - Radio’s Premier Motorsports Magazine and Motorsports Minute. Follow him on X @DennisKrause500 or motorsportsminute.bluesky.social or motorsportsminute on Threads or MotorsportsMinute+ on Facebook.

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