Harley-Davidson Museum

Exhibits

See the legends come to life

Experience the Harley-Davidson Museum

Creating a Legend: Art & Engineering at Harley-Davidson

Now open at Harley-Davidson, design and engineering work together to create machines with big emotional impact. Functional improvements fuel changes in look and feel, yet visual or market desires also shape operating innovations. The process of how ideas move from concept to prototype, and production involves a lot of talented people and many kinds of materials. From pencil and paper to CAD, clay, and 3-D printing, see how Harley-Davidson design and engineering teams have envisioned iconic products for over 120 years.

Special Exhibits

These temporary exhibits provide unique looks into a wide range of topics related to Harley-Davidson and motorcycle culture.

Opened June 17, 2023

Mama Tried: Bringing it Together

The Mama Tried Motorcycle Show and adjoining Flat Out Friday races are a bright spot in the dead of cold Wisconsin winters. The show has amassed a legion of followers and fans that give the weekend its signature style. People are the heart of the show; the bikes are a social lubricant. This special exhibit focuses on the builders, the racers and the fans that gather over a bike or a brew. Don’t come alone, bring your crew. That’s what Mama Tried is about, after all.

Opened December 17, 2022

My Papi Has a Motorcycle

From award-winning children and YA author Isabel Quintero and illustrator Zeke Peña comes the Harley-Davidson Museum’s first-ever bilingual exhibit, “My Papi Has a Motorcycle” / “Mi papi tiene una moto.” Based on the beloved children’s book of the same name, “My Papi Has a Motorcycle” shares a story of family bonds strengthened by the simple act of taking a joy ride on a two-wheeled machine.

With brilliant, colorful art from Peña paired with heart-warming stories from Southern Californian riding families, “My Papi Has a Motorcycle” will draw smiles from kids of all ages. It’s an exhibit that focuses not only on where you can take a motorcycle, but where a two-up motorcycle ride with a loved one can take you.

Permanent Exhibits

Explore two floors filled with dozens of beautifully preserved bikes and artifacts to discover the legendary story of Harley-Davidson's history and heritage.

Permanent Exhibit

1st and 2nd Floors

As you begin your tour of the Harley-Davidson Museum^® you'll find yourself on the Museum's second floor staring down a line of bikes, three wide and 180 feet long. These bikes begin to tell the story of the company's first fifty years. Each bike in the gallery was specifically chosen for its noteworthy heritage, as well as its unique expression of signature Harley-Davidson elements – beauty, performance, functionality and style. Complete your trip through the Harley-Davidson collection of classic models from the late 1940’s to the present in the first-floor gallery.

Permanent Exhibit

1st and 2nd Floors

Our story starts with the oldest known Harley-Davidson^® motorcycle in existence, known as "Serial Number One." In the following galleries on the entrance floor, stories unfold of the people, products, culture and history that made the Harley-Davidson Motor Company what it is today. Continuing downstairs, experience some of Harley-Davidson's most successful and challenging events of more recent years – from the launch of the Sportster® model in 1957 to the merger with AMF and the buyback to regain control of Harley-Davidson's destiny.

Permanent Exhibit

2nd Floor

Don’t miss this family tree of Harley-Davidson engines from the earliest iterations down to the modern-day Milwaukee Eight. See a selection of historic engines and do a deep dive into their inner workings through touchscreen interactives. The Exploded Bike, a 1940s Knucklehead displayed in parts, is a mechanical drawing brought to life.

Permanent Exhibit

2nd Floor

From board track racing and hill climbs to club rides and endurance trials, this gallery explores the grassroots movements of the early 20th century that revolved around the camaraderie, thrill-seeking and competitive spirit that drove the motorcycle culture of the day.

Permanent Exhibit

1st Floor

A Harley-Davidson^® motorcycle was recovered in 2012 on an isolated beach in British Columbia. The bike had drifted over 4,000 miles across the Pacific Ocean after being washed away in a storage container during the devastating tsunami that struck Japan on March 11, 2011. The remains of this 2004 Harley-Davidson^® Night Train^™ are on display as a memorial to the tragedy that claimed more than 15,000 lives.

Permanent Exhibit

2nd Floor

The Tank Wall showcases some of the most iconic Harley-Davidson tank designs ever created since the company’s founding in 1903. Each is a piece of H-D history and a testament to the deep-rooted creative freedom Harley-Davidson inspires for generations the world over.

Permanent Exhibit

All Floors

On the first floor, enjoy games, books, puzzles and more. In this space designed especially for our youngest visitors, smaller kids can get decked out in pint-sized Harley-Davidson gear and rev up the engine of a Knucklehead motorcycle.

Throughout our galleries, touchscreen interactives provide fun for visitors of all ages. Compete against each other or learn more about beloved topics. Customize Harley-Davidson motorcycles by swapping parts, listen to engines, then test your knowledge of engine purrs, or try your hand at digital hill climbing or stunt riding.

The Experience Gallery on the first floor is the place where you can throw a leg over a new Harley-Davidson Freedom Machine. Plus, hear inspiring stories from riders who have turned their dream of learning to ride into reality and take a look at the epic journeys you can only experience behind the bars of a Harley-Davidson^® motorcycle.

Book a Tour

Take your experience to the next level with behind-the-scenes tours, stories of history and heritage and hands-on-activities. It’s all here.

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Harley-Davidson history online

Digital Exhibits

Visit us on Google Arts and Culture for curated exhibits that share the stories behind some of the people and machines in the museum.

See the exhibits

More than Motorcycles

Get a glimpse of the variety of things you’ll find on display inside the museum with "Five Things You Never Knew Harley-Davidson Made."

Explore More

In the Beginning

"The Early Years" introduces you to the founding of the company and how the first decade of business set H-D on a course for success.

Go Back to 1903