The new year brings new ways to experience the Harley-Davidson Museum
Become a tourist in your hometown when Milwaukee Museum Days returns this month.
MILWAUKEE, USA (Jan. 11, 2024) – Resolve to explore more in 2024! Jan. 18 marks the return of Milwaukee Museum Days. The H-D Museum is proud to be among the 30 area attractions looking to highlight the meaningful impact museums have on our residents, tourism in Wisconsin and the local economy. Get tickets to the Harley-Davidson Museum for just $10*! Score admission from free up to $15 to explore your favorite museum or discover a hidden gem you’ve been wanting to explore from Jan. 18 – 28 (excluding Jan. 23 & 24 at the H-D Museum).
And with the thought in mind that too much of a good thing is just enough, MOTOR® Bar & Restaurant has already kicked off Carnival season! See below for mouthwatering Mardi Gras specials that are available now through Fat Tuesday and laissez les bons temps rouler! MOTOR is also excited to partner with Third Space Brewery for a Beer Social on February 16. Enjoy five beers and food pairings as well as a take-away gift bag that includes a $5 MOTOR gift card, a limited-edition Harley-Davidson® 120th Anniversary pint glass and Third Space swag! Purchase tickets now.
Hoop heads, there’s still time to hop on the Marquette Golden Eagles bandwagon before the madness. There are nine more chances to hear directly from the head coach of the No. 11 men’s basketball team in the nation as Marquette Thursdays at MOTOR® Bar & Restaurant return in January.
Also this month, get ready for the dawn of a new era. Join us for the premiere of Harley‑Davidson’s all-new 2024 motorcycle model lineup on Jan. 24.
Please also note that aside from MOTOR® Bar & Restaurant (which will remain open seven days a week, Sun – Wed, 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.; Thu – Sat, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.) and private events hosted by 1903® Events, the H-D Museum™ campus will be closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in January and February of 2024. Additionally, the H-D® Shop will be closed Jan. 30 – Feb. 2 for inventory.
PROGRAMMING / EVENTS
Milwaukee Museum Days, Jan. 18 – 22 & 24 – 28
One more reason to love Milwaukee. During its 10-day run, 30 museums will offer discounted admission, special programming and more during Milwaukee Museum Days. Running Jan. 18 – 28, immerse yourself in some of Milwaukee’s incredible museums, experiencing everything from the innovative hands-on exhibits at Discovery World to the whimsical National Bobblehead Museum and Hall of Fame, the roaring fun of the world’s only Harley-Davidson Museum to the wide-open spaces of the Lynden Sculpture Garden. With admission discounts at up to 30 museums, you’ll soon discover that there’s always more to explore in the 414. Score tickets to the Harley-Davidson Museum for just $10* from Jan. 18 – 28 (excluding Jan. 23 & 24).
And on Jan. 19, join Lubar Center Director Derek Mosley for a conversation about Milwaukee Museum Days and the state of funding for museums and the arts in Wisconsin at Marquette University’s On the Issues forum.
*Mention Milwaukee Museum days and receive one (1) Harley-Davidson Museum Adult General Admission pass per adult for $10 and one (1) Harley-Davidson Museum Child General Admission pass per child under the age of 18 for $5 (kids under 5 are free). Valid from January 18, 2024, through 28, 2024 for in-person use at the Harley-Davidson Museum. Not valid for online purchases or previous H-D Museum purchases. Cannot be combined with any other offer, discount or promotion. Offer can be changed at any time without notice. Void where prohibited or restricted by law.
“The Marquette Basketball Hour” with Shaka Smart, select Thursdays, 6 – 7 p.m., Nov. 30 – March 7
MOTOR® Bar & Restaurant at the Harley-Davidson Museum is the place to be for all Marquette fans this season. Join us on select Thursdays at 6 p.m. when men’s basketballs Head Coach Shaka Smart, Jen Lada and players will break down all the Marquette action. Don’t miss Marquette Thursdays at MOTOR Bar & Restaurant on the Harley-Davidson Museum® campus to support the defending Big East Champions.
Looking for interesting things to do and ways to fully enjoy our programs and exhibits? The Harley-Davidson Museum’s Annual Pass offers individual, family and VIP levels to fit your lifestyle. Just some of the perks of the new Annual Pass include: virtual access to the H-D Museum with various Harley history topics covered in our Virtual Gallery Talk series, admission discounts, free admission for children under age 18, merchandise discounts at The Shop, dining discounts at MOTOR® Bar & Restaurant and more. Visit H-D Museum.com for details and other terms and conditions.
Annual Pass Level for Community Partners
Coming in 2024: Public Libraries, community centers and youth organizations will be able to purchase a Harley-Davidson Museum Annual Pass for check-out and use by the community members they serve. For additional information about this Annual Pass (Community Partner Level), please call 414-287-2789.
Get closer to the artifacts, exhibits and stories with a guided tour of the H-D Museum! There are three specially designed tours in our experience portfolio:
The VIP Tour is ideal for special guests and special occasions
Our Beyond the Gate Tour takes guests into the motorcycle vault
Everyone will love the Spotlight Tour, which is a perfect intro to the story of Harley-Davidson
Group bookings are available for 2-50 guests. Call 414-287-2799 or email [email protected] for reservations. Check out the tour calendar for public tour availability, too.
Engineering Merit Badge (Saturdays at 10:15 a.m. and Sundays at 2:15 p.m.)
All scouts are welcome to come earn their Engineering Merit Badge at the Harley-Davidson Museum! This experience will be launched by our merit badge counselor. Then, scouts will explore the history of Harley-Davidson as well as the engineering of motorcycles as they complete the nine merit badge requirements. Advance registration is required. Program registration closes one week prior to the scheduled program date.
Ticket includes: downloadable activity booklet used for the program, welcome and orientation by program facilitator, blue card signed by the facilitator (one blue card per scout registration) and an exclusive H-D Museum™ patch.
Scout Virtual Engineering Merit Badge (Saturdays at 8:30 a.m. and Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m.)
This new 90-minute online program is open to scouts from all over the country. Our program facilitator will guide the troops and explore the role an engineer plays while creating a Harley-Davidson® Motorcycle. Nine requirements for the Engineering Merit Badge will be discussed during this virtual, interactive program. Advance registration is required. Program Fee: $20 per Scout, which includes an activity booklet used during the program and a special H-D® patch upon completion of the program.
MUST-SEE EXHIBITS AND INSTALLATIONS
“Mama Tried: Bringing it Together” (on display now)
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 an army of followers and fans that give the weekend its signature style: People are the heart of the show; the bikes are the social lubrication. The Harley-Davidson Museum’s special exhibit, “Mama Tried: Bringing it Together,” focuses on the builders, the racers and the fans that gather over a bike or a brew.
A riot of bikes awaits you: outrageous custom bikes, lovingly restored vintage machines and one as rare as hen’s teeth – 1929 FHAC with FLXI Sidecar Factory Racer. Don’t come alone; bring your crew. That’s what Mama Tried is about, after all. Check out the exhibit before Mama Tried and Flat Out Friday make their triumphant returns in February, then make plans to kick off the weekend at the Official Mama Tried Pre-Party on Feb 22 at the H-D Museum. And hear directly from David Kreidler, curator of the exhibit, on the Mama Tried podcast.
1972 Custom Sprint 350 Single (on display now)
J. Shia’s unconventional 1972 350cc Sprint custom just went on display at the Harley-Davidson Museum. Inspired by Tchaikovsky’s famous ballet “Swan Lake,” Shia designed a dual bike project to reflect both the contrast and parallels of the black and white swans. The “white swan” can now be found at the H-D Museum. Shia’s build style for this project is unique in both function and materials, which she designed and fabricated all out of her Boston-based shop, Madhouse Motors. Shia incorporated unexpected parts from other products to create the bike: The headlight is the projector from a microscope and the taillight is a pencil sharpener. The carburetor intake is a modified juicer, and the foot-pegs are stove handles, while the turbocharger’s exhaust is a soprano saxophone bell. This amazing build is a symbol of ingenuity in moto customization and needs to be seen to be believed.
“My Papi Has a Motorcycle” / “Mi Papi Tiene una Moto” (on display now)
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.
Experience Gallery (on display now)
With inspiring stories from riders who have turned their dream of learning to ride into reality, a look at the epic journeys you can only experience behind the bars of a Harley-Davidson® motorcycle, plus the chance to throw a leg over a new 2023 Harley-Davidson #FreedomMachine, the reinstalled and all-new Experience Gallery shows the world how United We Ride! And now you can hop in the saddle of the newest, CVO™ Road Glide®, Breakout®, Road Glide® Trike, Pan America® Special and Nightster® motorcycles – the perfect photo op to commemorate your visit.
The H-D Museum @ 15 (on display now)
The Harley-Davidson Museum opened its doors for the first time in 2008. With 130,000 square-feet of factory-like buildings that honor Milwaukee’s industrial heritage and 20 acres of park-like space to gather, the H-D Museum was over 100 years in the making. Explore more about the construction and grand opening in a new display at the H-D Museum entrance.
Long-Time Riders: Lee & Pearl (on display now)
At the H-D Museum entrance, a new case featuring two long-time Wisconsin riders is on display. Lee and Pearl Christopherson have been together since meeting on a motorcycle in 1958. Lee was a member of the Blue Knights, a group of active or retired law enforcement officers. While Lee can’t begin to guess how many miles he’s ridden over 76 years, Pearl has kept track of her time in the saddle and surpassed 175,000 miles in the summer of 2023. The display features Pearl’s Motor Maids shirt and vest along with a Blue Knights Club vest from Lee, and the couple’s H.O.G.® patch and pin collection.
Clubs & Competition (on display now)
In the early part of the 20th century, motorcycle culture was a homegrown phenomenon. It grew out of the passion of riders for their evolving sport. The camaraderie that developed around riding and attending competitive events led to the formation of motorcycle clubs that hosted destination rides, family picnics with motorcycle games and other riding competitions.
The display case in the Clubs & Competition gallery highlights clothing from club members from primarily the 1930s and 1940s. The clothing selections on view include full dress uniforms, shirts, sweaters, jackets and caps, customized by the owners with their club’s name and logo, and pins or patches indicating membership in the American Motorcyclist Association. The H-D Archives collection includes Motorclothes® apparel sold in H-D® product catalogs but also non-H-D produced clothing items that have been proudly customized by riders.
“Off-Road Harley-Davidson” (on display now)
In the decades before America paved its highways, early riders had to be prepared for all sorts of terrain: sand, clay or dirt – and wandering those makeshift byways were Harley-Davidson® motorcycles. Today, it’s called off-road or adventure touring; back then it was just called riding. Since 1903, Harley-Davidson® motorcycles proved their toughness by riding over wooded hills, through stone-choked creek beds and up mountain sides. “Off-Road Harley-Davidson” tells the history of motorcycles designed for rough roads, the people who rode them and the adventures they shared. This exhibition will close in March, so make tracks to see “Off-Road Harley-Davidson” before it hits the road.
Harley-Davidson® Shop + H-D® Factory Outlet
New year … new looks for you! And both the H-D® shop and the Factory Outlet got the goods for your wardrobe in 2024. Bundle up against the cold with flannels, hats, coats and more!
We’re starting off 2024 with inspiration from New Orleans! In anticipation of Mardi Gras, we’re offering a slate of Big Easy bites and cocktails. We’ll have these on offer though Fat Tuesday, February 13.
Feisty Crawdad Dip
Spicy Cajun crawfish and andouille sausage dip served warm with Empress Baking paprika and polenta crackers and grilled garlic bread.
Smoked Kickin’ Chicken Wings
One pound smoked jumbo chicken wings, tossed in a house blackening rub and fried. Served with blue cheese remoulade, celery & carrot sticks.
Muffuletta Salad
Salami, Black Forest ham, Mortadella, Provolone with marinated olive, carrot, red bell pepper and red onion, crispy olive oil bread croutons on a bed of romaine lettuce drizzled with remoulade.
Cajun Shrimp Po’boy
Grilled blackened shrimp, fried oysters and fried jalapeno with shredded romaine, sliced tomato and roasted red pepper remoulade on grilled garlic baguette. Served with french fries.
“Laissez les bons temps rouler” Beignets
A NOLA classic, fried choux pastry dusted with powdered sugar and served with warm chocolate sauce for drizzling or dipping … or slurping … we don’t judge.
Cocktail specials include a MOTOR Cup (a twist on the Pimm’s cup), a Cherrycane (a play on a Hurricane) and a Dark and Snowy (our version of the Dark & Stormy).
Tunemaster Bingo, Fridays, 6 p.m.
Compete for awesome prizes as Tunemaster Bingo takes over MOTOR® Bar & Restaurant on Friday nights. Enjoy beer and food specials – including the AYCE Fish Fry – as you listen to 30-second clips of iconic, popular songs and simply match them to the ones on your BINGO card they have.
Recently engaged? 1903® Events will host an intimate showcase on Sunday, Feb. 4, featuring a curated selection of vendors to showcase their services to newly engaged couples. We’ll be showing off our newest event space, The Garage as well as our second-floor wedding space, Rumble. Learn more and RSVP here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1903-events-wedding-showcase-tickets-772407269937
