The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum welcomed 1,200 supporters and motorcyclists to its first Open House on on Saturday, Sept. 12 at the facility’s park-like campus in central Ohio.
"Our first Open House was a smashing success," said AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Operations Manager Katy Wood. "The crowd exceeded our expectations and created a vibrant and exciting scene here at the Hall of Fame. The most important thing, though, is that we exposed hundreds of new fans to the history of motorcycling, and each one will go back out into the community and share the amazing stories of our heritage."
Those stories include the current, premier exhibits at the Museum. The main hall is occupied by "MotoStars: Celebrities + Motorcycles," which showcases two-wheeled machines and memorabilia owned by some of Hollywood’s biggest stars. In addition, "Awesome-Ness" includes several of the incredible one-off custom motorcycle creations by designer extraordinaire Arlen Ness.
The most amazing stories, however, are those told in the Hall of Fame. Here are the motorcycles, trophies, leathers, helmets and other artifacts from some of motorcycling’s most accomplished riders, innovators and supporters.
In addition to free admission to the Hall of Fame, attendees at the Open House also were greeted with fun activities, such as bounce houses for the kids, Can-Am Spyder demo rides for the adults and vendors selling local flair and cuisine.
"This event was one way for us to give back to the local community," Wood said. "Although the Hall of Fame routinely welcomes visitors from around the country, and around the world, our neighbors are some of our most valued supporters, and we welcomed the opportunity to remind them of this world-class facility in their own backyard."
The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week. It’s closed on Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Standard adult admission is $10 per adult, with a $5 discount for AMA members. More information can be found at MotorcycleMuseum.org.
