The new year brings new reasons to visit the world’s only Harley-Davidson Museum. In addition to cutting-edge displays – such as the LiveWire prototype – the H-D Museum has you covered when it comes to fun and freedom with special events. From a celebration fit for “The King” to free admission on your special day plus the launch of the inaugural MKE Museum week, there’s no shortage of cabin fever cures to be found throughout the H-D Museum campus.
EVENTS / PROMOTIONS
$10 Tuesday are back!
Don’t forget: Museum admission on Tuesdays through April is just $10, no reservation required. Plus, a Hamilton gets you the juicy MOTOR Burger at MOTOR Bar & Restaurant.
Elvis’ Birthday Bash
Tuesday, Jan. 8, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Elvis loved his Harley-Davidson. To celebrate the King’s birth, we’re showcasing his beloved 1956 KH at the H-D Museum. While you’re here, stop in the Can Room where we’re serving up Banana Cream Pie in a jar topped with peanut butter drizzle and candied bacon. To truly personify the King, we’re giving out free Elvis glasses complete with sideburns to the first 100 H-D Museum visitors.
FREE Admission on Your Birthday
We’re not just celebrating Elvis’ birthday – we’re celebrating yours, too! New in 2019, you can explore the Museum for free on your special day.
#MuseumSelfie Day
Wednesday, Jan. 16, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Grab the selfie stick and put on a happy face because #MuseumSelfie Day returns to the Harley-Davidson Museum on Wednesday, Jan. 16. There’s no better backdrop for a selfie than the unrivaled collection at the H-D Museum. Visitors are encouraged to share their best pics on the Harley-Davidson Museum’s social pages. #HDMuseum @HDMuseum
Monster Jam Drivers Meet & Greet and Ticket Giveaway at the Harley-Davidson Museum®
Friday, Jan. 18, noon-1 p.m.
Get autographs and see a life-sized inflatable Monster Jam Truck up close. Plus, the first 100 folks to show up and donate to the MPS Mitten Drive will receive a free ticket voucher to Monster Jam Triple Threat Series and entrance into the Harley Davidson Museum® for Friday, Jan. 19.
Free Admission Friday
Friday, Jan. 18, 5-9 p.m.
Visit the H-D Museum for FREE on Friday, Jan. 18. Presented by the Historic Third Ward Association, Gallery Night & Day is the two-day premier art event in Milwaukee for both the experienced artist and beginning admirer. Tonight, be sure to check out “Taming the Road in Style,” a temporary exhibit that examines the pursuit of marrying styling and comfort. Free Friday night Museum admission from 5 – 9 p.m.; regular Museum admission applies on Saturday.
MKE Museum Week
Monday, Jan. 21-Sunday, Jan. 27
The Harley-Davidson Museum is proud to participate in the inaugural Milwaukee Museum Week January 21 – 27, 2019. This week-long celebration aims to highlight the meaningful ways that museums benefit Milwaukee community members, tourism, and the economy by showcasing Milwaukee’s broad and diverse cultural community.
All week long, the H-D Museum will offer a free activity sheet that will help visitors immerse themselves in the collection. Plus, on select days and times, your H-D Museum admission includes an optional curator-led tour that will shine a light on the connections between the Motor Company and Milwaukee during its 116-year history. Beginning with a 10-by-15-foot shed that was erected in the backyard of the Davidson family home on Milwaukee’s west side, the story of Harley-Davidson is one that could only happen in Milwaukee. Join our curatorial staff as they share stories of beneficial business partnerships, dedicated employees and fanatic customers that helped make Harley-Davidson a global icon.
These curator-led tours are free with your paid Museum admission. Visit H-DMuseum.com for times and more information.
NEW DISPLAYS
LiveWire™ 2015 Prototype
Hot on the heels of Harley-Davidson’s electric vehicle LiveWire unveiling at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the Harley-Davidson Museum is chronicling this piece of H-D history by displaying one of the original 80 demo bikes that Harley-Davidson took around the world for riders to try in 2015.
The LiveWire Project’s engineers and stylists were challenged not just to make an electric motorcycle, but to make a Harley-Davidson electric motorcycle. This prototype won praise for its power, quickness, and look, but it was still a work in progress.
The final version evolved after several years of gathering feedback from riders, data analysis, and redesign work. The result of an unprecedented development process, the 2020 LiveWire will be available in Harley-Davidson dealerships Fall 2019. See this landmark development in electric vehicle technology while it’s on display in the H-D Museum lobby.
Temporary Exhibit
“Taming the Road in Style” (open now)
The earliest Harley-Davidson motorcycles had the same suspensions as bicycles of the time: none at all. The roads were a hodgepodge of dirt, stone, and other materials. Bumps were everywhere; suspension was needed. Comfort became a never-ending challenge for Harley-Davidson engineers. It was redefined by each new generation of rider and changing environments: over the decades, roads were paved, engine power and speed increased, and motorcyclists traveled faster over longer distances and craved smoother rides. In response, Harley improved the seats, redesigned many frames, or added new suspension systems. Sometimes these changes were small, sometimes dramatic. These tweaks and additions added up over the years. The first Harley-Davidsons resembled bicycles. Years later, bicycles and motorcycles looked nothing alike. The pursuit of comfort had transformed motorcycles.
The Harley-Davidson Museum’s newest exhibit, “Taming the Road in Style,” examines this history, drawing a line from the dawn of the bicycle to the launch of present-day Harley-Davidson Softail® models.
Save the Dates
Mama Tried Bike Night, February 14, 5-9 p.m.
Daredevils: A century of spine-tingling spectacles, June 15-Sept. 8, 2019, special summer exhibit
