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Harley-Davidson Museum
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- Good for Kids:
- Yes
14 reviews for Harley-Davidson Museum
Executive Summary: The sanctorium of motorcycle riders. Even if you're not a motorcycle person the passion and insight are remarkable.
I am Harley-obsessed. I run a motorcycle club at M. D. Anderson and have hundreds of t-shirts. So I am not objective here in my fawning for the museum. However, there is a lot of history, information, and passion here which should impress and inform even the most casual observer (except, I guess, for the lady I saw KNITTING, presumably while whoever dragged her here was off exploring).
I won't get into the details except to highlight a couple of points.
First, the vintage bikes are not just examples of a vehicle evolution, but rather the growth of a region and nation. There is a great deal of time spent on the early days of the Company and how it grew and evolved. The business model is presented in great detail and I was most impressed with the treatment of the AMF years, a time when the company lost its focus (more on that later) and nearly went out of business. The facts are set forth in a straightforward, candid, and enormously revealing manner.
Secondly, the passion of this company hits you like a sledgehammer. As is noted in other reviews, there are very few companies that have engendered the brand loyalty that HD has. I believe this is because management has a very hands-on relationship with its end users through dealer events, social networking, and cultural corporate bonding. It was interesting to note during the AMF years how the damage to these bonds through lack of quality control, employee disillusionment, and poor dealer support all nearly wrecked the Company. As with all corporate integrations, there are pluses and minuses and there is a good time spent on how efficiency was introduced into the organization. Interestingly, while not seen as a huge benefit at the time, this actually helped the company make it to a higher level. All of these elements are displayed at the museum, including the fear the executives felt as they put their own money on the table, and the downstream results-- such as the bikes which are totally customized in wacky ways and the new bikes that are produced in response to what the Company is hearing from and seeing from its users.
As a business manager, I work for a company that also has a very hands-on and intimate relationship with its customers so I can appreciate what HD has done with the museum. More than just a tribute to motorcycles, the museum solidifies and makes clear the success that can be had when a company develops and maintains a micro-relationship with its customers. With all the malfeasance and ineptitude illustrated almost daily by American businesses, this story should be required reading for all C-level executives or entrepreneurs.
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Lia Sophia Jewelry held an event here for all of us advisors over the weekend. I was very impressed. It is a beautiful, open space -with plenty of room outside to set up events (such as photos, food and airbrush tattoos) that Lia Sophia sponsored.
I also got to see the museum, which was pretty cool -it was interesting to find out that the first motorcycles actually resembled bicycles with motors attached!
There is also a gift shop and restaurant / bar as well.
Very cool place to visit! I would stop by again when in Milwaukee!
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Car Night is ending on 9/22 for the yr until next year as all will be putting their cars away for they winter. This wk's turnout was pretty big. A most hilarious entry was a low rider Monte Carlo that drove thru the parking lot exhibiting his hydraulics in an amusing, typical, cartoonish way like out of the movies. He had dice on top of his doorlocks (cute?). When he roared off at the end, he put on another eyepopping display as he put the car thru 10 paces. There were lots of muscle cars to oogle even if I was one of the few women there. The winner was a 1904 red with flames Ford pickup truck with a special award going to a 2 year old wannabe Harley rider with his own (sit in) pushcar.
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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8/11/2009
This is the 2nd time we went on a Tuesday to see Car Night with all the car afficionados & their… Read more »
Not a HOG, never will be, but this place is worth the $16 admission. Where else do you get to sit on a variety of bikes (bolted to the floor cleverly so they can move side-to-side) while watching an enormous video of the open road? Play with interactives that show you how bikes stay stable at speed, or listen to the brrrm-brrrm of a whole wall of engine evolution?
The company history is all here too - started by a couple of enterprising Milwaukeeans (is that a word?) in 1903. Not only were they great engineers, they were genius marketers. The first Harley clothing started in the 19-teens. It's that whole rags to riches, American dream story.
There's something here for everyone and every age, and if you have doubters in the group, take them to the adjacent restaurant for meat loaf, or ribs, or pulled pork sandwiches, with Sprecher's root beer, or a real beer with a fun motorcycle-related name. And don't forget the gift shop. You'll be an enthusiast.
It's hard to think of a brand marketing campaign that has been as successful as Harley Davidson. How many other corporations do you know of that have legions of devotees that tattoo the company logo to their bodies and travel thousands of miles to congregate with other devotees? How many other corporations could have pulled off something like the Harley Davidson Museum? Basically it's a giant ad for the brand, but it somehow feels natural, not so crass and commercial as to be a turnoff to those who aren't in the cult.
At the Harley Davidson Museum, you immerse yourself in the brand, and everything it represents: freedom, individuality, adventure. By the end of the tour you half-expect to be led right into a Harley Davidson dealership where company representatives are standing by ready to put you on one of these beauties today. And the weird thing is, you don't care that you've just paid Sixteen Bucks to walk through a huge commercial. The magic of the Harley Davidson brand is that it somehow seems authentic, not cooked up by a team of marketing geniuses.
As someone who is indifferent to motorcycles, I thought the Harley Davidison Museum was a mildly interesting diversion. As a Milwaukeean, I love the fact that the company built this museum on a long forgotten piece of land in an old, industrial part of the city that is coming back. They could have just as easily put it in Vegas, where it probably would have had ten times the visitors. But Harley Davidson is serious about contributing to its home city, and that's A-OK by me.
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Went there for a work function, so I got in for free. Truthfully, I wasn't expecting much, but I was pleasantly surprised. I learned a lot about a company that is very important to Milwaukee, both economically and psychologically.
It is also very interactive and keeps your interest up through the whole experience. I almost forgot to mention that it is also very wheelchair friendly!
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Yes, I work for the company so I'm biased. I acutally waited a while after this opened to finally take a visit (sometimes after coming home from work I need to de-harley...).
When we did go I was impressed by the beautiful location (glad to see some development here!), cool building and interesting exhibits. I expected to be a bit bored by motorcycle bits... but there's enough interaction and buttons for me to push to keep my interest.
The food is also amazing! The cafe is made w/lots of recycled things used in unique ways. I loved the cork floor (I dropped my knife, it bounced!).
Check out the gift shop for some cool things. My favorite... handbags made in Italy from my recycled fit samples!
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I didn't go to the museum because we were in a hurry and spent too much time looking around the gift shop and were hungry. But in the café, we got an awesome brat with grilled onions and sauerkraut and a BIG side of fries with big chunks of salt enough for two people. SO TASTY and cheap ($6?). I would go back for when I have a salt and kraut craving.
We visited the new Harley Davidson museum just a few days after it opened while on vacation from Seattle. Perfect timing. We don't own a Harley but you simply can't go to Milwaukee without taking in all of the local Brewery tours and various Harley Tours that this town has to offer.
We had heard stories in recent years that the folks at Harley Davidson had found a virtual treasure trove of vintage Harley's stashed behind factory walls when doing construction at the old plant. It was a treasure trove of vintage Harley Davidson bikes dating back to the early years that were tucked away for future use is perhaps a Museum such as this one.
The admission was a bit pricey but we decided it was worth it - even for a family of four. We also purchased the hand held audio tour piece which narrated a good number of the exhibits that you see in the museum. It gives added detail and more flavor to the bikes on the tour and was worth the extra few bucks. (Get at least one)
The museum offers a cool search and find word game for the younger kids to participate in while in the museum. My daughter enjoyed it even though initially she thought it was maybe a bit lame at first. It kept her busy and interested during our trip to the museum. At the end you turn in your sheet and they give the kids a free surprise goodie. I can't tell you what it is because then it would no longer be a surprise!
As you enter the tour on the top floor you have an impressive display of vintage Harley's starting with the rarest of them all a 1903 Harley. One of only 3 made and the only survivor (restored). It looks like the worlds first moped having both a chain drive and belt drive with a small piston engine up top. Nice fat white balloon tires.
In the main hall upstairs you will see row upon row of vintage Harley's starting from 1903, on down to the 1905 into the teens era and 1920's on down. There are many sweet looking yet unrestored seemingly perfect vintage bikes on display. Along the way you can use your audible device to hear the history on some of these cool bikes.
There are various side rooms off the main exhibit hallway with individual displays from early 1913 US Mail bikes (with primitive wooden trunk side cars for holding your mail) to a large US Military Harley Bike Section showing various solid green military models.
One room has the various Harley motor types on display across a huge wall going all the way back to the early days. With a push of a button you can hear what each engine sounds like. Talk about hands on.
There is a cool display room filled with the early racing history of Harley Davidson. Lots of early racing bikes on display set up on a cross section of old wooden bike track like they raced on in the early days. Lots of early Motorcycle Jerseys, silver trophies, racing posters, medal, advertising pieces, pennants, vintage racing photo's and even some circa 1919 movies showing the early Harley racers in action on the track. Interesting spot lights on some of the racers including displays showing the actual metal sole shoes and goggles used etc. These displays are all found on the back side of the huge wooden bike ramp. These displays are found tucked in the back of this room
Of course there is a huge wall of painted gas tanks. Just about any color and combo you can think of all back lit. Down stairs there are more recent bikes from the 1950's - 1970's etc. There is the Harley Elvis owned at one time until his buddy agreed to take over payments so Elvis gave it to him. There are a few other pimped up and chromed up bikes on display. One of a kind bikes. The Easy Rider "faithful reproduction" bike is on display also. We spotted an Evil Knievel bike hanging from the ceiling also.
They had a cool computer generated screen that allowed the user to create a custom motorcycle on the computer. You can change the color of the gas tank, saddle bags, change the size o the tires, tweak the handle bars just the way you want them etc. It then saves the final product and shows it up on the flat screen where everyone can see it. This was fun for everyone including the kids.
The final leg of the tour takes you to a room with a full video screen wall. It shows the open road and other things. That's because in this room you get to sit on a variety of Harley Davidson's and pretend you are on the open road. There are several bikes in this spacious room from 1920's era bikes with stiff leather seats and side cars to newer more comfortable Harley's and a few that could be considered crotch rockets. It was fun to climb aboard a few of these bikes for some photo opportunities.
We found ourselves wandering around in the museum for a few hours. It simply takes time to see everything and soak up all of the history of Harley Davidson. There were several displays and audio stops featuring people, past employees, company history overviews, vintage products, leather coats, banners and tons of things to just take in. Check it out!!
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I loved my visit even if I had to chase my son around. I think he enjoyed it more then I did.
They have everything from the beginning to the present. The kids loved the interactive things such as getting to listen to the different types of engines and seeing the workings of the engine. The wall of gas tanks caught the eye of my daughter as did Elvis Presley's Sportster. The best part was getting to sit on all of the different bikes at the end of the tour.
Seeing some of unique bikes and reading the history made appreciate the quality and hard work that goes into this American made product.
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If you're a devout Harley fan, you'll love the museum. If you're not, you'll still enjoy it. The price of admission is $16, i.e. not cheap, but nowadays (unless you're at the Smithsonian in DC) such prices are average for just about any decent museum.
If you have kids with you, make sure to pick up the clever scavenger hunt activity pack for them -- it'll keep them occupied so that you can spend more time reading about the history about HD (rather interesting, as a matter of fact) and checking out all the cool historic bikes.
I've sent so many people here to see how great milwaukee can be, can't say enough how great of a job they did with this project.
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6/21/2009
Now here's a reason to come to Milwaukee! I'm not even a bike enthusiast and this was as cool as it… Read more »
This museum proudly hosts the history and ongoing activities of the people and motorcycles that have made Milwaukee famous. Located on a site that is aptly located near the crossroads of highways and streets, the building and grounds also blend into their riverside locale well.
If you are an HD fan or simply a motorcycle person this is the place. I'm neither. My brother who rides one of these things was out visiting from the east coast so it was a must stop while he was here. $16 a ticket strikes me as a bit steep, but maybe not. One of those things that visitors to MKE should probably do.