The Harley-Davidson Museum is ready for spring with a schedule full of activities, events, exhibits, themed menu items, and more.
Visit the museum for your opportunity to swing a leg over the 2024 Hydra-Glide Revival from the Harley-Davidson Icons Motorcycle Collection, which celebrates the 75th anniversary of the 1949 Hydra-Glide. Then check out the museum’s original 1949 example in the Motorcycle Gallery.
2024 Harley-Davidson Hydra-Glide First Look
Must-see exhibits on display include “Mama Tried: Bringing It Together,” J. Shia’s unconventional 1972 350cc Sprint custom, “My Papi has a Motorcycle” / “Mi papi tiene una moto,” the Experience Gallery, and more.
Events at MOTOR Bar & Restaurant for March include the AYCE Friday Fish Fry and the Easter Brunch and Egg Hunt, and the restaurant will be serving St. Patrick’s Day-inspired menu items.
Find the full March schedule of events in the Harley-Davidson Museum press release below.
Find more moto-events at American Rider‘s Events Calendar
Milwaukee, WI (March 7, 2024) – When it first debuted in 1949, Harley-Davidson’s Hydra-Glide represented a significant new chapter in Harley-Davidson history. The introduction of the Hydra-Glide telescopic front suspension for Harley-Davidson E and F models offered a smoother ride for folks looking to explore the highways and byways of America.
Today, the 2024 Hydra-Glide Revival model, the fourth installment in the Harley-Davidson Icons Motorcycle Collection, celebrates the 75th anniversary of that 1949 landmark bike, a champion of the Panhead era. And the new bike could be yours. Visit the H-D Museum to check out the original 1949 model in the H-D Museum’s Motorcycle Gallery. Then throw a leg over the 2024 Icon in the Experience Gallery and learn how you could be riding home on one of these limited-edition bikes.
But that’s not the only new installation coming to the crossroads of 6th & Canal. Learn more about how H-D put the “motor” in Motor Company in the 1920s and 1930s and then head to the Clubs & Competition Gallery to get a look at the threads motorcycle crews sported in the 20th century.
Hoop heads, there’s still time to hop on the Marquette Golden Eagles bandwagon before the madness begins this month. Hear directly from the head coach Shaka Smart, head coach for the Marquette men’s basketball team, as the finale of Marquette Thursdays at MOTOR Bar & Restaurant arrives on March 7.
March is also a great time to check out what’s cooking at MOTOR Bar & Restaurant. Whether it’s the famous AYCE Friday Fish Fry for the last weeks of Lent, the St. Pat’s-inspired Irish specials, or the Easter Brunch and Egg Hunt, MOTOR has you covered any day of the week. And 1903 Events are showing off their Wisconsin roots with a special pop-up Supper Club.
And tickets are moving fast for this summer’s Harley-Davidson Homecoming Festival. Visit the Harley-Davidson Homecoming website to secure your two-day general admission tickets at this year’s lowest prices for headliners like Jelly Roll and the Red Hot Chili Peppers in July.
The end of winter is nigh, which means the H-D Museum is back to being open seven days a week. Check out H-D Museum 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. every day of the week. The Harley-Davidson Shop and H-D Factory Outlet will both be open 11 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. And MOTOR Bar & Restaurant keeps rolling, opening at 11 a.m. daily (Sun-Wed, 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.; Thu-Sat, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.)
Programming/Events
“The Marquette Basketball Hour” with Shaka Smart, March 7, 6-7 p.m.
MOTOR Bar & Restaurant at the Harley-Davidson Museum is the place to be for all Marquette fans this season. Join us on March 7 at 6 p.m. for the finale 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 the H-D Museum website for details and other terms and conditions.
Annual Pass Level for Community Partners
Public Libraries, community centers, and youth organizations are now 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 groups@h-dmuseum.com for reservations. Check out the tour calendar for public tour availability, too.
Engineering Merit Badge, Saturdays at 1:30 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 via Scoutbook (one blue card per scout registration), and an exclusive H-D Museum patch.
Scout Virtual Engineering Merit Badge, Saturdays at 8:30 a.m.; 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.
Harley-Davidson Museum 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. And if you haven’t already tuned in, 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 Harley-Davidson #FreedomMachine, the Experience Gallery shows the world how United We Ride! And now you can hop in the saddle of a limited-edition 2024 Icons Collection Hydra-Glide Revival motorcycle that celebrates the 75th Anniversary of the original with graphics and design cues taken from Hydra-Glide models of the 1950s and ’60s.
Worthington Scout Overgreen Engine (on display now)
In 1927, the Worthington Lawn Mower Company launched the Scout Overgreen model, the first walking mower with three connected – also known as “ganged” – decks. Between 1929 and 1935, Worthington contracted Harley-Davidson to build about 500 engines for the innovative triplex mowers.
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)
The early days of motorcycle culture were marked by board track racing, hillclimbs, endurance events, and more. Our latest Clubs & Competition gallery update is a reflection of how these riders shaped the future of bikes.
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 latest clothing selection on view in the gallery includes uniforms from clubs organized by region or city. Some of the clubs represented in the case are the Beer City Riders from right here in Milwaukee; the Red Wing Motorcycle Club in Detroit; and the Aztec Motorcycle Club from National City, California. 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 this month, so make tracks to see “Off-Road Harley-Davidson” before it hits the road.
Harley-Davidson Shop + H-D Factory Outlet
It’s the year of Willie G, so of course we had to roll out new apparel. Stock up ahead of the Homecoming Festival this summer at the Harley-Davidson Shop and H-D Factory Outlet.
MOTOR BAR & RESTAURANT
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.
March Specials
Try our four delicious March specials, inspired by St. Patrick’s Day and the Lenten season.
Appetizers include:
- Sticky Guinness Wings: One pound of smoked jumbo chicken wings coated in a sweet and spicy Guinness sauce served with blue cheese dressing and veggies. $17.95
- Irish Potted Shrimp “Bruschetta”: Garlic lemon butter poached shrimp spread with red bell pepper, red onion, cilantro and thyme. Served with grilled bread schmeared with roasted garlic, drizzled with an Irish whiskey balsamic reduction. $16.95
Our sandwich this month is the Salmon “Pastrami” Reuben: Pastrami-style house-cured smoked salmon, jicama coleslaw, Swiss cheese, and smoked tomato pickle sauce served on toasted Breadsmith rye. Served with side of French fries. $21.95
Dessert is Chocolate “Car Bomb” Cake: Chocolate Irish stout cake topped with Irish cream mousse and drizzled with whiskey salted caramel. $9.95
Easter Egg Hunt
Finally, MOTOR will be hosting the Easter Bunny for our annual Easter Egg Hunt and Brunch with special holiday menu items on Sunday, March 31st. Attendees of MOTOR’s Easter Egg Hunt and Brunch event are invited to check out the Harley-Davidson Museum’s exhibits after filling your baskets and bellies!
BONUS: brunch attendees under age 18 will receive a complimentary Museum general admission ticket for a visit on Sunday, March 31st ($8 value).
1903 Events
1903 Events at the Harley-Davidson Museum will be hosting a pop-up Supper Club Tasting Experience in March in our premium event space, The Garage! For three nights only on Thursday, March 21, Friday, March 22, and Saturday, March 23 from 5-8 p.m., the ticketed event will include five courses and two drink tickets. The Garage will be decked out in the traditional supper club style, and Chef Doug Stringer has put together an inspired tasting menu. Menu items will include classics like the relish tray as a starter and options such as tenderloin Steak Diane, pan-fried breaded walleye, and Sonora-style shrimp cocktail, among other items. Get your tickets now!
Your corporate or social events are ready to come to life at MOTOR Bar & Restaurant. With offerings of semi-private, private, and outdoor spaces, MOTOR features a large bar, comfortable dining room seating, countless food options, and local craft beers for your guests to enjoy.
Harley-Davidson Museum Save the Dates
- Milwaukee Day, April 14
- Rock the Green, April 20
- Support the troops ride and ceremony, May 18
- Harley-Davidson Homecoming Festival, July 25-28
