The Harley-Davidson Museum – Perfect for the Labor Day Weekend

Enjoy the Harley-Davidson Museum and events for Labor Day
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The Harley-Davidson Museum is your central rally point for the Hometown Rally™ and a celebration of all things Harley-Davidson. Over the Labor Day weekend, nearly every inch of the H-D Museum’s 20-acre campus will be filled with free music, good food from MOTOR® Bar & Restaurant and some of our favorite food trucks, thrilling stunt shows, boonie bike races and so much more. 

And you know the latest and greatest from Harley-Davidson will steal the spotlight in our all-new Garage event space. But you don’t have to just admire them – the demo fleet will be filled with the new models from Harley-Davidson just itching to be taken for a spin. Enjoy a ride astride a new H-D® motorcycle through the Menomonee Valley, or join fellow riders who are aiming a bit farther with the Women’s Ride or the Pan America® Owner’s Ride, launching from the H-D Museum (advance registration required).

Harley-Davidson Events

And if your travels take you to all six participating H-D® dealers over the weekend, collect the six dealership rally tokens and stop in at the H.O.G. tent on the H-D Museum™ campus to receive a special gift from H.O.G. 

But with new galleries, new display and two new shops on campus, there’s plenty to explore at the crossroads of 6th & Canal. If you haven’t seen the new Experience Gallery, now is the time – especially with extended hours Thursday, Sept. 1 – Saturday, Sept. 3 (10 a.m. – 7 p.m.) and expanded tour offerings. On Sept. 1 & 2, guests can enjoy early morning access, plus coffee and conversation with Bill Davidson, great-grandson of founder William A. Davidson and Vice President of the H-D Museum. This special program takes place in the H-D Museum’s brand-new Experience Gallery. Advance reservations are required as this is a very limited-capacity event. After enjoying coffee and morning pastries with Bill, guests will be treated to a Beyond the Gate Tour of the H-D Museum, including the Motorcycle Vault. And on Sept. 3 & 4, check out the Beyond the Gate Tour before the H-D Museum opens to the public. A limited number of guests will be welcomed to enjoy a guided, pre-opening tour of the Museum and the Motorcycle Vault. Make your reservations today!

If you’re looking to take home memories and more, the H-D Museum™ campus now features two retail outlets to get your H-D® gear. check out the fresh threads from the Harley-Davidson® Shop with more than 150 new items lining the shelves – including new items to celebrate next year’s 120th Anniversary. And beginning Sept. 1, Harley-Davidson’s first-and-only Factory Shop will be open to the public. The Factory Shop is an outlet for non-current H-D Products that have limited inventory – including helmets, gloves, jackets and more.  The two locations will encompass more than 13,000 square feet of Harley-Davidson premium retail experience.

It’s not a party without music. Fan favorite Hairball kick starts the fun on Thursday, Sept. 1, with headliners Parmalee and Jackyl keeping it rolling all weekend long.

But the campus will still be buzzing in September with the last Bike Nights of the season happening on Thursdays and Valley Week coming to campus on Sept. 30 for an outdoor movie night.

Harley-Davidson

PROGRAMMING / EVENTS
Hometown Rally™, Sept. 1-5Join us Labor Day Weekend at the Hometown Rally™, for a celebration of all things Harley-Davidson. Situated on the 20-acre campus of The Harley-Davidson Museum, it features live events, exhibitions, motorcycle demos, and something for every enthusiast. Start with a visit through the museum which serves as a central rally point for all of the events taking place at that downtown site and six surrounding Harley-Davidson® dealerships. From there, a two-wheeled adventure is yours for the making. 

H-D Museum™ Bike Night Concert Series powered by Budweiser® King of Beers and Bulleit® Bourbon, Thursdays, 5 – 9 p.m.
All wheels unite every Thursday from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Harley-Davidson Museum. Join riders (and non-riders) for free live music from some of Milwaukee’s favorite bands, fun, drool-worthy rolling sculptures and outdoor food and beverage. The Bike Night Koozie Special is back. Enjoy $3 Busch Light all season long. Plus, the all-new Harley-Davidson® Shop is keeping its doors open until 8 p.m. for Bike Nights throughout the season.
9/8 Robert Allen Jr. Band
9/15 The Verdict
9/22 Bruce Humphries and the Rockabilly Rebels
9/29 Blacktop Kings

Saturday Demos powered by H-D Insurance, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Visit the Museum campus on Saturdays to experience the fun and freedom of a Harley-Davidson® motorcycle. Visitors with their current and valid motorcycle endorsement/license will be able to choose from a dozen of the latest and greatest #FreedomMachines from Harley-Davidson, including Touring, Softail®, Sportster®, Adventure Touring and Electric models. A pre-determined scenic route through the Menomonee Valley will give riders the chance to explore the Museum’s surrounding neighborhoods. Sign-up is on a first-come, first-serve basis. Riders and passengers must be at least 18 years of age. All riders (and passengers) must wear proper riding gear including a helmet, eye protection, shirt / jacket, long pants and closed-toe shoes with heel strap.

Annual Pass
Looking for interesting things to do and ways to fully enjoy our programs and exhibits? The Harley-Davidson Museum’s new 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.

Guided Tours
All new in ’22. Our guided tour portfolio has been updated with new experiences and content. Choose from the Spotlight Tour, the Beyond the Gate Tour or the VIP Tour. Some tours are available to the public; this schedule will vary. To book a private group tour, please call 414-287-2799 or email for more information. Advance reservations and prepayment required at least 2-weeks prior to tour date. Please note: Tour fee does not include General Admission.

Engineering Merit Badge (Saturdays at 11 a.m. and 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, partially facilitated program, 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.

Harley-Davidson Museum for Labor Day

Valley Week, Sept. 24 – Oct. 1
Valley Week showcases some of our favorite ways to experience the nature, destinations, and the Valley’s fascinating history right in the heart of Milwaukee. Be sure to make plans with the family for Movie Night at the Harley-Davidson Museum, Sept. 30 at 6 p.m.

MUST-SEE EXHIBITS AND INSTALLATIONS
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 reinstalled and all-new Experience Gallery shows the world how United We Ride! 

Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (on display now)
The four founders of Harley-Davidson were recently inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America. Learn more about this prestigious honor now on view in the H-D Museum.

Linda “Jo” Giovannoni (on display now)
This year the world of motorcycling lost a prominent voice, Linda “Jo” Giovannoni. As a co-founder ofHarley Women magazine, she shared her love of the sport through articles in newspapers and magazines, and in national television interviews and documentaries. Learn about how Giovannoni inspired riders for over 40 years.

1977 FLH “Blackula” (on display now)
Milwaukee man about town Freddie Franklin purchased his Electra Glide® motorcycle from its original owner, 95-year-old Wallace Brzezinski, with only 4,500 miles on its odometer. And in short order, he completely re-envisioned the bike to reflect his timeless style. The motorcycle incorporates some hallmarks of Franklin’s disparate tastes. A dash of the Coney Island-style bikes – decked out with lights and reflectors – he adored mixed in with elements of Willie G.’s seminal Knucklehead and topped off with details that harken to the 1970s blaxploitation films Franklin watched back in the day. A clear statement of Black pride via the language of vintage motorcycles, this is a bike you must see in-person.

Keith Brammer (Die Kreuzen) leather jacket (on display now)
Perhaps no other genre of music is so closely associated with the classic black leather jacket than punk rock. Keith Brammer, of Milwaukee’s hardcore punk band Die Kreuzen, has graciously lent his well-worn leather to the H-D Museum. The jacket was purchased in New York City in the 1980s and was a constant companion for Brammer throughout his touring days. Check out the Custom Culture gallery to view this piece of Milwaukee music history.

Revolution® Max Engine (on display now)
The brand-new Revolution® Max 1250cc engine powers a new generation of Harley-Davidson® motorcycles. See the liquid-cooled, 60-degree V-Twin that delivers for the Pan America® adventure touring model and the performance cruiser Sportster® S motorcycle. On view in the Museum lobby.

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 newly reinstalled 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. 

Harley Fox (on display now)Gail Anderson’s 1986 Softail® Custom motorcycle, “Harley Fox,” built by her partner Bob Burrows, took top prize at the first Ladies of Harley® (LOH) ride-in show during Daytona Beach Bike Week in 1987. With her custom bike and themed riding gear, Anderson presented a striking image that fit the growing visibility and exciting new options for women riders in the 1980s.

Alfonso Sotomayor’s 1957 Model FL (on display now)
The Harley-Davidson Museum is proud to announce its collection has recently grown with the addition of a 1957 Model FL that was ridden by famed Mexican stunt rider and racer Alfonso Sotomayor Canales.

Harley-Davidson’s history in Mexico dates back to at least 1913. In the 1920s, the brand was more frequently spotted throughout Mexico City as the motorcycles proved popular with the local traffic police who would also perform stunts with their Harley-Davidson® bikes. After racing from the 1930s into the 1960s, Sotomayor launched his own stunt riding career by performing the famed “Salto de la Muerte” or Jump of Death. Learn more about Sotomayor’s feats of derring-do and Harley-Davidson’s early entry into Mexico with this new display located in the Custom Culture area.

“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. 

“Building a Milwaukee Icon: Harley-Davidson’s Juneau Avenue Factory” (on display now)
A recently recovered cache of architectural drawings includes plans for the original Juneau Avenue facility. The pencil drawings, along with archival photographs, demonstrate the whirlwind pace of the company’s early growth. While building an international business—going from producing just over 1,000 motorcycles in 1909 to manufacturing 27,000 motorcycles in 1920—the company’s Milwaukee factory experienced near-constant expansion. Construction through this relatively brief period created the buildings that today, a century later, are still the proud home of Harley-Davidson.
“Building a Milwaukee Icon” provides a snapshot of Harley-Davidson’s formative years and illustrates a chapter of Milwaukee history when the city was known as the “Machine Shop to the World.”

The Harley-Davidson® Shop
Have you seen the expanded offerings at the all-new H-D™ Shop? More than 150 new items can be yours to help outfit your collection, including new collaborations! Check out the fresh Harley-Davidson Museum™ headwear and socks designed and made in the USA by Ampal. And don’t sleep on the latest Harley-Davidson® x Jason Momoa collection. This limited-edition collaboration celebrates the craftsmanship and heritage that merges iconic Harley-Davidson imagery and designs with Jason’s Aloha-spirited love of lush patterns and colors. Select styles available now at the H-D™ Shop. And now is the perfect time to refresh your wardrobe as the H-D Shop will have expanded hours over the Hometown Rally (Thu – Sat 10 a.m. – 7 p.m., Sun 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.). And be sure to check out the savings found at the all-new Factory Shop. 

MOTOR® BAR & RESTAURANT 
In addition to serving up some tasty treats over the Hometown Rally, MOTOR’s monthly specials (arriving Sept. 6) – Shrimp Po’ Boy, Diablo Burger, and Carrot Cake– are sure to satisfy.

About the Harley-Davidson Museum
Discover culture and history through stories and interactive exhibits that celebrate expression, camaraderie, and love for the sport at the Harley-Davidson Museum. A visit to the H-D Museum is an experience that will stay with you for a lifetime. With an unrivaled collection of Harley-Davidson® motorcycles and memorabilia, a 20-acre, park-like campus, and a calendar full of activities, the H-D Museum is one of Milwaukee’s top tourist destinations for visitors from around the globe. Make your plans to visit the Harley-Davidson Museum at H-DMuseum.com.

Photos: Courtesy of Harley-Davidson

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