
(Disclosure: My visit was included as part of attending the WITS17 opening night party. More about that community of Women in Travel: https://www.sheswanderful.com .)
Confessions of an aspiring biker
I grew up in Southern California’s Pomona Valley close to the base of the San Bernadino mountains. My first love was a biker wannabe, he was center stage in my Catholic school rebellion period after high school. I learned the wonders of motorcycle riding while riding out to the beach, loving the sense of freedom, being able to smell and hear everything and to hold on tight to my guy. He bought me a little motorcycle, a Honda 80, for my birthday and kept it at his house so my parents wouldn’t know until I moved up to college in San Francisco.
I still remember riding over the Chino hillside, spooking jackrabbits and learning how to handle the bike. However, once I moved north, the relationship soured, as long distance couples often find out. I used the bike only a few times in the intimidating San Francisco traffic before admitting defeat and took to safer forms of transportation in the midst of buses, trucks and crazy pedestrians. Ignominiously the bike became a plant stand for a fuchsia in my living room. Then, like the relationship, I moved on and sold the bike to pay for furniture.
Like a kid a candy shop, I trekked around the ‘campus’ as they call it on the river in Milwaukee. The sun was setting fast and I wanted to see things before dark closed in. There was a wooden shed on the edge of a field. It’s a replica of the original 10 x 15-foot shed that the Davidson brothers’ father built behind their home. He was a cabinet maker who probably grew from incredulity to amazement as the boys’ inventions led to a worldwide craze. The company headquarters still stand across the street from the original location in a large, wooden building.
The museum is really a reflection of the history of America. The Harley Davidson company stayed in the black by delivering bikes during the Great Depression and World Wars. They’ve been used by police and fire departments for decades.
There’s a culture to biking that I can only imagine but within the walls of the Harley Davidson museum, you can immerse yourself in it, biker or not. There’s a floor dedicated to pop culture. There are dramatically lit replicas of the Easy Rider bike and movie poster, the Elvis bike and the Rhinestone Harley, to name a few.
The Harley-Davidson Museum is laid out over several floors and each is more interesting than the next. I wish I’d had more than a quick few minutes to walk through. Plan on spending several hours.
There’s even lots for kids to do. They’ll love sitting on the different motorcycles and playing the old school arcade game, the Evel Knievel Daredevil Challenge.
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The Museum is a bit expensive ($20 per adult.) Look online for discounts and even if you can’t break for a ticket visit the store that’s overflowing with memorabilia and replicas of classic shirts, pants, and even pajamas.
The Motor cafe is open to all and sits facing the river with a menu that boasts about “American Classics celebrating life on the road.” That’s a tall order but with Road House Chili, BBQ ribs and lots of Wisconsin favorites I won’t quibble.
While you walk the grounds keep your ears alert for different languages. The Harley Davidson Museum is a mecca for international visitors indulging their inner biker too. It’s fuel for the fantasy. Vroom. Vroom.
If you go to the Harley Davidson Museum in Milwaukee:
- Address: 400 W Canal St, At the corner of 6th and Canal, Milwaukee, WI 53203-3208
- +1 877-436-8738
- The Harley Davidson Experience – http://www.harley-davidson.com
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I’ve been wanting to check this museum out for a while. I didn’t realize they also had a floor dedicated to pop culture.
I love my harley!
Lucky you. Hope you get to the museum sooner than later.
Amazing images of bike.. Well done!
Great job.
Awesome post, I’m so bummed I didn’t go to the Friday night party at WITS and stayed in Chicago instead. Maybe I’ll head back up this summer!
#TheWeeklyPostcard
Wish you’d been there!
Harley Davidson is a legend and it’s the pilgrimage for motorcycle lovers. Thanks a lot for the post and sharing and I will be visiting there when I am in town! @ knycx.journeying
Truly a cool place and so interesting.
You actually look pretty good on that bike, Elaine. I’m sure you would have been a great biker if pursued your dream. My sister drove a bike for a few years and she told me it’s very exhilarating. This sounds like a great museum for bike lovers. #TheWeeklyPostcard
Kind of you, Anda. I’d still be game given the right road.
You look like a natural sitting on the bike! I’ve never learned to ride, but it’s one of those bucketlist things I would love to do, Harley Davidson culture made it here to Australia too, most likely an influence which passed down through the US. I would love to visit the museum and look around, $20 isn’t too bad for admission, especially when there are so many floors and you could make it a whole day 🙂
Glad to hear you visited. Australia seems a natural for biker culture.
I had the chance to visit the Harley Davidson Museum in Milwaukee a couple years ago and had a great time, but like you said, wish I had more time. So many cool things to look at!
To think I hadn’t heard of it before that night!
I’m not a big motorcycle person, but the museum looks like a great place to for a photo shoot. The history is really interesting too. Harley Davidson is just such an iconic brand. Thanks for sharing on #TheWeeklyPostcard.
Definitely lots of great spots to shoot and pictures are welcome.
OOOOh my stepdad would LOOOVE this! He’s had a bike for as long as I can remember! Thanks for linking up with #TheWeeklyPostcard!
Thanks, Lolo. I hope he with you in tow, visit one day.