Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum Could Soon Double In Size, With A Price Of $100M

Indy Museum

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, which "looks much as it did when it opened in its current location 40 years ago, may be on the verge of transformation," according to Will Higgins of the INDIANAPOLIS STAR.

IMS Foundation Exec Dir Betsy Smith said, "The lighting, the technology, it's vintage 1976.

We're a racing museum, but nothing in here moves. Except the trophy. … I'd like to get some interactive technology in here and some video so that visitors could really experience racing."

She added that board members "recently gave the OK to explore a plan that would double the size of the building, a move she figures might cost" $100M. Smith "envisions meeting rooms, classrooms and additional event space that would draw more people and generate revenue."

The additional space also would "allow the museum to show off more of its storied collection."

About 60 cars are currently "displayed in the museum's 30,000 square feet." The foundation "owns 300 additional cars that for lack of space gather dust in the museum's basement." Smith said, "You never want to display your entire collection all at once, but (with the expansion) we could display maybe 150 and rotate them more often."

Higgins notes some smaller changes "already are in effect."

The decades-old film that told the history of IMS in the museum's small theater "has been replaced by a new version." The theater itself "has been updated, with new lighting, a new screen and new seating" INDIANAPOLIS STAR