Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Sturgis Motorcycle Museum Expansion in Full Swing
The Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame has signed a purchase agreement to buy land directly to the East of the current museum location. The land sale is expected to be complete in early June.
“The Board of the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum has been working and planning for a long time to try to find the right way to expand the museum and offer visitors a better experience,” according to Dave Davis, Board President. “We had the opportunity to purchase this property, which will allow us to plan for expansion in our current location – right on the corner of Main Street and Junction Avenue – the absolute center of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.”
The purchase of this land is only the first step toward expanding the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame. “There’s still a long way to go before we can even break ground on an addition,” says Davis. “We will need to embark on a major fundraising campaign and spend some time considering what would be the best option for our future expansion.” The museum has been located in the old Post Office Building in Sturgis since 2002, and is excited about the potential to continue to preserve the history of downtown Main Street while still growing the museum. Davis said, “Part of the museum’s charter is to preserve the history of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, and being right in the center of the rally action will help us to continue to meet that goal.”
The mission of the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame is to collect, preserve, and interpret the history of motorcycling, honor those who have made a positive and significant impact on the sport and lifestyle, and pay tribute to the heritage of the Sturgis Rally. Established in 2001, the museum is home to an ever-growing variety of motorcycles dating back to 1907. On display are a huge selection of American and metric bikes that are on loan from private individuals, along with a wide variety of exhibits, photographs, memorabilia and Sturgis Motorcycle Rally history. Museum memberships are available on the museum’s website at www.sturgismuseum.com.