If the already spectacular Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum wasn’t enough, George Barber has decided it needs something more and is completing plans for a 100,000 square foot expansion to be built inside the track. It will be connected to the existing 140,000 square foot museum by an enclosed bridge over the track where you’ll be able to observe motorcycles and cars racing underneath.
The existing museum holds about half of the Barber collection and the new addition will allow a great deal more to be available for public view. Groundbreaking will take place this year.
If this wasn’t already on your list of must see attractions, the addition will make it pretty much mandatory.
Thanks for the tip, Walter.
Link: Barber Museum Expansion
Link: Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum
dannyb278 says
If there was ever a reason for my to go to Alabama, this is it. Time to make a pilgrimage i think
Dr Robert Harms says
Be sure to carry your papers
Eric Cherry says
As a native of Alabama, that made my day. Yes, always travel with your birth certificate in Alabama.
zipidachimp says
is this an inside joke?
I had to take my passport! from canada!
Eric Cherry says
Alabama has a few very notable laws to out illegal immigrants that got enacted last year.
charlie says
This is a truly amazing place (even before the addition), and every motorcyclist owes it to themselves to make the pilgrimmage!
Eric Cherry says
http://gallery.me.com/ericcherry#100246&bgcolor=black&view=grid
I live about 2 hours from here and I go a few times a year, such an awesome place and I have a tons of photos from there. If you plan to visit Barber’s, get there first thing in the morning because you will spend all day looking at bikes. It takes 6+ hours to see it all and still wish you had more time.
akaaccount says
Wow. There goes my lunch break. Thanks.
Rich says
Twice I have visited this museum and plan to go back for at least a third. I, for one, am glad to see the expansion as the collection’s Britten was not on display either time I visited. It is the grandest facility I have visited for presenting any kind of vehicles. It makes Harrah’s look like an amateur threw some stuff together. If you are a motorcycle enthusiast, this *has* to be on your list.
Bigshankhank says
Huzzah, I would love to see some of what barbers had behind the curtain. I went there a few years back when I was working in Birmingham, it was the Honda AMA weekend if I recall. Awesome time.
zipidachimp says
attended last october’s vintage festival, spent half my time here.
I think this place houses the free world’s existing supply of yam TD/TR racers in all sizes, probably the most G50s you’ll ever see in one place, and the largest collection of the most obscure road racers you can think of, linto etc. the range of bikes is simply breathtaking, 1890s onwards.
3 cheers for the expansion, gotta go back. a must see!
Decline says
Holy crap, it was already like being instantly overloaded….now there will be glorious more!
Tim says
If you’re visiting, what do you do with your spouses? My significant other would spend about an hour humouring me looking at bikes then would be bored. I could (and will) happily spend a day or more there. So, what can she do? Where can she go?
Eric Cherry says
There’s a great deal of shopping available in Birmingham (adjacent to Leeds). Check out Birmingham’s chamber of commerce’s website, they have plenty of leads to keeping the ladies entertained. Which is a good idea, nothing ruins 6+ hours of man-fun than a bored wife hours away from home.
Chris R says
Your Spouse can go 2 hours up I-65 to the NASA Space Museum in Huntsville, or stop an hour north to Hartselle to Antique shop, or for people of the Catholic faith there is EWTN campus only 15 minutes away. That is just a very small non-biker activities. Alabama has so many sites that should not be missed in this great state. No I don’t work for C of C of Alabama, in fact I am not even a resident, Yet!
JSH says
There is a new outlet mall in Leeds. It is at the same exit as the Barber Museum on the other side of the highway.
craigj says
A new excuse to go back to a great motorcycle destination! Of course the way I have to get there includes the Dragon and the BRP amongst other great roads …