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The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum broke ground Wednesday morning on their new Restoration and Event Center, at 1111 Polco Street; just blocks from the track.
It will eventually be an 87,000 square-foot space that is home to about 150 Indy cars that are currently around the city. The goal is to allow fans watch those vehicles be restored from start to finish.
"I was able to inherit a lot of other people's visions and it's so exciting to take those visions and bring them to life," said Michael Good, who is four months into his role as the organization's president. "It's really more than a ribbon-cutting, this is really a transformational moment for the museum. This is a vision becoming a reality that's been in play for a long time, and we're actually able to see it start to take shape."
The original Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum was built back in 1956, but since 1976, the museum has been in the same space in the track's infield. In the time since its opening, the museum has had multiple renovations, most notably in 2023, which was completed in March 2025. However, Good made it clear that this project is something much different.
In addition to restoring the cars, the second floor of the facility will offer a space for events that "overlooks both the gallery and the restoration shop," according to Good. The museum already hosts a number of events, but with the new space, this is expected to increase significantly.
"We needed space," said Rob Dyson, a recent inductee into the Motor Sports Hall of Fame, who was instrumental in creating the new space. "The guys at the restoration shop were working out of a two-car garage. We just were not able to handle the task at hand of making these cars preserved and working.
"There is no other site that could be better for what the museum is able to do with this site."
One of the fundamental pillars of the project has been providing an educational experience for the next generation of race fans.
"The main thing that I am really excited about with this initiative as well is our chance to stimulate and educate a whole new generation of race fans, a whole new generation of people that will be loyal to the traditions of the Indianapolis 500," Newly appointed museum chairman, Chuck Jones said.
Indianapolis-based construction company Shiel Sexton is spearheading the efforts. There isn't a firm date for completion at this time but Good gave the audience an idea of their goals.
"We're hoping to open it a year from now, give or take," he said. "So, we're hoping to have this open before the race next year."
Get IndyStar's motor sports coverage sent directly to your inbox with our Motor Sports newsletter. Subscribe to theYouTube channel IndyStar TV: IndyCar for a behind-the-scenes look at IndyCar and expert analysis.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IMS Museum breaks ground on new Restoration and Event Center
Continue reading...
It will eventually be an 87,000 square-foot space that is home to about 150 Indy cars that are currently around the city. The goal is to allow fans watch those vehicles be restored from start to finish.
"I was able to inherit a lot of other people's visions and it's so exciting to take those visions and bring them to life," said Michael Good, who is four months into his role as the organization's president. "It's really more than a ribbon-cutting, this is really a transformational moment for the museum. This is a vision becoming a reality that's been in play for a long time, and we're actually able to see it start to take shape."
The original Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum was built back in 1956, but since 1976, the museum has been in the same space in the track's infield. In the time since its opening, the museum has had multiple renovations, most notably in 2023, which was completed in March 2025. However, Good made it clear that this project is something much different.
In addition to restoring the cars, the second floor of the facility will offer a space for events that "overlooks both the gallery and the restoration shop," according to Good. The museum already hosts a number of events, but with the new space, this is expected to increase significantly.
"We needed space," said Rob Dyson, a recent inductee into the Motor Sports Hall of Fame, who was instrumental in creating the new space. "The guys at the restoration shop were working out of a two-car garage. We just were not able to handle the task at hand of making these cars preserved and working.
"There is no other site that could be better for what the museum is able to do with this site."
One of the fundamental pillars of the project has been providing an educational experience for the next generation of race fans.
"The main thing that I am really excited about with this initiative as well is our chance to stimulate and educate a whole new generation of race fans, a whole new generation of people that will be loyal to the traditions of the Indianapolis 500," Newly appointed museum chairman, Chuck Jones said.
Indianapolis-based construction company Shiel Sexton is spearheading the efforts. There isn't a firm date for completion at this time but Good gave the audience an idea of their goals.
"We're hoping to open it a year from now, give or take," he said. "So, we're hoping to have this open before the race next year."
Get IndyStar's motor sports coverage sent directly to your inbox with our Motor Sports newsletter. Subscribe to theYouTube channel IndyStar TV: IndyCar for a behind-the-scenes look at IndyCar and expert analysis.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IMS Museum breaks ground on new Restoration and Event Center
Continue reading...
