Hog heaven has roared into Milwaukee, and it welcomes business groups to its hallowed hall, along with loyalists and other enraptured observers.
At the new $75 million Harley-Davidson Museum near downtown, private events are welcome in several venues—in the same square footage that displays historic cycles and motorcycle simulations.
Even those who don’t worship or ride cycles find fascination and heritage interest here. After all, the Harley-Davidson company has been around for over a century, so it’s all tied up with transformative American experiences like Elvis Presley, the Great Depression and wars.
This largest U.S. motorcycle maker is now a Fortune 500 company and its prime demographic isn’t all bearded and tattooed. Your personal physician or lawyer may have a Harley sequestered away in his—or her—garage.
Museum visitors experience the rumble of 1920s board track racing and the development of the passion and camaraderie of early cycle clubs. They learn what makes the famed “potato potato” sound recognized the world over, and how it feels like to sit on a Harley-Davidson and make the road your own.
And there are the historic treasures, like the oldest Harley: Serial Number One. Built by company founders William S. Harley and Arthur Davidson inside a 10x15-foot wooden shed, it’s a pedal bike with a small engine. Elvis’ red and white 1956 Model KH, along with its January 1956 paperwork that notes he bought it from a Memphis dealer, is there, too. The “King’s” payments were $50.15 a month and he lists his occupation as a “vocalist—self-employed.” The purchase happened a few months before “Heartbreak Hotel” climbed to the top of the charts.
Located on a grassy green peninsula bordered by riverfront on three sides, the Harley-Davidson Museum can host from 10 to 1,000 at events or meetings indoors. A whopping 15,000 can mingle on the grounds outside, where stunning river views enhance the occasion.
The museum’s arrival is spawning other new Milwaukee icons, like the experience-centric Iron Horse Hotel. The new 102-room boutique with chic design, exposed brick, high ceilings and exposed timbers, and has 3,500 square feet of meeting space inside its walls.
Shelves for motorcycle helmets grace guest rooms, plus hulking hooks to handle the weight of leather jackets, and cycles get pampered in the hotel’s on-site bike wash. There are several convening choices, including a War Room, complete with a conference table for 18 and complete AV/IT amenities. Adjacent to that room is the “Sand Box,” ideal for dining, socializing, brainstorming and breakouts.
In Milwaukee, it seems, hogs are on a roll.
For More Info
Harley-Davidson Museum www.harley-davidson.com
