The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum, located five miles northwest of downtown Indianapolis on the grounds of the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway, is recognized as one of the most highly visible museums in the world devoted to automobiles and auto racing. In 1987, the museum and Speedway grounds were honored with the designation of National Historic Landmark.

The late Tony Hulman and Karl Kizer, the museum's first director, established the original Hall of Fame Museum in 1956. The building was located at the southwest corner of the Speedway's property where the Speedway's Administration Building now stands. It was large enough only to display a few vintage race cars. Before long, it was obvious something more substantial was needed.

During 1975, Hulman built a larger, more modern museum within the Speedway oval, its opening coinciding with the United States Bicentennial celebration in 1976.

Constructed of pre-cast cement and Wyoming quartz, the facility encompasses 96,000 square feet of museum and administrative office space. Museum display space measures approximately 30,000 square feet. A glass canopy above the main display floor provides year-round natural light. The building also houses two Speedway gift shops, the track's photography department and other offices.

An air-conditioned snack shop and departure area for bus tours of the historic 2.5-mile oval is located near the museum's front doors. About one-third of the museum's estimated 250,000 annual visitors tour the museum during May, the month of the annual Indianapolis 500-Mile Race.

Approximately 75 vehicles are on display at all times, and among the featured attractions are:

• · The Louis Chevrolet Memorial, featuring a bronze bust of Chevrolet with four bronze panels about his automotive accomplishments.
• · The Marmon "Wasp," which won the inaugural Indianapolis 500 in 1911 with Ray Harroun at the wheel, and was featured on a postage stamp in the U.S. Postal Service's Transportation Series.
• · Four two-time winning cars: the Boyle Maserati (Wilbur Shaw 1939-40), the Blue Crown Spark Plug Special (Mauri Rose 1947-48), the Fuel Injection Special (Bill Vukovich 1953-54) and the Belond Special (Sam Hanks 1957 and Jimmy Bryan 1958).
• · More than 30 Indianapolis 500-winning cars.
• · The four cars driven to victory by A.J. Foyt Jr., including his 1977 machine that represents his record-setting fourth Indy 500 win.
• · The Duesenberg #12 Murphy Special, the only car ever to win both the Indianapolis 500 (1922) and the French Grand Prix at Le Mans (1921).
• · Dave Evans' #8 Cummins Diesel Special, the first car to complete the Indy 500 without a pit stop in 1931.
• · The 1965 Le Mans-winning Ferrari 250 LM.
• · A 1954/55 Mercedes-Benz Formula One car.
• · A 1957 SSI Corvette.
• · A 1998 Stewart-Ford SF-2 Formula One car.
• · A rare 1935 Duesenberg Model JN four-door convertible passenger car, of which only three were built.
• · An equally rare 1925 McFarlan TV6 passenger roadster.

• The Hall of Fame Museum also displays the equipment and methods used for timing and scoring the Indianapolis 500 from the first race to the 21st century, including a viewer-activated computer presentation that explains the progress through the years.

An extensive trophy collection, including the famed Borg-Warner Trophy, which honors the winner of each Indianapolis 500, is also on display along with auto racing trophies, honors and awards from around the world.

For a more visual taste of the Indianapolis 500, the museum offers visitors the 48-seat Tony Hulman Theater, featuring a 20-minute presentation of rare historic footage and Indianapolis 500 highlights.

The Hall of Fame Museum is open 364 days a year (closed Christmas Day) from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and features extended hours to reflect open gate times during May activities. Admission is $3 for adults, $1 for ages 6-15, and children under age 6 are admitted free. For more information, contact the museum welcome desk at (317) 492-6784.