With 80-100 vintage and historic race cars, motorcycles, and hydroplanes always on display, World of Speed Motorsports Museum is a must-see destination for racing enthusiasts of all types. Located in Wilsonville, Oregon, just 20 minutes south of Portland in the scenic Willamette Valley, the Museum is filled with exhibits and interactive activities that provide hours of fun for the whole family.
On March 23, World of Speed Motorsports Museum will unveil their new exhibit, Mario Andretti: Racing Royalty, honoring the most successful American race car driver of all time. The feature exhibit celebrates the 50th anniversary of his Pike’s Peak and Indianapolis 500 race wins, as well as his success across five decades of racing. This retrospective of his achievements features vehicles from some of those important wins as well as other cars from his storied race career.
Along with this retrospective, the Museum is proud to present original interview film footage with Mario himself, his twin brother Aldo, son Michael, and grandson Marco. The films also feature racing luminaries including former President of Race Operations for IndyCar and Race Director Brian Barnhart, President of Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) Doug Boles, two-time IndyCar 500 winner Al Unser Jr, four-time IndyCar 500 winner Al Unser Sr., and IMS Historian Donald Davidson.
World of Speed’s galleries showcase a main featured exhibit which changes every six to nine months, along with several other smaller exhibits that change every nine to 12 months. The Archive preserves photographs, artifacts, technical drawings, publications, memorabilia, and much more. These items are accessible online, in the Archive Room, and in exhibits throughout the Museum.
The Museum also has several permanent exhibits on display, including: Daytona Banking – a 31 degree banked-turn replica of the original tri-oval course featuring four vehicles from legendary NASCAR drivers along with race suits, helmets and other memorabilia showcasing Daytona 500 racers; ZERO TO 1000 MPH – an exhibit detailing over a century of land speed records using vintage car models and toys alongside automobiles from Mickey Thompson’s fleet; Women in Racing – a rotating exhibit honoring women and their contributions to racing; and Race Car Simulators – three simulators representing NASCAR, IndyCar, and Formula One racing test a driver’s skills and nerve during 12-minute races.
The Start Line Club has kid-focused interactive educational games and toys for children of all ages, including a replica Ford Mustang. The newest addition is the Super Service Center – a replica of an automotive garage where children can change tires, replace the “oil,” and perform other services on a kid-sized car.
World of Speed has received national attention for its innovative automotive education program. Students from nine area high schools attend college-credit classes in the Museum’s two state-of-the-art classrooms and 11-bay auto shop. Behind-the-scene tours of the program take place most Saturdays.