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Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum

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Birmingham, AL
Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum

The world's largest motorcycle and Lotus race car museum located in Birmingham, AL. It's an exciting place to be! We look forward to welcoming you here!
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The Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum, a 501(c)(3) Not for Profit Foundation, is located at the 880-acre Barber Motorsports Park, in Birmingham, AL. The museum, which is home to over 1,800 motorcycles, is dedicated to restoring, preserving, and exhibiting Motorsports history. Each October, the museum hosts the Barber Vintage Festival, which is the largest vintage motorcycle event in the country. B

arber Motorsports Park has hosted hundreds of major races since it opened in 2003, including many weekends of the Honda Indy Grand Prix of AL and MotoAmerica rounds. The sound of cars and motorcycles on the track is something you get to hear on most days and weekends. In addition to motorcycles and cars, there are art exhibits throughout the museum and park. The museum also has two pedestrian bridges over the race track for museum members to enjoy during certain yearly events. Members enjoy free admission to the museum, invitations to members-only events, a subscription to the quarterly Vintage Insider News, and more. Learn more about the Barber Museum at www.BarberMuseum.org.

09/03/2026

Mark your calendars, museum members: Wednesday, October 7. That’s the date for the exclusive preview of the DUCATI 100 and GSX-R FORTY YEARS exhibitions, curated by board member Ultan Guilfoyle and designed by resident mentor Pierre Terblanche.

For this after-hours event, members, plus one invited guest, will have first access to the exhibitions. Drinks and light hors d'oeuvres will be served. To learn more about membership and its benefits, or to register for the event, follow the link in the comments.

DUCATI 100 and GSX-R FORTY YEARS are made possible with support from the Italian American Heritage Society of Birmingham, Alabama.

09/01/2026

No rear-view mirrors. No turn signals. Electric start? Fuhgeddaboudit! In his 2014 book, “The Art of Ducati,” historian Ian Falloon described the 750 Super Sport as “the first factory race replica of a race-winning machine.” The bevel-drive 748cc twin paid tribute to the fully faired racers that swept the 1972 Imola 200 in the hands of Paul Smart and Bruno Spaggiari.

Between 1974 and ’75, Ducati produced a reported 401 750 Super Sports. A preproduction example formed the basis for the “California Hot Rod,” the highly developed race bike that Cycle magazine editors Cook Neilson and Phil Schilling successfully campaigned in AMA competition and famously documented on the pages of that publication.

Acquired in 1992, this particular single-kick-startup restoration is one of three 750 Super Sports in the museum’s permanent collection. The tail section is signed by both Neilson and Schilling. “The fiberglass and some of the ancillary components were of dubious quality,” Falloon generalized in his book, “but the engine was a masterpiece.”

DUCATI 100 and GSX-R FORTY YEARS are made possible with support from the Italian American Heritage Society of Birmingham, Alabama.

Photos: Wes Johnson/Sparks Photography

08/30/2026

Preparations are underway for the GSX-R FORTY YEARS and DUCATI 100 exhibitions at the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum.

The exhibitions will open in conjunction with the 21st annual Barber Vintage Festival, October 9-11, and be housed on the third and fifth floors of the museum.

Note: A festival ticket does NOT provide admission to the museum. A separate ticket is required and may only be purchased in person at the front desk.

DUCATI 100 and GSX-R FORTY YEARS are made possible with support from the Italian American Heritage Society of Birmingham, Alabama.

Follow the link in the comments to learn more about the benefits of museum membership.

Photos: Wes Johnson/Sparks Photography

08/27/2026

Public-school and homeschool groups are invited to explore the world of motorsports through guided tours and engaging, hands-on STEM activities at the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum.

Students in grades 3-12 can discover the science, engineering, design, and history behind the cars and motorcycles they love through experiential learning.

Bring your class and fuel their curiosity. Field-trip opportunities are available now, so plan your visit today by clicking the link in the comments.

08/25/2026

How does the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum’s conservation staff access the motorcycles displayed in the four towers flanking the main elevator?

Two industrial scissor lifts raise fully harnessed personnel as high as the fifth level, where they can safely reach the individual machines.

A crane is required for the uppermost levels. First, though, the unit must be partially disassembled, moved into position, and then reassembled.

Such extreme efforts are reserved for either cleaning, service, or special occasions, like the upcoming DUCATI 100 and GSX-R FORTY YEARS exhibitions.

DUCATI 100 and GSX-R FORTY YEARS are made possible with support from the Italian American Heritage Society of Birmingham, Alabama.

Photo: Wes Johnson/Sparks Photography

08/23/2026

The Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum participated this summer in “Camp Life Career Fest,” a career fair hosted by the Children's Aid Society of Alabama. The annual fair is part of “Camp Life,” a week-long program intended to prepare youth in foster care for independent living.

Museum staffers Bryce Brown and Zeke DeZeeuw volunteered to share their events- and conservation-related experiences. They met with roughly 160 students across two fairs, which targeted ages 14-16 and 17-20.

“Bryce and Zeke were great ambassadors for the museum and really enjoyed speaking with the students,” said Education Programs Manager Liz Johnson, Ph.D. Follow the link in the comments to learn more about the museum’s education offerings.

08/20/2026

“GSX-R FORTY YEARS” is one of two new exhibitions scheduled to be unveiled inside the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum in conjunction with the 21st annual Barber Vintage Festival, October 9-11, at Barber Motorsports Park.

GSX-R FORTY YEARS concentrates on a single model line, developed, as author Marc Cook described in “Suzuki GSX-R: A Legacy of Performance,” with “a clarity of focus and a depth of commitment to a concept that few bikes in history had ever presented.”

Ultan Guilfoyle, museum board member and co-curator of “The Art of the Motorcycle,” which set attendance records when it debuted nearly 30 years ago at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City, is organizing both exhibitions.

“When I first met George Barber,” said Guilfoyle, “his vision for what the museum and park could bring to Birmingham and a wider audience was astonishing for its farsightedness. Part of that vision was a robust and engaging museum exhibition program.”

Pierre Terblanche, resident mentor in the Barber Advanced Design Center, located on the fifth floor of the museum, worked closely with Guilfoyle and a talented creative team to design the open, flowing exhibitions.

This year’s festival carries special meaning as attendees celebrate the life of museum and park founder George Barber. Children 15 years of age and under receive free admission when accompanied by a paying adult. Ticketing link in comments.

DUCATI 100 and GSX-R FORTY YEARS are made possible with support from the Italian American Heritage Society of Birmingham, Alabama.

08/18/2026

“DUCATI 100” is one of two new exhibitions scheduled to open inside the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum at the 21st annual Barber Vintage Festival, October 9-11, at Barber Motorsports Park.

Saluting a century of rich history, DUCATI 100 draws a direct line from an electromechanical pioneer to a modern-day motorcycle manufacturer recognized worldwide for its brilliant engineering and championship-winning racing heritage.

Ultan Guilfoyle, museum board member and co-curator of “The Art of the Motorcycle,” which set attendance records when it debuted nearly 30 years ago at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City, is organizing both exhibitions.

“When I first met George Barber,” said Guilfoyle, “his vision for what the museum and park could bring to Birmingham and a wider audience was astonishing for its farsightedness. To be asked to curate these two exhibitions in celebration of George’s life is a thrill and an honor.”

Pierre Terblanche, resident mentor in the Barber Advanced Design Center, worked closely with Guilfoyle to design the exhibitions. Four Ducati motorcycles designed by Terblanche—Supermono, 999R, MH900e, and Hypermotard—appear in DUCATI 100.

This year’s festival carries special meaning as attendees celebrate the life of museum and park founder George Barber. Children 15 years of age and under receive free admission when accompanied by a paying adult. Ticketing link in comments.

DUCATI 100 and GSX-R FORTY YEARS are made possible with support from the Italian American Heritage Society of Birmingham, Alabama.

08/16/2026

Members of the Greater Alabama Council, BSA enjoyed a special treat this past month at the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum, courtesy of Honda.

Matthew Crimm and Wes King, associates at Honda’s nearby Lincoln, Alabama, automotive manufacturing plant, visited the museum in support of its engineering merit-badge program.

Crimm is a graduate of The Georgia Institute of Technology, and King studied at University of Alabama Birmingham. Both majored in mechanical engineering.

“We are incredibly grateful to Matthew and Wes for sharing their time, expertise, and passion for engineering with our scouts,” said Liz Johnson, Ph.D., education programs manager. “Their enthusiasm was contagious, and they were wonderful ambassadors, inspiring the next generation of engineers and highlighting the incredible career opportunities available right here in Alabama.”

This was the first time the museum offered the two-day program during the summer months. Traditionally, it has only been available on select Saturdays during the school year.

Honda produces 340,000 vehicles and roughly the same number of six-cylinder engines annually in Lincoln. The plant employs some 4,500 associates.

Photos: Wes Johnson/Sparks Photography

08/13/2026

George Barber never got to drive a Porsche 906. He ordered one of the new lightweight homologation specials to replace a 904 damaged in the 1965 12 Hours of Sebring. When the factory stepped in to dictate his co-driver, however, Barber canceled his order.

This 906 is one of three Porsche reproduction projects currently underway at the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum. Some years ago, Barber saw an advertisement for a 906 in a car magazine and asked Senior Restoration Technician Lee Clark to look into it.

Barber struck a deal, with the car to be delivered complete, minus the engine and transmission. Circumstances surrounding the coronavirus pandemic delayed fulfillment, so Clark picked up the body and rolling chassis and trailered it to Birmingham.

“I spent a lot of time finishing the car and correcting some things, like modifying the chassis to accept a 3.2-liter 911 engine and type 915 gearbox,” said Clark. “Our intent was to build a car that we could easily maintain with available parts so we can demonstrate it.

“When I first drove it, the engine sounded great, the transmission shifted well, and the brakes stopped the car. Casey Hooper at Eurasian Auto Service set up the chassis, and I’ll do a final test drive after I install a driver’s harness.” Somewhere, George Barber is smiling.

Photo: Wes Johnson/Sparks Photography

Address

6030 Barber Motorsports Parkway
Birmingham, AL
35094

Opening Hours

Monday	10am - 5pm
Tuesday	10am - 5pm
Wednesday	10am - 5pm
Thursday	10am - 5pm
Friday	10am - 5pm
Saturday	10am - 5pm
Sunday	12pm - 5pm

Telephone

+12056997275

Website

https://linktr.ee/barbermuseum

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