Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum: Visitor Guide
Updated March 7, 2026
The world's largest collection of racing cars — open every day of the year except Thanksgiving and Christmas.
4750 W. 16th Street, Speedway, IN 46224 · Gate 2 entrance · Open daily 9 AM–5 PM · (463) 244-2680
Why Visit the IMS Museum
Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the largest racing facility in the world by seating capacity, and the museum inside it is the largest racing museum in the world by collection size. But the numbers undersell it.
The Borg-Warner Trophy is the most iconic object in American motorsport. The original trophy, displayed in the museum, has the silver likeness of every Indianapolis 500 winner's face relief-sculpted onto it going back to 1936. Standing next to it and tracing the faces — Ray Harroun, A.J. Foyt, Mario Andretti, Helio Castroneves — is genuinely moving for anyone with even a passing interest in racing history. Don't rush past this.
The collection spans more than a century of motorsport — open-wheel IndyCars from the early 1900s, mid-century roadsters, the turbine-powered STP Oil Treatment car that nearly won in 1967, Formula 1 cars, NASCAR entries, and modern IndyCar machines. The variety and depth of the collection is what separates IMS from other racing museums.
The design, engineering evolution, and sheer spectacle of the cars span 120 years of American innovation. Visitors who don't follow IndyCar consistently say the museum surprised them — the machines look alien from different eras, and the context of racing at 240 mph in something with no roof and an open cockpit makes an impression. It's a design and history museum as much as a racing museum.
The museum is open 363 days a year — closed only on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. That makes it a reliable Indianapolis attraction in any season and a strong option for rainy days, cold winter trips, or any day when outdoor activities aren't appealing. The museum is fully climate-controlled.
What's Inside the Museum
The IMS Museum's galleries cover more than a century of racing history across multiple motorsport disciplines. Here's what to look for:
A dedicated collection of Indy 500 winning cars spanning multiple eras. The contrast between the early roadsters and the carbon-fiber open-wheel cars of the modern era makes the engineering evolution visceral. Many are displayed with their original race livery.
IMS hosted the United States Grand Prix, and the museum reflects that history with Formula 1 machinery from multiple eras. The international scope of the collection goes beyond just Indy cars.
The centerpiece of the museum. The silver trophy stands over five feet tall and carries the sculpted face of every Indy 500 winner going back to 1936. A baby Borg-Warner trophy — a miniature replica — is presented to each winner to keep. The original stays at IMS.
The IMS Hall of Fame honors drivers, car owners, mechanics, and contributors to the history of Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Extensive archival photography, memorabilia, and biographical exhibits document the people who shaped the race over more than a century.
Helmets, driving suits, trophies, and personal effects from drivers across multiple eras. The collection includes items from legends like A.J. Foyt (four-time winner), Al Unser Sr. (four-time winner), Rick Mears (four-time winner), and more recent champions.
Extensive photographic archives document the Indy 500 going back to 1911 — the first running of the race. The images of early IMS (when the track surface was made of bricks, before asphalt was laid) are striking. Race-week photography, victory celebrations, and pit lane action fill multiple gallery sections.
Driving simulators and interactive displays let visitors get a sense of what racing at speed actually involves. These are particularly popular with younger visitors and families.
Track Tours: Riding the Oval
Museum admission is required for track tours. Tours run separately from museum admission and represent the most memorable part of an IMS visit for many visitors. You're getting on the actual racetrack — the same 2.5-mile oval where the Indianapolis 500 has been run since 1911.
Tour buses take visitors around the 2.5-mile oval, stopping at the start/finish line — where the original strip of bricks (the "yard of bricks") is still embedded in the asphalt. Your guide explains the history of each section of the track, the banking in the turns, and what 230 mph feels like from a car versus a bus. The yard of bricks stop is where visitors traditionally kneel and kiss the bricks — a genuine IMS tradition.
Tour pricing: Adults $15 · Seniors 55+ $12 · Military $12 · Youth (6–16) $8 · Children 5 and under free
Available on select dates from April through October, these 90-minute tours go behind the public areas of the Speedway — into the Pagoda (the iconic tower at the start/finish line), through Gasoline Alley (where teams garage their cars during race week), to the Victory Podium, and onto the track itself. Visitors must be at least 12 years old with an adult present. These tours have limited availability and sell out faster than bus tours.
Reserve golf cart tours in advance — they sell out. Check the IMS website for available dates and booking.
Tickets & Pricing
Individual Plus: $125 · Family/Grandparent: $175 · Donor levels from $300. Members get unlimited annual admission plus exclusive events and benefits. A strong value for Indianapolis residents or anyone planning multiple visits.
Tickets are available online via the IMS website and at the door. Walk-up is generally available on non-event days — the museum does not typically sell out except during race week and major events. During race events (the Indy 500, Brickyard 400), gate admission to IMS is required separately from museum admission.
Parking at IMS is free on non-event days. Enter at Gate 2 on W. 16th Street.
Getting There from Downtown Indianapolis
The IMS Museum is at 4750 W. 16th Street, Speedway, IN 46224 — about 6 miles west of downtown Indianapolis. There is no practical walking option. On a normal (non-race) day, transportation is simple and stress-free.
Uber or Lyft from downtown Indianapolis to IMS runs $15–20 and takes about 15–20 minutes depending on traffic. On a normal day there are no surge pricing issues. Drop-off and pickup from the Gate 2 area is straightforward. This is the easiest option if you're staying downtown without a rental car.
15–20 minutes from downtown via W. 16th Street or Georgetown Road. Parking at IMS is free and plentiful on non-event days — enter at Gate 2. The town of Speedway surrounds the track, so navigation is easy. On race days and major events, this changes dramatically — see the Indy 500 guide for race-day traffic planning.
If you've rented a car for your Indianapolis visit, IMS is a straightforward drive. There's no reason to navigate around race traffic on a regular museum day — the roads flow normally and parking is easy.
How Long to Budget for Your Visit
A focused walk through the main galleries, spending time with the Borg-Warner Trophy and the major car collections. This is the minimum for a meaningful visit.
Add the oval tour and the yard of bricks stop. This is the recommended combination for most first-time visitors — you see the collection and you actually get onto the track. Plan for a half-day.
The 90-minute behind-the-scenes golf cart tour adds the Pagoda, Gasoline Alley, and Victory Podium access on top of the museum visit. This is the deepest IMS experience available on a non-race day.
Add a meal at Dawson's on Main or another Speedway restaurant before or after the museum. This makes for a full half-day trip from downtown.
The Town of Speedway, Indiana
Indianapolis Motor Speedway doesn't sit in Indianapolis proper — it's surrounded by the Town of Speedway, an incorporated municipality with its own identity. Speedway is quiet on non-race days: a small, friendly Indianapolis suburb with its own Main Street and a few good spots to eat.
The most well-known restaurant in Speedway — a casual bar and grill on Main Street with solid food, a comfortable atmosphere, and deep ties to the racing community. Race-themed decor, local crowd, and a reliable lunch or dinner option before or after the museum. During race week it's packed; on a regular weekday it's an easy walk-in.
A short strip of locally-owned businesses within walking distance of the IMS Gate 2 entrance. Small and low-key — this isn't Mass Ave or the Fountain Square scene — but it has enough for a quick meal or a coffee before your museum visit.
During the Indianapolis 500 and the Brickyard 400, Speedway transforms completely. Main Street fills with race teams, fans, and vendors. If you're visiting during race week, the town itself is part of the experience. On a normal museum day, it's quiet and easy to navigate.
Tips for Your Visit
It's the centerpiece of the museum for a reason. Take a few minutes with it. Find the faces of the four-time winners — A.J. Foyt, Al Unser, Rick Mears, Helio Castroneves. Read the years. The trophy is more impressive in person than in photographs and rewards the time you give it.
The behind-the-scenes golf cart tours (April–October) have limited capacity and sell out. If the golf cart tour is a priority for your visit, book it before you arrive in Indianapolis. Bus tours have more capacity and are easier to get on the day of.
Weekends, especially summer weekends, bring more visitors. Weekday mornings are the least crowded time to visit the museum and have the shortest waits for track tours. If your schedule allows it, Tuesday through Thursday morning is ideal.
The museum is fully climate-controlled. On a rainy Indianapolis afternoon or a hot August day when outdoor attractions are less appealing, IMS is a reliable alternative. The 1.5–2 hour museum visit fills the time well and the track tours (bus) are weather-dependent — check conditions.
Concession options at the museum are limited on non-event days. Bring a water bottle, especially if you're planning the track tour as well. Restaurants in Speedway are a short drive away if you need a full meal.
On the bus track tour, you stop at the yard of bricks on the start/finish line. Kneeling down and kissing the original brick surface is an IMS tradition going back to the race winners who do it in Victory Lane. Don't feel embarrassed — everyone does it, and it's one of those things you actually remember.
The museum provides wheelchair access throughout, accessible simulators, accessible tour buses, Sensory Inclusive accommodations, soundproof headphones for noise-sensitive visitors, and a wellness room for nursing mothers and those with sensory needs. IMS has invested in making the museum accessible across a wide range of needs.