Photos: Racing museum opens in Wilsonville

By: Sam Tenney//April 27, 2015//

Photos: Racing museum opens in Wilsonville

Sam Tenney//April 27, 2015//

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World of Speed, a museum showcasing the best of American motorsports, opened its doors Friday in Wilsonville. The 80,000-square-foot museum is housed in a former Chrysler dealership, which Siteworks Design | Build transformed into a state-of-the art, mid-century modern-inspired shrine to various forms of motor racing.

Work on the $10 million renovation and seismic upgrade began in mid-2013 and included replacing three support columns with a 100-foot-long arched bow truss to support a new roof. Around 12,000 square feet of double-paned windows were installed, intended to engage people from the freeway and contribute to the mid-century design aesthetic.

In addition to nearly 100 racing, land speed and performance vehicles on display, the museum features interactive exhibits, workshop space for educational opportunities, a member鈥檚 lounge, temperature-controlled archive room, and rentable banquet, meeting, and classroom space.