Collections
About the Collection
At the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, we are proud to be the caretakers of Indianapolis Motor Speedway history. What began with only a few cars on display in 1956 has become one of the world’s premier collections of racing automobiles and artifacts. The collection includes 55,000 artifacts—including trophies, race suits, helmets, and more—and over 200 vehicles. The Collections and Restoration teams work diligently to preserve these historical artifacts for Museum visitors and future generations.
Donations
If you have an item(s) you would like to donate to the IMS Museum, please contact us by filling out the form below.
All items under consideration for acquisition will be subject to thorough examination and research by the Curatorial and Collections staff. No item(s) shall be accepted for consideration without the full knowledge of the Curatorial and Collections Staff.
Donors are responsible for appraisal of value. Under no circumstance shall the Museum provide an appraisal to any party, including prospective donors of gifts or bequests to the Museum.
We do not accept any walk-in donations. Do not abandon any items on our premises.
Research requests
The IMS Museum strives to make our collection, library, and archival materials accessible to researchers and historians. To make a research request, please email collections@imsmuseum.org. The Museum archives and library are open to researchers by appointment only.
Access Rules
The Requestor will be supervised by Collections staff at all times. Requestors granted access must comply with the Museum’s standards of examination, handling, and study as stated in the Museum’s Collection Management Policy. The Museum may set restrictions on photography and/or other forms of duplication.
Access to the collection materials is dependent upon the availability of facilities and staff, compliance with donor restrictions, and stability of the requested materials.
Fees
To offset our expense in maintaining and securing the materials, and for staff time spent monitoring any direct access, a research fee is required. Fees will be charged after the request is completed. A flat fee of $15 is charged for any research requests requiring photocopies or digitized scans and less than an hour to complete. All research requests requiring more than an hour are subject to an additional $25 per hour charge, and any reproduction requests will be charged at the rate of 35 cents. If you are a student and or affiliated with a non-profit or academic institution, you may request to waive the fee.
Restrictions
When accessing materials, certain types of information may not be available because of restrictions that protect the privacy rights of individuals or organizations, legitimate proprietary rights of the Museum, or for other reasons. However, most of the collection is unrestricted and will be available to researchers on a fair basis.
3D Image Archive
The Museum works with partners to digitize select items in our collection. Objects are scanned to create a 3D image that captures every detail, texture, and dimension for online users to see from all angles. This digital preservation expands access and ensures these priceless artifacts remain intact for future generations. Click the button below to explore the images on Sketchfab!
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frequently asked questions
Who should I contact if I have a question about donating an item?
Please email collections@imsmuseum.org or call 463.244.2957.
Can I just drop off an item in the Welcome Center?
We do not accept any walk-in donations. Do not abandon any items on our premises. You must fill out the form and be contacted by our Collections team before proceeding.