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Barber Design Camp 2026 is here! Rising 5th-6th grade students will dive into the world of science, technology, engineering, art, math, and design at the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum and Park!
Students will engage in a variety of hands-on activities, from designing model vehicles using computer aided design and artificial intelligence to learning the mechanics of motorcycles. With access to the Museum’s incredible collection and the park’s inspiring setting, students will ignite their creativity and problem-solving skills while having fun. This camp is perfect for young innovators ready to dream big!
Members: $325/student | Non-members: $375/student
🏁 REGISTER NOW: Link in bio! 🏁
Feb 6
German track-and-field athletes Thomas Röhler and Julian Weber recently visited the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum. Both Röhler and Weber compete in the javelin throw.
At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Röhler (second from right) threw 296 feet, 3 inches to win a gold medal. The next year, he surpassed 308 feet.
Weber (third from left) also represented Germany in Rio, as well as Tokyo and Paris. He threw more than 300 feet this past August at a meet in Switzerland.
The museum extends its heartfelt well-wishes to all of the athletes competing in the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, February 6 through 22.
#BarberMuseum #BarberMotorsportsPark #Olympics
Feb 5
Watch Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum Preservation Technician Russell Williams pedal the 1903 Thor to life. This particular example was previously owned by the late Urban Hirsch and restored to its current condition by Steve Huntzinger. The museum acquired it in 2025.
Feb 4
While many parts of the country are buried in snow, spring is just around the corner—really, it is. And so, too, is the beginning of event season at Barber Motorsports Park. As usual, the park’s dance card is jam-packed with exciting spectator experiences.
Here are five important dates to commit to memory:
March 27-29: Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix
May 15-17: MotoAmerica Superbikes at Barber
September 25-27: UAB Medicine GT World Alabama
October 9-11: Barber Vintage Festival
October 16-18: SpeedTour
When you’re making plans, please set aside time to visit the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum and its world-class collection of motorcycles and Lotus cars. We recommend a full day to fully enjoy all of the two- and four-wheel exhibits.
By becoming a museum member, you will have the inside scoop and enjoy special discounts and unique opportunities throughout the year. Follow the link in our bio to learn more about membership and its benefits.
#BarberMuseum #BarberMotorsportsPark #BarberVintageFestival
Feb 3
If this 1903 Thor looks a lot like an Indian of the same vintage, well, it should. After all, the Aurora Automatic Machinery Co. of Aurora, Illinois, produced Oscar Hedstrom-designed engines for the Springfield, Massachusetts-based motorcycle manufacturer.
The 2.5-horsepower, intake-over-exhaust single is an element of the chassis, its cylinder head wedged into the seat tube, the crankcase affixed to the bottom of the frame. The “camel hump” fuel tank, also shared with Indian, held both gas and the oil for the lubrication system.
Aurora supplied power plants to other companies, too, including Emblem, Reading-Standard, Sears, and Torpedo. Soon, it was building complete bikes under the name of its house brand, Thor. The steel fork and frame are based on bicycle designs of the era.
This particular example was one of many pre-1916 motorcycles previously owned by the late Urban Hirsch. It was restored to its current condition by Steve Huntzinger and acquired by the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum in 2025.
Photos: Joe Avila
#BarberMuseum #BarberMotorsportsPark #Thor #Motorcycle
Feb 1
Earlier this week, the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum was honored to welcome visitors from the Lotus Car Club of British Columbia.
Established in 1980, the LCCBC “serves Lotus enthusiasts in western Canada and the northwestern U.S. by providing friendship, shared experiences, and support for car owners.”
Pictured, from left to right, with tour guide Lee Clark (middle): Rob Carson (member at large), Kevin Moroney (treasurer), Ron Kubara (president), and Ben Hsu (high-performance driver education).
Photo: Lindsey McLain
@lotuscarclubofbc @rkubara @benthecarguy @rev_kev_03
#BarberMuseum #BarberMotorsportsPark #Lotus
Jan 29
The Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum is home to no fewer than 30 BSAs. Some are heavily modified, such as the stretched-out, double-engined drag bike campaigned in the 1970s. Others are production machines, like this 1965 Victor 441.
In 1964, Jeff Smith raced a modified C15S powered by a single-cylinder 441cc engine to the first of two consecutive 500cc motocross world championships. The Brit’s successes led to a road-legal version of his title-winning machine, christened “Victor.”
Longtime Cycle World columnist Peter Egan was a fan. His first encounter was in the summer of 1968. “My girlfriend’s cousin was dating a guy who had one, and we both showed up at her cousin’s house on our motorcycles—me on my Honda Super 90 and him on his Victor 441.
“Somehow my manhood survived this withering contrast, and he let me take the BSA for a short ride. I happily lunged down the street and couldn’t believe the arm-jerking, big-bang nature of the engine. I told him, ‘This thing only fired five or six times going all the way around the block.’”
Victor 441 owners, past or present, let’s hear your stories.
Photos: Joe Avila
#BarberMuseum #BarberMotorsportsPark #BSA
Jan 27
If you’re looking for a reason to become a member of the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum, look no further. At 6 p.m. on Tuesday, February 17, longtime staffer Lee Clark is hosting a special, one-night-only reception and lecture titled, “For the Love of Lotus.”
The event is dedicated to four of our Lotus cars: 1959 Type 15, 1960 Type 19, 1962 Type 23, and 1964 Elan 26R Shapecraft. Member pricing is $25 per person; non-members pay $35. Two complimentary drinks are included, along with light hors d`oeuvres.
Follow the link in our bio to become a member.
Photos: Joe Avila
#BarberMuseum #BarberMotorsportsPark #Lotus
Jan 25
