MILWAUKEE, WI.- The Harley-Davidson Museum celebrates its groundbreaking with the attendance by Governor Jim Doyle. In March of 2005, the city of Milwaukee and Harley-Davidson Motor Company signed formal agreements related to Harley-Davidson's purchase of the Museum site at Sixth and Canal Streets near downtown Milwaukee.

In late February 2006, designs for the Museum were unveiled. The Museum will be completed about two years from the time construction begins and is expected to open in 2008. When completed, it is anticipated to attract an estimated 350,000 visitors annually from around the world.

The Museum will be located on a 20-acre parcel of land at the corner of Sixth and Canal Streets near downtown Milwaukee. The total square footage of the Museum will be 130,000 sq. ft.

The Museum development will feature exhibit space as well as a restaurant, café, retail shop, meeting space, special events facilities, and the Company's Archives. The Museum development will result in an estimated 500 on-site construction jobs. An estimated 70 full-time jobs in Museum operations will be created when the Museum construction is complete.

The vision is that the Museum will draw visitors locally and from throughout the world to experience the people, products, culture and history of Harley-Davidson. The Harley-Davidson Museum will celebrate the rich history of the Company, the passion of the riders, the stories of the employees, dealers, suppliers, company leaders, and community members and much more. The experience will extend to outdoor space where visitors from near and far can meet, share stories and enjoy the green spaces adjacent to the edge of the Menomonee River.