Author Topic: National Motorcycle Museum Anamosa - CLOSING  (Read 1763 times)

Offline kballowe

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National Motorcycle Museum Anamosa - CLOSING
« on: January 28, 2023, 07:30:53 AM »
Located in eastern Iowa in the small town of Anamosa, the National Motorcycle Museum has been home to over 500 motorcycles, a great bicycle collection and thousands of pieces of memorabilia.

After 22 years in this location, however, the Board of Directors, lead by Chairman Jill Parham, has decided to close the Museum later this year. “We have struggled for several years to cover wages and utilities partly due to low visitation.” The Museum is one of about six motorcycle museums in America operated as a non-profit and was established in Iowa by J&P Cycles founders John and Jill Parham. As is proper with closing non-profits, the Museum is using professional counsel during the process. Owners of loaned motorcycles have been contacted, motorcycles that belong to the Museum will be liquidated at auction to pay bills.

Much of the Parham Collection will be sold as well. If you would like to be informed of the sales, go to the Museum’s website and sign up for email, www.nationalmcmuseu m.org. Since this is the unfortunate end of a fine museum, we hope you’ll make plans to visit one more time. Tentative closing date is September 5, 2023 giving visitors to Sturgis and the Blackhawk MC meet in Davenport a chance to stop by.


Offline Cal3

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Re: National Motorcycle Museum Anamosa - CLOSING
« Reply #1 on: January 28, 2023, 10:27:07 AM »
Sad.....that is a great museum

Offline AJ Huff

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Re: National Motorcycle Museum Anamosa - CLOSING
« Reply #2 on: January 28, 2023, 10:28:29 AM »
Bummer.

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Offline twowheeladdict

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Re: National Motorcycle Museum Anamosa - CLOSING
« Reply #3 on: January 28, 2023, 08:58:42 PM »
Glad I got to go.







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Re: National Motorcycle Museum Anamosa - CLOSING
« Reply #3 on: January 28, 2023, 08:58:42 PM »

Offline Motormike

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Re: National Motorcycle Museum Anamosa - CLOSING
« Reply #4 on: January 31, 2023, 07:40:35 AM »
Dang! That's one I've known about for years but I've never had the occasion to ride anywhere near it.  Iowa's not exactly known for great motorcycle roads.  :rolleyes:


Online PeteS

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Re: National Motorcycle Museum Anamosa - CLOSING
« Reply #5 on: January 31, 2023, 08:04:29 AM »
Dang! That's one I've known about for years but I've never had the occasion to ride anywhere near it.  Iowa's not exactly known for great motorcycle roads.  :rolleyes:

Not as boring as you think. Without the Smokies, Tennessee would be no better.

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Offline Gustav

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Re: National Motorcycle Museum Anamosa - CLOSING
« Reply #6 on: January 31, 2023, 08:44:32 AM »
Not as boring as you think. Without the Smokies, Tennessee would be no better.

Pete
   Thank you Pete. Anamosa is 50 miles from me. Think Grant Wood.

Offline drdwb

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Re: National Motorcycle Museum Anamosa - CLOSING
« Reply #7 on: January 31, 2023, 09:44:03 AM »

Obviously someone has not experienced the bluffs and valleys surrounding the upper Mississippi, Minn,Wisc, Iowa, etc. It’s not Rocky Mt, or Appalachian riding for sure but does provide beautiful scenic rides that are worth the experience. Just my opinion.


Dang! That's one I've known about for years but I've never had the occasion to ride anywhere near it.  Iowa's not exactly known for great motorcycle roads.  :rolleyes:
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Re: National Motorcycle Museum Anamosa - CLOSING
« Reply #8 on: January 31, 2023, 10:00:41 AM »
Fun museum indeed...passed thru there on a trip to Wisconsin via scenic Iowa!  Really nice collection of items to see there...a pity not enough folks got thru there to keep it going.
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Offline twowheeladdict

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Re: National Motorcycle Museum Anamosa - CLOSING
« Reply #9 on: January 31, 2023, 03:32:14 PM »
Not as boring as you think. Without the Smokies, Tennessee would be no better.

Pete

Having ridden both states I would have to disagree, unless you want to alter that to say without east of the Tennessee River. 

Just look at a terrain view of each state in Google Maps.  I did enjoy most roads east of Anamosa, and made it a point to take little farm roads to the museum. 
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Online Huzo

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Re: National Motorcycle Museum Anamosa - CLOSING
« Reply #10 on: January 31, 2023, 03:39:10 PM »
Things like this are always lamentable. Especially given that it was non profit, someone put in a lot of unpaid hours and labours of love that die, are usually the saddest of passings.
Just another lousy sign of the times…
Fast forward now 40 years, do you think the kids of 2063 will have a museum for iphones and old lap tops…?
The world is losing it’s taste.
« Last Edit: January 31, 2023, 03:43:35 PM by Huzo »

Offline guzziart

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Re: National Motorcycle Museum Anamosa - CLOSING
« Reply #11 on: January 31, 2023, 03:53:26 PM »
I've been there twice in the last dozen years.  Anamosa, Iowa aint that far away from me (600mi).  Since they'll be open throughout the spring/summer I might make it a long weekend trip and tour it a last time.

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Offline AJ Huff

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Re: National Motorcycle Museum Anamosa - CLOSING
« Reply #12 on: January 31, 2023, 04:37:19 PM »
Location, location, location. It's a dumb location. It made sense when J&P Motorcycles was a destination shop. Two destination locations, twice the draw, extra income. Now J&P is just another Cycle Gear and everything is internet sales. Sad but foreseeable.

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Online Chuck in Indiana

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Re: National Motorcycle Museum Anamosa - CLOSING
« Reply #13 on: January 31, 2023, 06:08:25 PM »
I've been everywhere, man..  :grin: I "discovered" the museum many years ago. There were 5 of us at the National Antique Airplane fly in at Blakesburg, Iowa. We decided to go to the Midwest Antique airplane fly in in Brodhead, Wisconsin, and had 4 days to get there. No particular place to go, fly in a loose formation, land at small airports and see what there was to see. Good times. One of the stops was at Anamosa, and finding the museum was icing on the cake.
The next time, Dorcia and I led Harley Bob there, and the time after that, we led The Kid and his sweetie Nora. Both of those times were from the Iowa rally. I'll be sad to see it go.
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Offline kballowe

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Re: National Motorcycle Museum Anamosa - CLOSING
« Reply #14 on: February 01, 2023, 06:06:14 AM »
I remember when that museum was downtown - in a smaller building.  Bikes were stacked in there like cord wood.  It was nice to see when they took over a former walmart building.  It was pretty handy.... we stayed in that Super 8 across the street, walked over to the MacDonald's for a couple of breakfast sandwiches and then spent most of the day in the museum.

 :bike-037:

Offline AJ Huff

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Re: National Motorcycle Museum Anamosa - CLOSING
« Reply #15 on: March 12, 2023, 07:55:11 PM »
This week's email spotlight. See it before it's gone.

https://nationalmcmuseum.org/2023/03/10/1928-moto-guzzi/

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Offline rocker59

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Re: National Motorcycle Museum Anamosa - CLOSING
« Reply #16 on: March 13, 2023, 08:39:03 AM »
  Iowa's not exactly known for great motorcycle roads.  :rolleyes:

I don't know, man.  We found some good ones while attending the National Rally in Elkader years ago.  To admit, I was surprised, being my first time in Iowa, but Red and I were dragging hard bits on the Nero Corsa on some curvy little roads along the Iowa River in the Northeast corner of the State.
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Offline Enzo Toma

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Re: National Motorcycle Museum Anamosa - CLOSING
« Reply #17 on: April 26, 2023, 02:23:38 PM »
https://www.mecum.com/auctions/from-the-john-parham-estate-collection/

Mecum will be auctioning the bikes that are owned by the museum and not on loan.

Offline LowRyter

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Re: National Motorcycle Museum Anamosa - CLOSING
« Reply #18 on: April 26, 2023, 04:04:52 PM »
I don't know, man.  We found some good ones while attending the National Rally in Elkader years ago.  To admit, I was surprised, being my first time in Iowa, but Red and I were dragging hard bits on the Nero Corsa on some curvy little roads along the Iowa River in the Northeast corner of the State.

either side of the Big River.....a jungle of cornfields.  ...it's got its charms for sure 
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Offline Enzo Toma

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Re: National Motorcycle Museum Anamosa - CLOSING
« Reply #19 on: April 29, 2023, 08:13:25 PM »
Stopped by today, here's what's left of the geese on loan.


upload image

Offline LowRyter

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Offline gscott

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Re: National Motorcycle Museum Anamosa - CLOSING
« Reply #21 on: May 18, 2023, 03:00:49 PM »
This year while at Elkader I will make this trip.  (if all goes as planned)
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Offline Guzzistajohn

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Re: National Motorcycle Museum Anamosa - CLOSING
« Reply #22 on: September 06, 2023, 05:57:24 PM »


 I was there Friday during my Davenport/LeClaire/Savannah I’ll./ Springfield mile trip. I was lucky enough to nab the last two stickers from the chick at the register.  :thumb: :thumb:
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