World of Speed Closes Permanently
 

I'm gutted, it was the crown jewel for Oregon gearheads and will be missed. They're a casualty of the Oregon C-19 lockdown and delayed, phased reopening that made it impossible to continue. Their assets will be distributed to other non-profits around the country.

I attended many functions there including manufacturer new product reveals and always found the volunteer staff so knowledgeable, friendly, and full of fascinating stories.

The rotating exhibits were breathtaking and the sims were a blast. They covered all types of two and four wheel performance from all eras between the late 1800's to present day. I hope you had a chance to experience it, we won't see anything like it here soon.

https://www.worldofspeed.org/


https://nostoneunturnedadventures.fi...1/img_5459.jpg

WTF !?!?!

Loved that place :cry:

I'm pretty bummed out about this news even though I've never been there before.



I'd always told myself "one of these days, I'll check it out..." whenever I drive pass Wilsonville on I5 but never actually did. Well, too late for me now :(

there's not going to be a lot of museums left after all this...

They also hosted Cars & Coffee every Saturday.

:(

World of Speed closure follows my other favorite, the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum, home to the Spruce Goose, after it went bankrupt.

The Stoller Foundation bought the assets and plan to reopen. I hope so, it's a great experience where among other exhibits you can sit and handle the Spruce Goose flight controls once used by Howard Hughes in it's first and only "flight" (never got out of ground effect).

https://www.evergreenmuseum.org/

But don't you feel safer now?

So sad.

WoS has been in a tough spot for a while financially even before this.

Based on their note "World of Speed Motorsport Museum had an incredible five-year run in Wilsonville." they must have never been too financially sound.

Still, hate to see any place like this close. Hopefully the collection will find good homes where they can still be seen.

It's was a profitable, going concern. Many of the exhibits were on loan from private collectors so will be returned to their owners.

"According to the museum's most recently available tax filings, it generated more than $2.6 million in revenue in 2018 - more than $340,000 of that from admissions and program fees - and ran in the black by about $400,000 after expenses. Salaries and officer compensation for the museum's 33 employees and executive director in 2018 totaled nearly $990,000. Those admissions and program fees came from more than 51,000 visitors throughout the year and from providing educational programs to more than 6,000 people."

https://www.hemmings.com/stories/202...posed-shutdown

Agh OK. I was just basing it on @e1_griego comment on them being in a tough financial spot, and then the press release saying they only had been open 5 years.

Regardless, still a shame. Would have liked to have visited it if I had ever gotten out that way.

The founder died two years ago: https://pamplinmedia.com/wsp/134-new...lasting-impact

It was a pet project of his.

I have a friend that works (worked) there for the last couple of years so maybe more first-hand knowledge than most...

Also, tax filings usually lag behind at least a year (it's called a Form 990) so I don't put a ton of stock in that.

I'm not trying to be argumentative. I actually applied for a job there a couple years back -- glad that didn't work out.

Sound like he was a generous man working hard to give back. Good stuff.


Complete aside but when I went to the article, there was political ad about "VOTE NO ON TERM LIMITS". Political commentary aside, I went to the site out of curiosity and saw the information posted below. Not sure I'd consider that a ringing endorsement! (I'm assuming it's a typo and should have 3 more zeros on that 1.4M number. Does no one proof read anything these days!)