24h Le Mans
Currently closed to the public due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as are most cultural establishments, the 24 Hours Museum is still abuzz with activity inside. The staff of the Automobile Club de l’Ouest's Culture and Heritage Department are busy at work and looking forward to reopening the museum.
Though the 24 Hours Museum has been temporarily closed to the public since 29 October 2020 following governmental directives due to COVID-19, there is plenty going on inside. "Certain of our activities have never stopped," explains ACO Culture and Heritage Director Fabrice Bourrigaud. "We are a heritage department, that is to say that we are responsible for the management of all the archives and legacy of the ACO." The department's staff is taking advantage of this time to archive various collections, reorganize areas of the museum and respond to requests related to the history of the ACO and 24 Hours of Le Mans (photo researching, technical documentation, etc.).
The items on display at the 24 Hours Museum are checked daily. "We monitor the condition of the machines, tire pressure and we clean everything so it remains in exhibit quality," says Bourrigaud. In the museum's mechanical workshops, maintenance efforts go even further. Volunteers restore the engines, gearboxes and brakes of certain cars. "The majority of our collection runs. We recently authentically restored the Toyota 94C-V, second at the 1994 24 Hours of Le Mans. We brought it back to life 27 years after the fact. We also resurrected our Ferrari 166MM."
In order to remain accessible to the public, the 24 Hours Museum recently offered virtual visits to its temporary "Porsche 917: Made for Le Mans" exhibit created to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the marque's first win at Le Mans, and to highlight one of the race's most iconic cars. "We designed it in a television format with seven episodes presented by tour guide Nicolas Pelletier. This created an extraordinary exposition that complimented what we already offer at the museum. We hope to do it again in the future," shares Bourrigaud. The initiative was particularly well-received by fans and proved a resounding success with more than 75,000 views.
Other teams are working on the layout of future exhibitions for the reopening. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the 24 Hours Museum. As such, pieces from the permanent collection that retrace the history of the race will be highlighted. "We are putting together the old and the new. A steam engine from 1885 will be on display next to the Porsche 919 Hybrid the German constructor gave us at last year's race," explains Bourrigaud. A large exposition focused on Toyota is also in the works. Will we see a TS050 Hybrid, the LMP1 that has won the last three 24 Hours of Le Mans, join the museum's collection?
The entire museum team looks forward to reopening and welcoming visitors to discover the history of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the heroes who have made it legendary.
For more info, go to 24 Hours Museum.
