Talk about Evel Knievel is to talk about one of the most extravagant, media and reckless figures in the history of motorcycling. His impossible jumps, his accidents and his image as a true American showman made him a legend long before the era of social media. Now, decades after his most famous exploits, his legacy once again takes center stage with the opening of a new immersive experience in Las Vegas.
The call “Evel Knievel Experience” will officially open its doors on June 27 in the Las Vegas Arts District and promises to become a true place of pilgrimage for fans of motorcycling, American culture and spectacle on 2 wheels.
The new installation is based on the original museum opened in Topeka in 2017, although this time the concept evolves towards a much more interactive and technological experience. Among the most important pieces that can be seen are several of the original motorcycles used by Knievel during his career, in addition to some of his characteristic red, white and blue leather jumpsuits that ended up becoming an inseparable part of his public image.
There will also be objects linked to some of his most famous accidents, including the helmet he wore during the famous Caesars Palace jump in 1967. That accident ended with Knievel seriously injured and in a coma for weeks, but paradoxically it was the episode that helped definitively boost his international fame. Another of the great stars of the exhibition will be the Skycycle
What’s new in this Evel Knievel museum
The big difference from the original museum will be in the interactive approach of this new Las Vegas headquarters. Visitors will not only be able to see motorcycles and historical memorabilia, but also experience some of the sensations associated with skydiving. Knievel through simulators and 4D virtual reality experiences.
The organization promises immersive recreations of several of his most famous stunts, as well as spaces dedicated to showing how he prepared his shows, the calculations of the jumps and the level of risk he assumed in each exhibition. All of this seeks to bring the public closer to a figure who transformed motorcycle stunts into a mass phenomenon during the sixties and seventies.
Another of the most striking elements of the museum will be the presence of the enormous Mack truck.Big Red“, completely restored. This legendary vehicle transported the traveling show of Evel Knievel throughout the United States and is an inseparable part of the character’s iconography.
Before settling permanently in Las Vegas, the truck will make a special tour from Kansas City to Nevada, recreating part of the traveling spirit that accompanied the American driver’s exhibitions for years.
