Whether you arrive on a hog or in a cage, a trip to Milwaukee's new Harley-Davidson Museum is an experience that will not only immerse you in the world of motorcycle riding, but take you beyond that to the history and lore of one of Wisconsin's most fascinating manufacturing stories. For the uninitiated (like me), "hogs" are Harley-Davidson motorcycles and "cages" are what some Harley riders call cars.

Whatever your vehicle, soon after you park it in the museum's free lot (motorcycles can park closer to the door, Sturgis style) you'll be welcomed by friendly, Harley-Davidson staff to the museum complex which opened in Milwaukee's Menomonee Valley in mid-July.

Located on 20 acres of land near the Potawatomi Casino, the museum is both a tribute to and a celebration of the Harley-Davidson mystique - from the motor company's very first vehicles to the place in our culture that its motorcycles have carved through the years. In addition to the main museum building, the complex includes a structure that houses the Harley-Davidson Motor Company archives; a third building that is home to a restaurant, a cafe and a retail store; and plenty of outdoor gathering and special event space, along the backdrop of the Menomonee River and Canal.

All together, the complex is meant to be a community resource where people can come to not only explore the Harley-Davidson culture, but to connect, interact and share stories with each other, explained Amanda Lee, manager of multimedia communication for the Harley-Davidson Motor Co. "It's meant to feel like a neighborhood within the city," Lee said.

Once inside the museum lobby, there's no question where you are. The black and orange color theme, the modern industrial feel of the steel and glass architecture, and the piped in music (Led Zeppelin and the Allman Brothers Band the day I visited) wrap you in a decidedly Harley atmosphere. You might even hear the sound of engines revving, as it wafts in from the nearby Engine Room (more about that later).

From this point forward, you should plan for at least 90 minutes to two hours to make your way through the museum. If you are the type that reads every bit of text in museum displays, allow even more time. Even if you aren't, don't be in a rush because there are plenty of interactive options along the way that can really enhance your experience.

Ride on

A good place to start is at the three-dimensional time line of mostly original-condition Harleys that fill one upstairs exhibit area. The Harley-Davidson company has saved one vehicle off its production line from each year since 1915 and some of them are displayed here in chronological order. These are just some of the 140-plus bikes exhibited throughout the museum (which leaves at least 300 more in the growing archive collection).

Surrounding this display are a series of smaller galleries that feature historical displays of Harley-Davidson memorabilia, photographs and information, including treasures such as the minutes from the first meeting of company stockholders and the first product catalog, featuring just one model. Here you will find the story of the company's first 100 years, as well as the corresponding history of Milwaukee, which was once referred to as the Machine Shop of the World.

And, while there is a lot to see, the items shown really only scratch the surface of what exists in the archives, according to Jim Fricke, curatorial director of the Harley-Davidson Museum.

"There is so much in storage," said Fricke. "It was hard to decide what to bring out."

Some of what you find might surprise you. Did you know, for instance, that Harley-Davidson made side-car delivery vans that were used to deliver mail back in 1916? These vehicles were made with extendable wheel bases, Fricke explained, so that they could be adjusted to fit into the ruts that were part of normal roadways back then.

Another highlight of the museum is it's Engine Room, where you can see the evolution of the company's motor designs (Panheads, Shovelheads, Knuckleheads, Flatheads and more), including some experimental models that never made it to market. There are also working models that give detailed insight into how engines work. And, with the push of a button, you can hear what each engine sounds like in what feels like surround sound. Before coming to Milwaukee, Fricke was the curator of the Experience Music Project - a Jimi Hendrix museum in Seattle - and he brought his expertise in creating great sound with him to this project.

"The Engine Room is where you learn what makes a Harley a Harley," said Fricke.

"It helps to explain what it is that keeps these two-wheeled vehicles upright when they are traveling down the road," said Lee.

Feel the power

Other displays throughout the museum focus on everything from wildly ornate, custom-designed Harleys created by folks around the U.S., to more functional vehicles used for things like dirt racing and hill climbing. And, it isn't just the vehicles themselves that are interesting. Many of the displays include do-it-yourself options where you can design your own bike, or test your skills at hill climbing on a motorcycle. Some of the exhibits are also cleverly designed to serve double duty.

The display of 1920s board track racing, for example, features bikes mounted on a re-created section of banked track, which also serves as a screen where vintage films of actual races are shown. The story of these velodrome races continues in displays that are built into the back side of the track, and the entire package gives the viewer a feeling of what it was like to speed along the steep wooden tracks.

Another example of innovative exhibit design is the jump ramp that leads up to the replica of Evel Knievel's stunt bike, which is suspended from the ceiling as if had shot off the end of the ramp. The ramp, which extends from the museum's first floor to the second, doubles as a mini theater, with video screens on its underside where films of dirt bike races are shown. The area underneath the ramp is fitted with sunken bench seating, creating an intimate theater space.

The list of fun things to experience inside the Harley-Davidson museum could go on for some time, but we don't have room for all of it here. Don't miss the Design Lab, where you can see how Harley's are created and how they might look in the future. And, even first time riders can enjoy the last gallery, where 10 different models of Harleys (from a mini-bike to an Electra Glide) are offered up for mounting. You can't start their engines, but you can sit on the bikes while movies of road trips play on the wide screen in front of you.

No matter what you see and do at the Harley-Davidson Museum, you can't help but leave with a feeling for the power that draws people to these motorcycles. Even the restrooms have it - the hand dryers will blow you away.

If You Go

WHAT: Harley-Davidson Museum

WHERE: 400 Canal St., Milwaukee.

DIRECTIONS: From Racine, take I-94 to Milwaukee, exiting at the National Avenue exit. Turn right onto 9th St.; right onto National Avenue; and then left onto 6th Street. Follow 6th Street through the roundabout and across the bridge. The museum will be on your right.

WHEN: Summer hours (May-October) are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day except Wednesday, when they are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Winter hours (November-April) are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends.

NOTE: Tickets to the museum during the 105th Anniversary celebration (Aug. 28-31) have sold out.

COST: Admission is $16 for adults; $12 for students and seniors (65+); $10 for kids (age 5-17) and free for kids under five years of age. Parking is free.

INFO: Go to http://www.harley-davidson.com (click on museum).

The museum's anniversary plans

Going to Harley-Davidson's 105th Anniversary Celebration? If you are planing to attend this special event, which will take place in Milwaukee Aug. 28-31, here's what you should know about going to the Harley-Davidson Museum during that time.

* Only Museum ticket lottery winners will be allowed into the museum during the 105th Anniversary celebration (these tickets have already sold out), but all are welcome to hang out at the museum grounds.

* Visitors to the museum grounds can enjoy the river walk and green space, listen to local bands, people watch, feast on food, and share stories with friends and family.

The 105th Anniversary Celebration, which is expected to draw Harley riders from across the country, will feature special concerts, a parade and a two-day celebration at the Summerfest grounds. For more about this event, go to http://www.harley-davidson.com and click on the "Don't Miss Out!" box.