The founder of the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum has died
From Porsche racer to founder of the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum, George Barber Jr. built a “living museum” that redefined how vintage motorcycles and racing cars are preserved and celebrated.
George Barber Jr., the founder of the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum, has died at the age of 85.
In a statement confirming his passing, the museum said:
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of George Barber. He built more than an organization—he built a community.
We are grateful for his vision and leadership, and we will share additional information in the days ahead.”
Barber’s death marks the end of an era for American motorsport culture. What began as a personal passion project evolved into what is officially recognised as the largest motorcycle collection in the world – and one of the most significant motorsports destinations anywhere on the planet.
Barber’s love of speed began long before the museum. In the 1960s, he raced Porsches, claiming 63 first-place finishes. Then, after retiring from motorsport in 1988, he became a collector of classic cars. A suggestion from longtime friend Dave Hooper shifted his focus toward motorcycles, a move that would define his legacy.
In 1994, Barber established the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum as a 501(c)(3) private operating foundation, opening it to the public in Birmingham in 1995. His philosophy was that motorcycles were not just machines, but moving works of art. That belief shaped a collection built not only for display, but preservation and operation.
Through the 1990s, the Barber Racing Team competed in American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association events, winning seven national championships by 1998. It reinforced the museum’s reputation as a “living museum,” with many bikes restored to running or race-ready condition.
International recognition followed in 1998 when the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum selected 21 bikes from the collection for its landmark Art of the Motorcycle exhibition, strengthening Barber’s view of motorcycles as art as much as engineering.
In 2003, his most ambitious project opened: the 880-acre Barber Motorsports Park, complete with a 2.38-mile, 16-turn road course developed with input from racing legends John Surtees and Dan Gurney. The complex later expanded with the Barber Proving Grounds, adding manufacturer testing, safety training and brand programmes to its portfolio.
Today, the museum houses more than 1,800 motorcycles spanning over a century, with over 1,000 on display and more than 200 manufacturers represented. In 2014, it was officially recognised by Guinness World Records as the world’s largest motorcycle collection.
Alongside the bikes sits the world’s most extensive Lotus collection and significant historic racecars, reflecting Barber’s lifelong devotion to motorsport in all its forms.
Last year, the museum and park welcomed 368,000 visitors, including thousands from overseas, fulfilling Barber’s long-held ambition to use motorsport heritage to bring people to Birmingham, Alabama.
Speaking about his passing, Barber Museum Executive Director Brian Case said:
“Everyone who visits the museum and park has their own relationship with Mr. Barber ... What we now share is the impact he had on our lives and responsibility we carry to honor his vision, generosity, and belief in what this place could be.”
A celebration of life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum.
Visordown sends its condolences to his friends, family and fans.
Images: The Barber Vintage Motorsport Museum
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Simon (AKA Toad) has been working within the motorcycle industry for more than twelve years, and a member of the motorcyclist family since birth. Growing up around British-built single and twins, it was inevitable that a life on two wheels was on the cards, from a very early age!
