Penrose Heritage Museum

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) - Start your engines! Sunday, cars will be zooming up Pikes Peak for the 103rd annual Pikes Peak International Hill Climb race!

But you don’t have to climb 14,000 feet to feel the excitement and get up close with the race cars -- you can visit the Penrose Heritage Museum!

A hidden gem, many locals may think it’s part of The Broadmoor hotel -- if they know it exists at all! But the Penrose Heritage Museum actually boasts the largest collection of Hill Climb memorabilia anywhere -- including actual race cars that competed in the storied event!

The exhibit is called the “Hill Climb Experience.”

“That word ‘experience’ is really important,” said Sarah Woods, who oversees the museum in her role as associate vice president of collections for El Pomar. “The built-in environment is meant to mimic the mountain itself. So, visitors can walk the path of what would be the highway itself, and along the way, see examples of the different cars that have competed in the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, which include everything from rally cars to open wheel cars to stock cars.”

Cars in the museum cover an array of decades, from the race’s early years in the 20s, 30s and 40s, to cars used in the last decade.

One of the most notable vehicles displayed in museum is a car that plummeted off the mountain during the 2012 race.

“What’s really good to know is both the driver and the navigator both walked away from this accident. And we actually have the race footage on display with the vehicle so people can see the harrowing spill they took off the highway,” Woods said.

The display is visually stunning, showing the wrecked car in the position it landed in. It also tells a story about the role safety precautions take in the race. Woods tells 11 News a mandatory pre-race inspection discovered the vehicle’s roll cage needed to be replaced.

“The competitors had to take the time to reinforce the roll cage, and that is what saved their lives when they went off the highway,” she said. “... This exhibit is really important to talk about safety on Pikes Peak. Given that the race takes place on a high mountain highway without a lot of guardrails and it’s 156 turns, safety is really important and they take that very seriously.”

An inspiring section on the second floor highlights the accomplishments of the race’s sole female winner.

“Women have been competing in the Pikes Peak Hill Climb for many years, but one of the most iconic women to ever race Pikes Peak is Michele Mouton. She is a notable rally racer from France. She first came to Pikes Peak in 1984 ... and when she came back in 1985, she actually set the new course record and had the fastest overall time of all the competitors that year, earning her the coveted title ‘King of the Mountain.’ And she is currently the only woman to hold that title.

“We have a few new exhibits upstairs including a full-size banner to really exemplify the spot that she holds in the history of the race.”

The museum has a century-old race car that once belonged to Broadmoor founder -- and Hill Climb founder -- Spencer Penrose himself.

“Mr. Penrose’s personal 1918 Pierce Arrow is here in the museum. He had it converted to a race car in the 1920s, and it was called ‘The Broadmoor Special’ to represent The Broadmoor resort, which the Penroses built in 1918. That car competed eight times between 1922 and 1932, and it made it to the summit every time it competed, which is a really big deal in terms of Pikes Peak, and it had a best place finish of fourth. Its nickname is the ‘Yellow Devil’ because it is a bright yellow race car!”

The Penrose Heritage Museum was first founded in the 40s as a way to pay tribute to the unique role Spencer Penrose and his wife Julie played in making Colorado Springs what it is today, creating everything from the cog railway to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo to the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo to the Fine Arts Center. (Click here for a full list!) When the race was looking for a place to host its collection of historic items more than a decade ago, the museum was the obvious choice.

“Spencer and Julie Penrose ... they’re the ones who built the highway to the summit of Pikes Peak, they started the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in 1916, and so bringing that history into the museum made sense because it was just another way to honor their legacy and connect it back to the origin of the race,” Woods said.

The Hill Climb Experience takes up half the building and two floors -- but if you’re not a race car buff, never fear: the other half of the museum with its carriage collection and western heritage gallery also holds plenty of interesting items!

“Whether you are interested in local history, you’re a car person and you want to see race cars up close and personal; also, if you have children and you’re looking for a great activity, we have scavenger hunts to take you through the museum. So there really is something for everybody here,” Woods said.

The museum is open Tuesdays-Saturdays from 9 a.m.-noon, then after an hour lunch break, reopens from 1 p.m.-4:30 p.m. It’s located across the street from The Broadmoor, but is open to everyone, not just hotel guests. And 1hat may be even more incredible than the items inside is that the museum is completely free!