The National Gallery of Art has conducted an art safety study ahead of the Freedom 250’s IndyCar race in Washington, D.C., as the race cars are set to speed around the gallery and several other historic museums for the semiquincentennial celebration race.
The IndyCars will race around a 1.7-mile, seven-turn racecourse through the heart of downtown Washington on Aug. 23 during a weekend of motorsport, completing nearly 150 laps at speeds of up to 185 mph. The event has garnered excitement from the public but also concerns among preservationists about how the high speeds and vibrations from the cars could affect the historic infrastructure and art pieces housed in the various museums around the course.
A spokesman for the gallery told the Washington Post that the investigation resulted in steps to “ensure the safety of our staff, visitors, collection, and facilities” as the cars speed directly by the museum. The spokesman did not specify what the steps would be.
“In preparation for the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, the National Gallery conducted an extensive vibration study and based on the results we have implemented a set of measures to ensure the safety of our staff, visitors, collection, and facilities during the race,” National Gallery of Art spokesman Chris Abanavas said in a statement.
“While we are not releasing the specifics, I can share that any such measures are only being taken out of a great abundance of caution,” Abanavas continued.
Abanavas told the outlet that the investigation did not raise any concerns about the race affecting the structural integrity of the gallery building. The Smithsonian Institution also said none of its artifacts would be affected by the high speeds and vibrations.
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Penske Corporation, IndyCar’s owner, funded a road resurfacing project for the course to ensure that the district’s road infrastructure will meet the safety standards for the cars ahead of the Grand Prix.
Penske has also reported a massive number of ticket requests for the event celebrating America’s 250th birthday, with the company fielding 288,000 requests after just 100,000 free tickets were offered to the public.