Speed Street
National Automobile Museum | Reno, Nevada
When the National Automobile Museum set out to refresh its 4,000-square-foot Speed Street gallery, the opportunity was to take a broad racing theme and an existing space and imagine what it could become.
Before the transformation – a gallery space full of possibilities
Built around a remarkable collection of racing cars, Beaudry Interactive [b/i] transformed the gallery into an immersive celebration of speed, competition, and motorsport culture. We developed the concept, story, and environmental vision to put the rotating collection in the spotlight while supporting the museum’s broader transformation.
Working within a modest budget and accelerated timeline, b/i focused on strategic design investments that maximized the existing space. Architecture, graphics, lighting, storefronts, and vehicles come together to create an intentional, immersive destination that elevates the cars and can evolve with the museum’s collection.
From Straightaway to Storefront to Legends of Racing
The existing gallery layout naturally divides the space into distinct zones, each offering a unique experience within a cohesive exhibition focused on automotive performance and design.
The transformation begins with a bold straightaway that establishes a sense of speed and movement while creating a visual framework for the vehicles. A 150-foot graphic featuring racing legends, memorable quotes, and iconic motorsport moments extends that energy across the space, adding context and personality while keeping the cars at the center.
Graphic concept exploring a dynamic backdrop to amplify the energy of the race cars.
The storefront windows carry the story forward, creating a three-part journey through race day: preparation, performance, and victory. Tailored for Speed explores the anticipation, discipline, and rituals leading up to the race through racing gear, artifacts, and behind-the-scenes media. The central storefront places guests inside a garage moments before the race, highlighting the engineering, craftsmanship, and expertise behind high-performance vehicles. The final storefront captures the adrenaline and emotion of race day, bringing the journey to a visual crescendo. Together, the windows bring the people, precision, and passion of motorsports into the gallery, expanding the experience beyond the vehicles themselves.
Window displays before...
…and after.
The existing mirrors façade became a unique asset within the new design. Rather than replacing the mirrors, b/i integrated their reflections to extend graphics and multiply the presence of the cars, adding depth and energy while maximizing the existing space.
The experience culminates in Legends of Racing, an interactive storytelling experience featuring four influential figures from motorsports. b/i created a magazine-inspired visual language with life-sized graphics, editorial storytelling, and photo moments that invite guests into their worlds. Together with the rotating vehicle collection and motorsports media, Legends of Racing adds a personal dimension to the gallery, connecting guests to the people and stories behind the machines.
Maximum impact, built for the long term
Speed Street transforms an existing gallery into a dynamic destination space where racing, design, and storytelling come together. A flexible environmental design gives the rotating collection of race cars greater presence, invites guests into the stories behind them, and allows the experience to evolve with the museum.
