IndyCar vibrations prompt art safety study at National Gallery before DC race

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.