Museum of Science and Industry

On Tuesday 16 August, the date of Elvis Presley's death in 1977, it will be Elvis Day at MOSI. Musicians Sam Downes and Lee Wolstenholme will commemorate The King's love of Harley-Davidson by playing live Elvis songs in the exhibition next to the 1956 KH bike like the one he rode. There will be discounted entry to the exhibition on the day for any visitors in Elvis or 1950s costume and MOSI staff will be sporting quiffs and Elvis-era costumes.

The 1956 KH was developed by Harley-Davidson as part of the 'K' series in reaction to a growing amount of imports of UK motorcycles, which were attracting a new young market with their lighter and faster machines. Elvis Presley purchased the KH in January 1956 from Memphis Harley-Davidson dealer Tommy Pepers for $935. This 1956 KH in the exhibition was restored by Pete Reeves and has been loaned from his private collection.

Exhibition organiser Chris Scott from Claridon said: "Elvis Presley loved Harley-Davidson motorcycles so it's very fitting to celebrate Elvis here at the Customising, Culture & Harley-Davidson exhibition. The exhibition here at MOSI shows how stars like Elvis helped to put the Harley-Davidson motorbike into popular culture and made it the iconic brand it is today. Please do come along and listen to our Elvis tunes in your Elvis gear - even a quiff will do - and you can take advantage of our discount!"

Customising, Culture and Harley-Davidson spans early Harley-Davidsons to the very latest in customised motorcycles, many of which have never been displayed to the public before. The exhibition is created by the Claridon Group and MOSI. It is the first time ever that an exhibition has showcased the historic and radical customs of Harley-Davidson® motorcycles, and the culture surrounding them.

Over 30 motorcycles are featured in the exhibition, including models from the UK, Germany, Japan and the US. Each bike has its own story, from a rare 1909 model built in the first decade of Harley-Davidson's production heritage, to motorcycles used for the US military and police in the 1930s and 1940s, to the 1948 Ice Road Panhead, which defied motorcycle capabilities in conditions of minus 53 degrees, to complete an expedition to the Arctic.

The exhibition also includes a fascinating section on the tradition of radically customised Harley-Davidson® motorcycles, two of which have been created especially for the exhibition. There is also a rolling programme of guest motorcycles in the exhibition, courtesy of Sussex-based authorised dealership Shaw Harley-Davidson.

Elvis Day is on 16 August at MOSI. All visitors who come in Elvis or 1950s-style costumes will be entitled to a discount price of £6.50 (rather than the usual £8) for this day only. Customising, Culture & Harley-Davidson runs until 11 September. For more information on MOSI look up www.mosi.org.uk

For media enquiries please contact: Sarah Roe, MOSI press and publicity officer on Tel: 0161 606 0176, m: 07847 372647

Notes to editors

• For more information on museums and galleries in Manchester:

Creativetourist.com is an online magazine, a series of city guides and a collaborative project that has been put together by Manchester Museums Consortium, a group of eight museums and galleries - Cornerhouse, Imperial War Museum North, The Lowry, Manchester Art Gallery, The Manchester Museum, (MOSI) Museum of Science & Industry, People's History Museum, and The Whitworth Art Gallery - in Manchester.  These venues have a dual vision: the desire to stage intelligent, thought-provoking and international exhibitions and events and to celebrate the city in which they live, work and play. Creativetourist.com, with its mix of exclusive features, interviews, arts news and city guides, allows readers to discover more about what's happening in the city, uncover its outstanding cultural programme and collections, and perhaps come to be as passionate about Manchester as its inhabitants.

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