Manx National Heritage has launched an Isle of Man TT Races pin badge for visiting bike fans.
The limited edition collectors’ badge, an official TT Races product, has been produced by Isle of Man based Motorsport Merchandise who manage many of the TT’s licensed products.
The enamel badge, which costs £10, will allow visitors free admission to all the Manx National Heritage sites including the House of Manannan, Castle Rushen, Laxey Wheel and Peel Castle.
It features the official TT logo as well as Manx National Heritage’s logo and the words Manx National Heritage in English and Manx, ‘Eiraght Ashoonagh Vannin’, around the circumference.
The pass can be used for the duration of both the TT Races, which runs from Saturday, May 30, to Friday, June 12, and the Isle of Man Festival of Motorcycling, which includes the Manx Grand Prix, from Saturday, August 22, to Friday, September 4. It can be bought online at www.manxnationalheritage.im and is available from selected Manx National Heritage retail outlets and the TT Grandstand.
This year’s TT-themed activities from Manx National Heritage includes the ‘Ulster’s TT Heroes’ exhibition at the House of Manannan in Peel, celebrating Northern Ireland’s greatest TT riders.
The Manx Museum in Douglas will be featuring a visual exhibition, entitled ‘Fast Women’, celebrating women in Manx Motorsport and will also have a number of TT items on display including John McGuinness’s TT winning Honda Superbike from 2009 to 2013 and Carl Fogarty’s Yamaha OW01 that he raced in the 1992 Senior TT. The museum will also be hosting talks by David Hailwood, Mike Hailwood’s son, who will provide commentary to footage of his father’s racing career.
Edmund Southworth, director of Manx National Heritage, said: ‘The TT is inextricably linked to the Isle of Man’s heritage and culture and we have a number of TT themed events, activities and displays along with our comprehensive selection of sites and venues.
‘We want our visitors to not only enjoy the spectacular racing on offer but also to go home with a greater understanding of the history and culture of the island as a whole.
‘We hope that this initiative gives people a taster of the broader appeal of the island and, as well as making a contribution to its ongoing conservation, encourages them to return and enjoy everything that the island has to offer outside of the established motorsport events.’