The exhibition is one of the biggest ever held at the museum. © Manx National Heritage

The Manx Museum is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the island’s world famous TT motorcycle races with a new exhibition.

Staying the Course is running until September 15 2007 at the Douglas venue and is one of the largest temporary exhibitions ever staged at the museum.

It focuses on the people who have made the TT what it is today, with the stories of the riders, marshals, officials and fans that flock each year to the island for the thrill of the races.

Motorcycle and TT legend Geoff Duke (centre) opening the new exhibition with his wife, Daisy, and curator Matthew Richardson. © Manx National Heritage

The exhibition was opened by one of the legends of the TT, Geoff Duke, winner of six TT races in the 1950s and six-times motorcycling World Champion.

“The ethos of the exhibition is a celebration of the different people who come together to make the TT happen,” said curator Matthew Richardson. “It features historic motorcycles, leathers, helmets and trophies displayed against a backdrop of archive footage supplied by Duke Video.”

Artefacts illustrate all eras of the races, from a silver flask presented to one of the inaugural winners Rem Fowler in 1907, the Velocette motorcycle ridden by Stanley Woods in the 1939 TT and the sidecar crashed in practice by Dave Molyneux in 2006.

TT enthusiasts admiring a Velocette motorbike. © Manx National Heritage

“I have been constantly taken aback by both the affection which exists all over the world for the TT, and by the amazing artefacts which people have held on to and are willing to lend us from all eras of the event,” added Matthew.

“Being the agent for bringing these things together under one roof has been an amazing privilege; if the TT is the greatest show on earth, then this exhibition promises to reflect that greatness.”

As well as commemorating the riders and their machines the exhibition also explores the social history of the TT. It answers questions like why were marshals in the 1920s called Dunlops, what travelling marshals of the 1940s looked like and what was Adolf Hitler’s interest in the races?

The exhibition covers the history of the races from the last 100 years. © Manx National Heritage

The TT (Tourist Trophy) races came about through a 1904 Isle of Man law that allowed roads to close for the Gordon Bennett car trials. Because laws about road closures and speed limits prevented a British motorcycle to race on roads in the UK, the Auto Cycle Club decided to organise a race on the Isle of Man in 1907.

It has grown over the years to become the most famous (and one of the most dangerous) motorcycling road race series in the world and thousands of enthusiasts come each year from all over the world to watch them.

The 2007 TT started May 26 and runs until June 8, with practices in the first week and the races proper starting on June 2.