D.C.'s IndyCar race will zoom past museums. Some worry it could harm the art inside

A 14-foot-tall blue rooster sculpture overlooks the racetrack from the roof of the National Gallery of Art's East Building in Washington, D.C. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images hide caption

More than two dozen IndyCar drivers will race 147 laps around Washington, D.C.'s National Mall this weekend for the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, celebrating the country's milestone birthday.

The two-day event includes practices, qualifiers and warmups, culminating in the 250-mile race on Sunday afternoon. Cars will fly — at speeds up to 180 mph — around a 1.7-mile irregularly-shaped track smack-dab on the National Mall.

Along the route, they will zoom past cultural institutions including the National Gallery of Art, the National Archives Building and the Smithsonian's National Air and Space and Hirshhorn Museums.

And that has raised questions about the safety of the art and artifacts inside. Namely: Could they be damaged by vibrations from the cars whizzing by?

The National Gallery of Art, whose sculpture garden is along the course, has boarded up some of its outdoor works.

Spokesperson Chris Abanavas told NPR over email that it "conducted an extensive vibration study and based on the results we have implemented a set of measures to ensure the safety of our staff, visitors, collection, and facilities during the race."

Neither the National Archives and Records Administration nor the Smithsonian Institution answered NPR's questions about preparations or concerns. Race organizers — the White House and IndyCar, which is owned by Penske Entertainment Corp. — say they are taking proper precautions and don't anticipate any damage.