The Corvette National Museum was constructed in 1994 in Bowling Green, Kentucky, only a quarter mile from the Bowling Green Corvette Assembly Plant. It is housed in a 115,000 sq. foot structure and is the only automotive museum in the world dedicated to a single car model.
It’s hard to know where to start in describing the museum, but it’s safe to say it’s a “must-see” for any Corvette fans who are travelling anywhere near Kentucky. Or if you’re a Corvette fan planning a holiday in the US and want to explore the Corvette legend while there, the National Corvette Museum should be at the top of your list.
Naturally, the Museum is stocked with over 70 historic cars. The “Nostalgia Area” displays early Corvette history with cars set in periodic settings. A special area is set aside to feature the most famous of all Corvette people, the great Zora Arkus-Duntov. There is an area devoted to the history of Corvette Racing, a Design and Engineering section and a Corvette Theatre with a film on the history of the car. The “Skydome” has an exhibit of one car from each generation of Corvette, and includes the “Hall of Fame”, displaying tributes to all the Hall of Fame Inductees. This is the area where eight classic Corvettes were swallowed up when the Skydome Sinkhole happened in 2014. An exhibit tells the story.
The museum also contains a Corvette Store, which surely contains the world’s biggest range of Corvette apparel, books, accessories, models, jewellery and all types of gifts and memorabilia. There is also an eatery within the museum, with the new Stingray Grill about to open.
The NCM also has a Motorsport Park where you can drive around the track in a C8 Z51, track your own car, participate in a high-performance driving school, or spectate at motorsports events.
On top of all this, the NCM runs conferences, special exhibitions and car shows and as many of you will know, you can pick up your new Corvette at the museum with a small hand-over ceremony.
