National Corvette Museum Sinkhole Exhibit Is a Story of Tragedy and Triumph
The National Corvette Museum has opened a new exhibit dedicated to its famous sinkhole incident.
Anniversary Worth Celebrating?
It may seem hard to believe at this point, but it's been a full decade since the infamous sinkhole incident at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, which seemed like a massive tragedy at the time. The sinkhole destroyed a number of historically important Corvettes at the time, but since then, the museum has been busy repairing some of them, as well as retelling the incredible story of how it all went down. Now, that story continues with the new exhibit Ground to Sky: The Sinkhole Reimagined.
Photos: National Corvette Museum
Reflecting on the Past
The purpose of this new exhibit is to educate visitors on the recovery efforts that took place following the sinkhole disaster, as well as document the decade of progress that followed. "We are excited to open Ground to Sky: The Sinkhole Reimagined as a tribute to the growth and vision of the National Corvette Museum and to remind Corvette enthusiasts worldwide how far we’ve come since that fateful morning,” said Kaye Wagner, Chair of the National Corvette Museum Board of Directors. “This special exhibit allows us to reflect on the challenges we faced, and the tremendous progress we have achieved since then.”
Photos: National Corvette Museum
Survivors
This new exhibit has quite a few unique artifacts for guests to enjoy, including some one-of-a-kind Corvettes that were recovered from the sinkhole and removed from long-term storage for visitors to see in the flesh. That list includes the ZR-1 Spyder, the 1962 Corvette, and the 1.5 Millionth Corvette, along with the 2009 ZR-1 Blue Devil and One-Millionth Corvette built.
Photos: National Corvette Museum
Other Components
Additionally, the new sinkhole exhibit features interviews from NCM staff who were on duty that fateful day, a chronological map of the progress that has been made since, access to the 40-foot sinkhole and a boulder that that impacted the Mallett Hammer Corvette, and even braille labels for all five Corvettes for blind visitors to enjoy.
Photos: National Corvette Museum
Preserving History
“Guests will have the opportunity to explore a collection of Corvettes and artifacts that showcase the Museum’s journey during and following the catastrophe,” explained Robert Maxhimer, Director of Curatorial Affairs and Education. “From the restoration of damaged Corvettes to the ten years of progress that has touched every corner of the Museum, Ground to Sky: The Sinkhole Reimagined highlights our commitment to preserving Corvette history while embracing progress.”
Photos: National Corvette Museum
Limited Time Engagement
Ground to Sky: The Sinkhole Reimagined is open to the public now through September 15 as a limited-time engagement, meaning that if you want to witness it for yourself, you'll want to plan your visit to NCM soon. Regardless, for anyone fascinated with this bizarre incident, it certainly looks to be worth the trip.
Photos: National Corvette Museum
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