AS AMERICA’S FAVORITE SPORTS CAR marks 70 years, the National Corvette Museum is the natural place to celebrate in style. Located a stone’s throw from where the Corvettes are built in Bowling Green, Kentucky, the museum tells the full story of the model – not just as a motor car, but also as the vehicle that represents the nation’s hopes and dreams. It all kicks off with the Nostalgia Gallery, which puts the car in a cultural context with an insight into mid-20th-century living. It features a barbershop, Mobil service station, period-correct Chevrolet dealer showroom and recreation of the St Louis assembly plant line. The E Pierce Marshall Memorial Performance Gallery brings the Corvette to life with digital projections, 180º video footage and special artifacts, as well as some of the most spectacular examples ever built. The Design and Engineering Gallery, meanwhile, tells the story of the Corvette’s creation, with hands-on display items and memorabilia, and the SkyDome pays tribute to the heroes of the model’s tale. Its Hall of Fame features legendary individuals, from engineers and designers to enthusiasts and motor sport figures. However, the National Corvette Museum is not only about the past – the McMichael 58
National Corvette Museum Visit the home of the American Dream as it marks this very special sports car’s 70th anniversary in style W O R D S N AT H A N C H A D W I C K P H O T O G R A P H Y N AT I O N A L C O R V E T T E M U S E U M
ABOVE A great selection of exhibits and activities for the whole family at Bowling Green’s National Corvette Museum.
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Family Education Gallery aims to inspire the next generation of Corvette engineers, designers and, most importantly, enthusiasts. If all that has worked up an appetite, you can enjoy the Stingray Grille restaurant and bar, to fuel you up for a Plant Tour to see the cars begin their journey to the road. If you’re really lucky, you may even get chance to win your very own Corvette via the museum. The facility is about more than the exhibits, however – it plays host to many exciting events throughout the year, and you can expect special themed displays, too. For example, the museum has just opened Custom CARisma: The Legendary Creations of Carl Casper. Carl is responsible for some of the most memorable one-off show cars ever, such as the Turbo Shark Corvette, Cosmic Invader and Young American Dragster. He’s also behind the iconic Batman Returns Batmobile – and you will be able to get up close and personal with these creations and more. The Corvette is the American Dream in four-wheel form – so join the National Corvette Museum on this, the car’s 70th anniversary, and make your dreams come true. For more information on the National Corvette Museum, visit www.corvettemuseum.org.