National Corvette Museum facts for kids
 |
|
Aerial view of the National Corvette Museum
|
|
| Established | September 1994 |
|---|---|
| Location | 350 Corvette Drive Bowling Green, Kentucky |
| Type | Automobile |
The National Corvette Museum is a super cool place that celebrates the Chevrolet Corvette. This famous sports car has been made in America since 1953. The museum is in Bowling Green, Kentucky. It's right next to the factory where Corvettes are built! The museum first opened its doors in September 1994.
The main goal of the museum is to teach everyone about the Corvette's history. They collect, protect, and share the amazing story of "America's Sports Car." You can see awesome exhibits, try out fun activities, and even take tours of the Corvette factory. It's a great way to learn all about these special cars!
The Big Sinkhole of 2014
On February 12, 2014, something wild happened at the museum. A huge sinkhole suddenly opened up under the floor of a special area called the Skydome. This happened around 5:44 AM. Part of the floor just collapsed!
Kentucky is known for having "karst topography." This is a fancy way of saying the ground has lots of limestone rock. Over time, water can dissolve this rock, creating empty spaces underground. Eventually, the ground above these spaces can fall in. That's exactly what happened at the museum.
Eight very rare and unique Corvettes fell into the sinkhole. Display stands, concrete floor pieces, and dirt also tumbled down. Some of the cars were badly damaged. These eight Corvettes were worth about a million dollars! The museum quickly moved 20 other cars from the Skydome to safety.
Between March 3 and March 6, 2014, five of the eight cars were carefully pulled out of the hole. Before they tried to get the last three cars, workers made sure the building was extra strong. They did special tests to check for other hidden sinkholes. The tests showed everything was clear. To be super safe, they put strong steel rods, called "micropiles," into the ground. These rods helped support the building before new concrete was poured. Amazingly, the museum reopened the very next day after the sinkhole appeared!
Two years later, the museum opened a new exhibit. It tells the whole story of the sinkhole and why it happened. Visitors can even try a virtual game to "recover" the cars that fell in.
Corvette Hall of Fame
The museum also has a special "Corvette Hall of Fame." This honors people who have done amazing things related to the Corvette car. Each year, a few people are chosen to join this important group. They are divided into three main types:
- Enthusiasts: People who love Corvettes and help share their passion.
- GM/Chevrolet: People who worked for General Motors (the company that makes Corvettes) or Chevrolet.
- Racing: Drivers and others who made Corvettes famous in car races.
Some famous people in the Hall of Fame include:
- Zora Arkus-Duntov: Often called the "Father of the Corvette."
- Ron Fellows: A well-known racing driver.
- Betty Skelton: A famous pilot and race car driver.
See also
- List of sinkholes in the United States
