National Corvette Museum

Aerial view of the National Corvette Museum
Established	September 1994; 31 years ago (1994-09)
Location	350 Corvette Drive Bowling Green, Kentucky
Type	Automobile
President	Sharon Brawner
Website	www.corvettemuseum.org

TheNational Corvette Museum showcases theChevrolet Corvette, anAmericansports car that has been in production since 1953. It is located inBowling Green, Kentucky, offInterstate 65's Exit 28 and nearGeneral Motors'Bowling Green Assembly Plant, where Corvettes are manufactured. It was constructed in 1994. It was opened to the public in September of that year.^[1]

The mission of the National Corvette Museum is to educate worldwide audiences on the evolution of the Corvette – America's Sports Car – through the collection, preservation, and celebration of its legacy. The museum offers exhibits, immersive experiences, Corvette manufacturing plant tours, and offerings that engage visitors in the history of Corvette.

On February 12, 2014, asinkhole opened under the floor of the Skydome area of the museum at around 5:44 AM local time, causing a portion of the floor to collapse. Kentucky is one of the many states that is notable for havingkarst topography. Karst topography is the landscape that is formed from the dissolving of rocks such as limestone. In the museum's case, the sinkhole was caused by the dissolving of the limestone in the ground which caused pockets to open underneath the surface. Eventually, the weight of the building caused the top layer of soil to collapse.^[2] Eight rare and one-of-a-kind Corvettes, portions of the display stands, rails, large concrete floor, slabs and dirt fell into the sinkhole, causing serious damage to some of the Corvettes. The Corvettes involved have an estimated value of a million dollars.^[3][4] The remaining 20 cars in the Skydome were immediately removed from that area. Between March 3, 2014, and March 6, 2014, 5 of the 8 Corvettes were recovered from the sinkhole. The spire area of the Skydome was reinforced before work started on removing the final three buried cars.^[5] Multiple multigravity tests were done to ensure that another sinkhole wasn't present or in the making. The results came back clear which allowed for the construction work to begin. For an added precaution,micropiles, or systems of steel rods, were inserted into the ground before the concrete was repoured to help give the building more support.^[6] The museum reopened the day after the sinkhole appeared.^[7]

An exhibit opened in the museum two years later to tell the story of what happened that day and why it happened. This exhibit gives visitors the chance to virtually recover the cars that were in the sinkhole.^[8]

The museum also sponsors theCorvette Hall of Fame for individuals who have been involved with the Corvette automobile and made significant contributions in their respective fields. Each year, from two to six persons have been inducted into this select group. Members have been divided into three categories: enthusiasts, GM/Chevrolet, and racing.

• List of sinkholes of the United States

• Official website
• Bowling Green Assembly Plant official website^{[dead link]}
• Official Corvette website
• Chubb Corporation, Our Stories: National Corvette Museum - "Flying Cars. Crash Landing."Archived June 12, 2018, at theWayback Machine

37°00′15″N86°22′30″W / 37.00417°N 86.37500°W /37.00417; -86.37500

• Museums in Bowling Green, Kentucky
• Automobile museums in Kentucky
• Chevrolet Corvette
• 501(c)(3) organizations
• Non-profit organizations based in Kentucky
• Museums established in 1994
• 1994 establishments in Kentucky
• Halls of fame in Kentucky

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