A decade after a sinkhole swallowed eight iconic Corvettes, the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green is set to commemorate the event with the “Ground to Sky: The Sinkhole Reimagined” exhibit. This exhibit, opening in June, aims to showcase the museum's growth and transformation since the 2014 catastrophe that caught national and international attention.
Mariah Hughes, the museum's media relations and marketing production manager, expressed enthusiasm for the upcoming exhibit. "We want to showcase how the museum has grown and expanded over the 10 years since that event and how we quite literally made lemonade out of lemons,” she said. The museum has not only recovered but has seen its exhibit spaces undergo continuous refreshment with a focus on education, including the McMichael Family Education Gallery which emphasizes STEAM education.
The sinkhole, which formed inside the Skydome section of the museum on February 12, 2014, resulted in the loss of eight Corvettes. However, the incident also marked the beginning of a new chapter for the museum. Two of the affected cars, a 1992 model celebrating the 1 millionth Corvette and a 2009 ZR1 model known as “Blue Devil,” have been fully restored and will be highlighted in the exhibit. Another featured restoration is a 1962 model finished in “tuxedo black” paint, a project that took 600 man-hours to complete.
The remaining five Corvettes, including the 1.5 millionth Corvette built in 1994 and a 1984 PPG Pace Car Corvette, among others, have been preserved in their damaged state and will also be on display.
Kaye Wagner, the museum board chair, reflected on the decade since the sinkhole with pride, emphasizing the museum's resilience and growth. "Thanks to our amazing team and supporters, we have survived a sinkhole. Not only have we endured, but we are thriving,” Wagner stated. The exhibit not only commemorates a pivotal moment in the museum's history but also celebrates the unwavering spirit of innovation and recovery.
