Home » KY Derby Museum building immersive Secretariat exhibit ahead of Derby 149

KY Derby Museum building immersive Secretariat exhibit ahead of Derby 149

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Kentucky Derby Museum is building a brand new exhibit dedicated to Secretariat, which will open to the public ahead of the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Secretariat’s historic Derby win and Triple Crown sweep. After a year and a half of planning and preparation, the Museum is thrilled to kick off a construction project that will result in a state-of-the-art exhibit titled Secretariat: America’s Horse. The exhibit is designed to showcase Secretariat’s life, stardom, and incomparable impact on horse racing, America, and the world.

“Kentucky Derby Museum is thrilled to honor Secretariat in such a unique way with this brand new exhibit,” said Pat Armstrong, Kentucky Derby Museum President and CEO. “The Museum has been working diligently for well over a year to build an exhibit that is worthy of America’s Horse and to create a truly memorable experience for all our guests — from the bucket list tourists to the Secretariat super fans.”

The 1,000 square-foot exhibit will be permanently located on the second floor of the Museum, and it will be more than seven times larger than the current display on the first floor. Local design company, Solid Light is designing the exhibit to incorporate unique technology, visuals, and video that will create an immersive experience for guests.

“It is rare that the Kentucky Derby Museum dedicates a permanent exhibit to a singular Thoroughbred racehorse, but Secretariat merits that,” said Chris Goodlett, Kentucky Derby Museum Senior Director of Curatorial and Educational Affairs. “It will show our guests exactly why Secretariat has endured as a celebrity to this day. From the new artifacts to the advanced visual projections, we’re excited for the amazing story we get to tell and also the exciting new methods we’re using to tell it.”

Construction crews are currently building new walls, painting, and preparing for the installations. The exhibit will open in April 2023 to officially kick off the excitement of Derby season. The Museum will also host a ticketed event for the grand opening celebration and ribbon cutting.

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