National Corvette Museum to debut new ‘Driven By Design’ exhibit

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) - After 14 years of planning, researching and constructing, the National Corvette Museum is opening up a new exhibit called “Driven By Design.”

The 6500 square foot exhibit was designed to inspire, educate and entertain National Corvette Museum guests about the history of the Corvette’s design process and the diverse individuals responsible for the famous sports car.

The exhibit is interactive and shows National Corvette Museum guests the thought process that individuals had when creating the models behind the Corvette.

This is something Sharon Brawner, President and CEO of the National Corvette Museum, says is one of the most beautiful things about this new exhibit.

“Right now we are telling a lot of unsung heroes stories, people who are behind the scenes that maybe no one ever hears about, “ she said. “That is the beauty of this. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of people who have been involved in the design of Corvette over the last 70 years. We will have plenty of great history to draw upon, so that we can keep evolving the story over time.”

The “Driven By Design” exhibit is an interactive experience for National Corvette Museum guests to learn more about the process that goes into creating the vehicle. With all of the new-age technology that went into building the exhibit, it is an experience a person of any age can enjoy and learn something from.

This is something that Bob Bubnis, Curator of Creations and Exhibit Manager of the National Corvette Museum, says is one of the biggest goals when building this exhibit.

“We can reach other people like kids who have the need to be inspired at this juncture in their life. People who just have an interest in other people’s stories. The stories behind how these great cars came together,” says Bubnis.

“I think it is going to be a pretty popular exhibit, because it is about art. You know, it is not just about a car. It is about how art and science come together to make this great automobile. I think it’s gonna appeal to a broad group of people.”

The “Driven By Design” exhibit will open its doors to the public starting tomorrow, September 21st, 2022. To learn more information about the exhibit and other exhibits at the National Corvette Museum, you can visit their website.

Full Press Release from the National Corvette Museum:

BOWLING GREEN, KY, September 20, 2022 – The National Corvette Museum (NCM) is pleased to announce that their groundbreaking exhibit, Driven by Design, is now open. The 6,500-square-foot exhibit is focused on the history of Corvette’s design process and the stories of the diverse group of individuals responsible for the most iconic sports car design of all time.

This long-term exhibit, located in the museum’s Design and Engineering Gallery, has been planned by the museum’s curatorial staff along with co-curator, Retired GM Design Chief Tom Peters, for several years and was designed to inspire, educate, and entertain National Corvette Museum guests. This exhibit uses interactive elements, artifacts, hands-on objects, and motion-activated content to help guests learn about the design history of the Corvette.

The exhibit features Corvette’s Vice Presidents of Design beginning with Harley Earl in the 1950s through Mike Simcoe today. The exhibit also reveals the lesser-known stories of those who worked out of the spotlight but were no less influential in creating the lines that would shape the auto industry. Additionally, this exhibit shines a light on the diversity of the individuals responsible for Corvette’s iconic design.

This exhibit also provides a full overview of the intricate and exciting process of designing a car, from sketches and renderings to clay and prove-out models. From exterior and interior design to future-looking projects and designs. With the use of interactive elements, guests will see the actual tools and models that led to the Corvettes seen on the road today.

About The National Corvette Museum: Since 1953, the Corvette has been America’s Sports Car. The National Corvette Museum is a 501 (c) 3, not-for-profit foundation, serving as an educational and research institution with the mission of celebrating the Corvette’s invention and preserving the legendary automobile’s past, present, and future. For more information visit corvettemuseum.org or call 270-781-7973.

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