McMichael Family Education Gallery opens at the National Corvette Museum

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) - The National Corvette Museum (NCM) is pleased to announce that its latest exhibit, The McMichael Family Education Gallery, is now open.

The 2,500-square-foot dedicated education gallery will allow the NCM to provide a state-of-the-art educational experience geared directly to the next generation of Corvette enthusiasts, engineers, designers, and more.

“This state-of-the-art education gallery will serve as a space to engage families, students, and kids of all ages with standards-based STREAM education, group tours, school field trips, and curriculum-based learning opportunities,” said Brian Baker, Director of Collections & Education for the NCM.

One special feature of the new education gallery is a space called Studio X. When Bill Mitchell became the second head of GM Styling in 1959, he needed a way to step out of the shadow of the legendary Harley Earl. Mitchell found a small room in the basement of the GM Technical Center – a simple, 15′ x 42′ cinderblock room with keys for only one sculptor, a designer, one studio engineer, and Mitchell. This small room – which generated the XP-87 Stingray Racer Special – began a series of private studios known as “Studio X” that continues to this day. The Mako Shark, the Manta Ray, and dozens more of the greatest Corvettes were born in these studios. The spirit of this legendary studio will be captured in a small garage within the new gallery. It will be used to inspire students of all ages, displaying design and engineering prototypes and serving as a small projection theater to share stories of innovation.

The McMichael Family Education Gallery is included with Museum admission.

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.