♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> HELLO AND WELCOME TO "INSIDE >> HELLO AND WELCOME TO "INSIDE LOUISVILLE" WHERE WE INTRODUCE YOU TO THE PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS THAT MAKE UP KENTUCKY'S LARGEST CITY.

I'M YOUR HOST, KELSEY STARKS.

THIS WEEK WE TAKE YOU INSIDE THE KENTUCKY DERBY MUSEUM.

THIS YEAR MARKS 40 YEARS SINCE THE DERBY MUSEUM OPENED RIGHT NEXT DOOR TO THE ICONIC CHURCHILL DOWNS.

ITS MISSION IS TO ENGAGE, EDUCATE AND EXCITE EVERYONE ABOUT THE EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCE THAT IS THE KENTUCKY DERBY.

LAST YEAR THE MUSEUM SET A RECORD WELCOMING MORE THAN 280,000 VISITORS FROM AROUND THE WORLD TO LEARN THE HISTORY AND TRADITION OF THE DERBY, GET A WALKING TOUR OF CHURCHILL DOWNS AND ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING EXPERIENCES IS SEEING THE HEART POUNDING FILM, THE GREATEST RACE IN THE MUSEUM'S ONE OF A KIND 360° THEATER.

TO CELEBRATE IT'S 40S ANNIVERSARY, THE MUSEUM ICONIC THEATER AND MOVIE IS GETTING A MAJOR UPGRADE.

HERE IS YOUR FIRST LOOK INSIDE THE GREATEST RACE.

>> HERE COMES... >> SINCE IT'S DEBUT 40 YEARS AGO...

THE KENTUCKY DERBY MUSEUM'S IMMERSIVE 360° THEATER HAS BEEN GROUNDBREAKING.

>> THIS TYPE OF PRESENTATION IN A MUSEUM ENVIRONMENT IS RATHER UNIQUE JUST BECAUSE OF THE SCALE OF IT THE GREAT HALLS THEATER IS ONE OF THE ONLY 360° SCREEN THEATERS IN THE WORLD.

THERE ARE A COUPLE OTHERS, MOST OF THOSE YOU WOULD FIND HAVE A DOME OVER THEM.

OURS IS UNIQUE BECAUSE IT'S 360° STRIP THAT GOES AROUND IN AN OVAL SHAPE TO REPRESENT A RACETRACK.

A LOT OF PEOPLE WALK IN AND ASK THE QUESTION, WHERE IS THE THEATER BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT EXPECTING THE SCREEN TO BE ALL AROUND THEM.

AND THEN WHEN THE MOVIE OPENS, AND YOU SEE ALL THESE NAMES OF PAST DERBY WINNERS AND ROSES ON THE SCREEN, THEN THEY REALIZE WHAT THEY'RE IN AND THAT IT'S GOING TO BE AN EXPERIENCE LIKE THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.

>> WHEN IT OPENED IN 1985, THE GREATEST RACE WAS SIMPLY A SLIDE SHOW OF DERBY PHOTOGRAPHS.

IN 2015, IT BEGAN THE WORLD'S FIRST SEAMLESS 360° IMMERSIVE MEDIA EXPERIENCE.

WHILE THE FILM IS UPDATED EACH YEAR TO REFLECT THE NEWEST DERBY WINNER, THIS YEAR'S UPGRADE IS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT IN A DECADE.

>> THE GREAT HALL 40-FOOT X 40-FOOT OVAL AND 40-FOOT TALL UP TO THE CEILING.

NOW WHAT WE ARE DOING, WHAT WE ARE ADDING THIS TIME IS WE HAVE NEVER HAD AMBIENT LIGHTING DURING THE FILM.

WE HAVE LIGHTING 3 IN THE EXHIBITS BUT NOT AMBIENT.

THAT'S WHAT WE ARE ADDING.

A SERIES OF NEW LIGHTING FIXTURES, SOME OF WHICH WILL BE LASER CONTROLLED.

SOME OF WHICH WILL HAVE SPECIAL EFFECTS LIKE ROSE PETALS AND ALL CUT OUT AND WHAT IS CALLED GOBOS FOR THEM AND SO THAT IS WHAT WE ARE ADDING.

SO WHEN YOU SEE THE MOVIE, YOU ARE IN THIS KIND OF LIGHT SHOW THAT IS GOING TO GO ON.

SOMETIMES WILL YOU NOTICE IT.

SOMETIMES YOU WON'T BUT THEN YOU WILL BE LIKE WOW.

THAT'S SUCH AN EDITION I WAS NOT EXPECTING.

>> IT'S A $2.3 MILLION ADDITION.

AND CONTAINS RECENT UPDATES TO CHURCHILL DOWNS.

>> WE HAVE A COUPLE NEW VOICES THAT WE ARE BRINGING IN, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR THE FIRST TIME WE WILL HAVE PENNY CHENARY FROM INTERVIEWS AND SECRETARIAT'S OWNER PASSED AWAY A FEW YEARS AGO.

WE ARE BRINGING IN BRAD COX, THE LEADING TRAINER OF THIS GENERATION OF TRAINERS.

WE HAVE MIKE SMITH IN AND WE ARE INCORPORATING FOOTAGE OF HIM WINNING UNJUSTIFIED WHEN WE HAVE THIS PART OF THE MOVIE WITH JOCKEYS, THEY SHOW THEM ON HORSES BUT NOW WE HAVE A DERBY AND THEY'RE ALL WINNING DERBY WINNING JOCKEYS AND NOW WE HAVE THEM WITH SHOWS, HE IS WINNING THE DERBY IN THE 2018 YEAR WHERE THE RAIN IS POURING DOWN AND IT'S JUST THIS GREAT LOOK.

YOU SEE TRULY WHAT IT MEANS TO HIM TO WIN THE DERBY.

THE ONE THING EVERYTHING IN THE MUSEUM, ESPECIALLY THIS EXHIBIT, THE GREATEST RACE, IS THAT WE WANT THE PERSON WHO HAS NO KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT GOES ON HERE THE FIRST SATURDAY IN MAY TO COME IN, SEE OUR MOVIE, SEE OUR EXHIBITS AND WANT TO GO OUT AND BE HERE IN PERSON THE NEXT DERBY.

THAT'S WHAT WE WANT.

THAT'S THE EXPERIENCE BEE WANT TO GIVE.

>> PATRICK ARMSTRONG IS THE PRESIDENT AND C.E.O.

OF THE KENTUCKY DERBY MUSEUM.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

THIS NEW MOVIE LOOKS ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC.

WHAT IS THE RECEPTION BEEN SO FAR?

>> IT IS FANTASTIC.

WE DEBUTED IT ON APRIL 10, AND WE HAD A LITTLE V.I.P.

RECEPTION AND A COUPLE OF SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE DEBUT, GRAND MOVIE PREMIER, IF YOU WILL, RED CARPET TREATMENT, AND EVERYBODY LOVES IT.

WE WERE REALLY INTENTIONAL IN KEEPING ALL THE BEST PARTS OF THE GREATEST RACE BECAUSE IT'S BEEN A MAIN STAY AT THE KENTUCKY DERBY MUSEUM FOR 40 YEARS.

SO WE WERE VERY CAREFUL WITH OUR PRODUCTION COMPANY, WHICH IS RIGHT HERE IN LOUISVILLE, DONNA LAWRENCE PRODUCTIONS, THEY HAVE WORKED ON IT FOR 40 YEARS AS WELL.

SO WE WERE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT KEEPING ALL THE GREAT SOUNDBITES AND ALL THE BEST PARTS OF IT; BUT ALSO THERE IS A TON OF NEW FOOTAGE.

ALL THE NEW ARCHITECTURE AT CHURCHILL DOWNS.

SO WE ARE JUST THRILLED WITH THE WAY IT TURNED OUT.

IT HAS BEEN A REALLY EXCELLENT ADDITION TO AN ALREADY WONDERFUL GREATEST RACE EXPERIENCE.

>> THAT IS ONE OF EVERYBODY'S FAVORITE THINGS.

I FEEL LIKE WHEN THEY GO TO THE DERBY MUSEUM.

40 YEARS OF THE KENTUCKY DERBY MUSEUM, THIS YEAR, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE MUSEUM.

BUT FIRST TELL US ABOUT YOUR HISTORY AND YOU HAVE BEEN PRESIDENT NOW FOR A DECADE.

>> RIGHT.

I CAME ON BOARD WITH IN 2015, AUGUST OF 2015, I STARTED AT THE MUSEUM AS PRESIDENT AND C.E.O.

AND I HAD, PRIOR TO THAT, I WAS WITH THE KENTUCKY DERBY FESTIVAL FOR 21 YEARS.

SO I HAVE BEEN IN THE DERBY BUSINESS NOW NOR 30 YEARS.

>> DERBY IS IN YOUR BLOOD.

>> THE DERBY BUSINESS FOR 30 YEARS.

BUT IT WAS A FANTASTIC TIME TO START BECAUSE AMERICAN PHAROAH HAD JUST WON THE TRIPLE CROWN.

THE BELMONT IS RUN IN JUNE, SO HE HAD JUST WON THE FIRST TRIPLE CROWN WINNER IN 37 YEARS.

>> WOW.

WHAT AN EXCITING TIME.

>> A LOT OF EXCITEMENT COMING INTO THE POSITION IN AUGUST OF THAT YEAR.

AND WE HAVE GROWN A LOT OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS.

BUT THE MUSEUM HAS GROWN SO MUCH OVER THE 40 YEARS OF OUR HISTORY, WE WERE FOUNDED IN 1985.

THE GENESIS OF THE IDEA ACTUALLY CAME FROM JAMES GRAHAM BROWN.

JAMES GRAHAM BROWN, AS YOU KNOW, FROM THE JAMES GRAHAM BROWN FOUNDATION, Mr. BROWN WANTED, THOUGHT THAT THE KENTUCKY DERBY SHOULD HAVE A MUSEUM DEDICATED TO THE HISTORY AND PRESERVING ARTIFACTS AND ALL THE GREAT HISTORY OF DERBY SINCE 1875.

AND PRIOR TO THE MUSEUM BEING FOUNDED, THERE WAS A COUPLE OF ROOMS OVER AT CHURCHILL DOWNS.

THEY CALLED IT THE CHURCHILL DOWNS MUSEUM.

BUT THE WAY THAT MANIFESTED INTO A NEW BUILDING RIGHT ON SITE AT CHURCHILL DOWNS, AND THEY PUT A COUPLE OF THE MINI SPIRES ON TOP OF OUR BUILDING AT THE KENTUCKY DERBY MUSEUM, AND SO Mr. BROWN AND FOUR OTHER COMMUNITY LEADERS CREATED THE IDEA, FOUND THE FUNDING TO CREATE THE MUSEUM AND TO THIS DAY, THE JAMES GRAHAM BROWN FOUNDATION IS OUR LARGEST DONOR.

WE ARE A PRIVATE NON-PROFIT.

WE ARE A SEPARATE ENTITY FROM CHURCHILL DOWNS.

AND WE HAVE A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM.

OBVIOUSLY IF IT WEREN'T FOR CHURCHILL DOWNS, THE MUSEUM WOULDN'T BE HERE.

BUT WE DO RAISE ALL OUR OWN MONIES AND OPERATE AS A SEPARATE ENTITY.

AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT.

>> YEAH FOR PEOPLE WHO MAYBE HAVE NOT VISITED THE MUSEUM, I MEAN IT IS THE-- IT IS AN EXPERIENCE, I WILL SAY.

TELL US SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO OR SEE AND REALLY EXPERIENCE THERE.

>> WELL, SO, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE THIS PARTICULAR YEAR TO CELEBRATE OUR 40th IS WE HAVE KIND OF LEANED INTO A NEW AD CAMPAIGN.

AND THE AD CAMPAIGN IS ONLY AT THE KENTUCKY DERBY MUSEUM.

SO SOME OF THE EXPERIENCES THAT YOU FIND AT THE MUSEUM ARE NOT DUPLICATED ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD.

FOR INSTANCE, WE HAVE THE JOCKEY SIMULATOR ON THE FIRST FLOOR OF THE MUSEUM WHERE PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE A JOCKEY EXPERIENCE ON THE HORSES.

WE DID A $3.2 MILLION UPGRADE TO THAT EXHIBIT LAST YEAR RIGHT BEFORE DERBY 150.

AND-- >> MY KIDS LOVED THAT.

>> THE KIDS LOVE IT BUT THE ADULTS LIKE IT, TOO.

DON'T LET THEM TELL YOU THEY DON'T.

AND SO THERE ARE FIVE HORSES, ONE IS HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBLE AND SO THAT HAS BEEN A GREAT ADDITION.

THE OTHER EXPERIENCES, A MINT JULEP IN THE DERBY CAFE, A TRIP TO BUY A SOUVENIR IN THE GIFT SHOP.

WE ALSO RUN THE PERMANENT GIFT SHOP OVER AT CHURCHILL DOWNS.

SO THE MUSEUM OWNS AND OPERATES THAT.

WE DON'T OWN THE PROPERTY, OBVIOUSLY BUT WE OPERATE THAT STORE ABOUT IT THAT'S OPEN ONLY WHEN THEY RACE.

AND CHURCHILL RACES ABOUT 80 DAYS A YEAR.

SO THE OTHER DAYS, THE MUSEUM IS OPEN, THE MUSEUM GIFT SHOP IS OPEN.

AND YOU CAN COME AND EXPERIENCE DERBY WITH US, BECAUSE WE ARE OPEN EVERY DAY.

WE ARE ONLY CLOSED FIVE DAYS A YEAR.

>> OPEN EVERY DAY.

>> OPEN EVERY DAY.

AND IN YEARS PAST, WE HAVE TRIED TO DO AT LEAST ONE LARGE EXHIBIT EACH YEAR AND REFRESH.

SO WE TRY NOT TO LET ANY OF THE EXHIBITS GET MORE THAN SEVEN YEARS OLD.

>> WOW.

>> SO EACH YEAR, FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS, SINCE COVID, WE HAVE CHOSEN ONE LARGE EXHIBIT OR BRING IN A BRAND NEW EXHIBIT AND SO 2021 WAS BLACK HERITAGE IN RACING.

IT WAS ORIGINALLY CONSTRUCTED IN 1992 AS AFRICAN-AMERICANS AND THOROUGHBRED RACING ON THE SECOND FLOOR.

AND IN 2021, THROUGH A GRANT FROM THE JAMES GRAHAM BROWN FOUNDATION, ACTUALLY, AND SOME SUPPORT FROM CHURCHILL DOWNS, WE CREATED THE BLACK HERITAGE AND RACING EXHIBIT.

13 OF THE 15 DERBIES, THE FIRST 15 DERBIES, 13 OF THEM WERE WON BY BLACK JOCKEYS.

SO THERE IS A LOT OF HERITAGE THAT HAS GONE INTO THAT EXHIBIT, A LOT OF RESEARCH AND HISTORY.

THAT'S ON THE FIRST FLOOR MUCH THAT WAS 2021.

TWEE 2022 WE DID AN EXHIBIT CALLED THE KENTUCKYY DERBY.

THAT IS RIGHT BEHIND THE STARTING GATE WHEN YOU WALK INTO THE MUSEUM.

AND THE CRUX OF THAT THOUGHT WAS , WHY IS THE DERBY IMPORTANT TO THE STATE OF KENTUCKY, TO THE CITY OF LOUISVILLE, TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA?

WHY IS DERBY SUCH AN INTERNATIONAL EVENT.

THE ECONOMICS OF THE DERBY, THE THINGS THAT GO INTO PRODUCING THE DERBY, AND WE'VE GOT SOME FUN FACTS IN THAT EXHIBIT LIKE HOW MANY MINT JULEPS ARE SERVED ON DERBY DAY?

>> IT'S A LOT.

>> IT IS A LOT.

AND I CAN'T TELL YOU THE EXACT NUMBER.

BUT ALL THE FUN AND ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE-- IT'S WHAT MAKES DERBY IMPORTANT.

SO IN 2023, IT WAS THE 50th ANNIVERSARY OF SECRETARIAT.

SO WE DID A MAJOR SECRETARIAT EXHIBIT ON THE SECOND FLOOR, WORKED WITH THE TWEETY FAMILY, PENNY CHENARY'S FAMILY AND SOME OTHER FOLKS TO CREATE THE SECRETARIAT EXHIBIT, WHICH IS A VERY POPULAR EXIB EXHIBIT FOR US AND WE CELEBRATED THAT IN 23.

'24 LAST YEAR, OBVIOUSLY WAS DERBY 150 SO IT WAS HUGE FOR US.

WE ACTUALLY-- I TASKED THE TERRITORIAL TEAM AND WE ACTUALLY HAD FOUR NEW EXHIBITS LAST YEAR THAT WE BROUGHT FORTH IN TIME FOR DERBY 150.

SO OVER THE COURSE OF TIME, OUR COLLECTIONS TEAM, WE HAVE OVER 30,000 ARTIFACTS.

BUT WE ARE NOT KNOWN AS A TRADITIONAL MUSEUM IN THE SENSE THAT IT'S SOMETHING YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, KELSEY, IT'S AN EXPERIENCE.

>> YEAH.

>> IT'S NOT THINGS BEHIND GLASS OR OLD THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT OUT AND BEEN DISPLAYED.

IT IS ALL ABOUT THE SPIRIT AND THE EXPERIENCE THAT IS THE KENTUCKY DERBY.

OUR MISSION IS TO ENGAGE, EDUCATE AND EXCITE EVERYONE ABOUT THE EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCE THAT IS THE KENTUCKY DERBY.

>> IT REALLY IS.

IT'S A VIBE.

AS THEY SAY.

>> RIGHT, RIGHT.

>> WHEN YOU GO.

THROUGHOUT THOSE 40 YEARS THOUGH, I KNOW AT LOY-- A LOT HAS CHANGED AND EVOLVED.

EVERY TIME I GO THERE, THERE IS SOMETHING NEW AND DIFFERENT TO SEE.

WHAT DO YOU HEAR FROM-- I MEAN HAVE YOU VISITORS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.

>> CEECT CORRECT.

>> WHAT ARE SOME OF THE VISITEDDORS HEIST HEIST WHAT ARE SOME OF THE VISITORS REACTIONS WHEN THEY EXPERIENCE THE KENTUCKY DERBY MUSEUM?

>> SO OUR VISITORS, DEPENDING ON WHERE THEY'RE FROM AND OUR FRONT DESK, OUR TOUR GUIDES AT THE FRONT DESK, AND THE FOLKS THAT GREET YOU WHEN YOU COME IN, HAVE AN INCREDIBLE KNACK FOR CONNECTING WITH OUR VISITORS AND ASKING THEM WHERE THEY ARE FROM.

AND USUALLY THERE IS A REFERENCE POINT.

SO YOU KNOW, IF YOU ARE FROM WISCONSIN, THEY'RE SCHOOLED WITH THE FACT THAT THIS DERBY HORSE CAME FROM WISCONSIN.

OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE.

SO-- >> MAKE THE CONNECTIONS.

>> MAKING THOSE CONNECTIONS IS IMPORTANT.

BUT OBVIOUSLY WE ARE THE EXCLUSIVE TOUR PARTNER OF CHURCHILL DOWNS.

SO WITH EACH GENERAL ADMISSIONS TICKET, YOU ARE GOING TO RECEIVE A GUIDED TRACK VISIT TO CHURCHILL DOWNS.

THAT'S VERY POPULAR.

A LOT OF THEM WANT TO EXPERIENCE WHAT DERBY IS ALL ABOUT.

SO THEY WANT TO GO TO THE CAFE AND THEY WANT TO HAVE BER GOO AND THEY WANT TO HAVE A HOT BROWN AND THEY WANT TO EXPERIENCE SOME MINT JULEP ALTHOUGH THEY MAY NOT LIKE IT AFTER THEY HAVE IT.

I DIDN'T SAY THAT.

BUT IT IS-- IT JUST DEPENDS ON WHAT THEY WANT THEIR EXPERIENCE TO BE.

WE OFFER ABOUT 12 DIFFERENT TOURS.

SO SOME OF THEM ARE MORE INTIMATE WITH GOLF CART TOURS OF ONLY SIX PEOPLE AND THEY MAY BE ON A RACE DAY, WHICH IS A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE THAN ON A NON-RACE DAY.

AND SO WE TRY TO OFFER SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY.

WE GET A LOT OF FOLKS THAT COME ON TOUR BUSES, SOME OF THEM SENIORS, BUT ALSO I GOT TO TELL YOU WHEN THE VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENTS ARE IN TOWN AND THE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS ARE IN TOWN, I THINK THERE WERE LIKE 800 TEAMS OR SOMETHING IN YEARS PAST.

AND THIS IS USUALLY IN THE SUMMER IN JULY.

WE ARE CROWDED BECAUSE WE WERE JUST NAMED, THIS PAST YEAR, USA PART OF USA TODAY'S 10 BEST.

WE WERE THE NUMBER THREE SPORTS ATTRACTION IN THE UNITED STATES.

>> INCREDIBLE.

>> AND LOUISVILLE SLUGGER RIGHT HERE, LOUISVILLE SLUGGER MUSEUM HERE IN LOUISVILLE IS NUMBER 5.

SO IT'S FANTASTIC.

BUT IT'S KIND OF DIFFERENT THAT TWO MUSEUMS FROM THE SAME CITY WERE NAMED TO THE TOP 10 LIST.

>> THAT'S INCREDIBLE.

AND I KNOW YOU GUYS HAVE A LOT OF VISITORS OF HOMETOWN TOURISTS.

>> YES.

>> WHO, YOU KNOW,DON'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT THE DERBY EXCEPT THAT IT'S HERE AND THEN THEY GET TO REALLY EXPERIENCE IT.

>> WE GET A LOT OF VISITTATION LOCALLY FROM OUR EVENTS.

WE DO SEVERAL EVENTS THAT THE MUSEUM PRODUCES.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT VISIT US WHETHER THEY HAVE FRIENDS AND FAMILY IN TOWN.

SO NEW YEAR'S DAY, A BIG DAY AT THE MUSEUM.

>> OH WOW, YEAH.

>> BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE IN TOWN FOR THE HOLIDAYS AND THEY'RE BRINGING THEIR GUESTS OUT TO THE MUSEUM TO SEE LOCAL ATTRACTIONS AND THAT.

SO THOSE ARE, YOU KNOW, WE WELCOME THAT.

ABOUT 65% OF OUR VISITORS, THOUGH, IN ANY GIVEN YEAR, ARE FROM OUT OF TOWN, FROM OUTSIDE LOUISVILLE.

SO SPORTS ATTRACTION WISE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THEM WILL COME TO LOUISVILLE.

THEY'LL TAKE A BOURBON TOUR.

THEY'LL DO A BOURBON EXPERIENCE AND OR COME FOR A CONCERT.

AND THEN THEY WILL STOP BY, AND COME TO THE DERBY MUSEUM OR THEY'LL GO TO LOUISVILLE SLUGGER MUSEUM OR HUMID ALI AND-- MUHAMMAD ALI AND EXPERIENCE THOSE.

>> THE MUSEUM BEYOND WHAT IS HAPPENING INDEPENDENT INSIDE, YOU ALL HAVE AN INCREDIBLE EDUCATION OUTREACH PROGRAM AS WELL.

>> OUR OUTREACH REACHED 38,000 STUDENTS LAST YEAR.

>> WOW.

>> AND SO THERE IS REALLY THREE LEGS TO THAT.

FIELD TRIPS, WHICH WE STAY BOOKED FOR FIELD TRIPS, STARTING REALLY OCTOBER TIMEFRAME ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE END OF MAY WHEN SCHOOL ENDS.

AND THOSE FIELD TRIPS ARE BOOKED WITH OUR EDUCATION TEAM.

WE HAVE THREE EDUCATORS ON STAFF.

TWO OF THEM HAVE TEACHING EXPERIENCE AND SO WE HAVE ABOUT THREE FIELD TRIPS EACH DAY INSIDE THE MUSEUM, SOMETIMES THAT'S KIND OF CRAZY.

BUT WE LOVE IT.

>> A LOT OF GOOD ENERGY.

>> A LOT OF GOOD ENERGY.

AND SO THE STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO OUR EDUCATORS AND HISTORIANS, TO TELL THE STORY ABOUT WHY THE KENTUCKY DERBY IS IMPORTANT.

THE SCIENCE OF THE DERBY.

WHAT GOES INTO THE DIRT ON THE TRACK.

WHAT GOES INTO A WEATHER FORECAST, HOW THE HORSES REACT.

THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.

WE ALSO HAVE SOME FIELD TRIPS IS ONE LEG, WE HAVE OUTREACH INTO THE STATE.

WE HAVE A WRAPPED VEHICLE WITH DERBY MUSEUM, IT'S A LITTLE FORD ESCAPE THAT GOES OUT INTO THE COMMUNITIES OUT IN THE STATE AND SCHOOLS OUT IN THE STATE WILL BOOK WITH ONE OF OUR EDUCATORS AND THEY WILL TAKE A DAY TO GO OUT AND DO A LESSON PLAN WITH SCIENCE OF THE DERBY OR ECONOMICS OF THE DERBY.

AND WE HAVE BEEN IN EACH OF THE 120 COUNTIES IN KENTUCKY OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST FEW YEARS.

AND THEN THE THIRD ONE, WHICH IS KIND OF NEW FOR US, WE ARE DOING VIRTUAL OUTREACH NOW.

SO WE DO A PODCAST ON OAKS DAY.

OUR EDUCATOR DOZEN A PODCAST ON OAKS DAY.

SO FOLKS WILL EMAIL US OR CALL IN AND THEY WILL REGISTER FOR THE PODCAST AND SO YOU GET I LITTLE BIT OF DERBY HISTORY AND IT'S ALL DONE ONLINE.

AND SO YOU KNOW, THAT IS AVAILABLE TO ANYBODY ACROSS THE UNITED STATES OR IN OTHER COUNTRIES, ACTUALLY.

AND SO THEY PRODUCE THAT EACH YEAR, USUALLY ON OAKS DAY, BUT WE ARE GETTING INTO THAT SOME OTHER TIMES OF YEAR AS WELL BECAUSE THE DEMAND HAS KIND OF BUILT FOR THAT ONE.

>> YEAH, AND I KNOW YOUR ART PROGRAM FOR KIDS IS SO POPULAR.

HORSING AROUND WITH ART, WHERE KIDS SUBMIT THEIR BEST ART FOR THE KENTUCKY DERBY AND THEN IT'S DISPLAYED IN THE MUSEUM, WHICH I THINK IS REALLY COOL.

>> RIGHT.

HORSING AROUND WITH ART IS OUR OLDEST EVENT.

WE STARTED IT THE FIRST YEAR IN 1985.

>> I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT.

>> IT IS ONE YEAR OLDER THAN THE MUSEUM BALL.

AND THIS PAST YEAR WE HAD OVER 250 ENTRIES.

I THIS I THERE WERE 40 SCHOOLS OR SO REPRESENTED AND THAT ART IS JUDGED-- THERE ARE SEVERAL DIFFERENT CATEGORIES AND IT'S DONE BY MIDDLE SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL, AND SO ON.

INTO CATEGORIES.

AND VERY POPULAR.

SO THE ART IS DISPLAYED FOR A PERIOD OF TIME EACH SPRING AT THE MUSEUM, AND THAT'S ALL DONE IN COORDINATION WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS SO WE ARE VERY PROUD OF THAT EVENT.

IT'S HEART WARMING.

WE DO AN AWARD CEREMONY, USUALLY END OF FEBRUARY, MARCH TIMEFRAME , EARLY MARCH AND IT'S HEART WARMING TO SEE ALL THE KIDS AND THEIR VERSION OF DERBY, OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.

>> TELL ME WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF THE MUSEUM?

WHAT DO YOU HOPE IT LOOKS LIKE IN 40 MORE YEARS?

>> SO FIRST OF ALL, I HOPE IT'S STILL THRIVING AND HOPE IT'S STILL A VERY UNIQUE EXPERIENCE.

SO THIS PARTICULAR YEAR, WE ARE EMBARKING ON A NEW STRATEGIC PLAN.

WE HAVE A BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF 22 MEMBERS FROM ALL WALKS OF THE COMMUNITY AND WE ARE COMING OFF OF THE LAST STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WAS A FIVE-YEAR PLAN THAT WAS COMPLETED IN THREE YEARS.

SO WE ARE PROUD OF THAT.

BUT LOOKING AHEAD TO THE FUTURE, YOU KNOW, NEW EXHIBITS, IMMERSIVE EXHIBITS, CREATIVE CONTENT, KEEPING THE INTEREST OF THE KENTUCKY DERBY, THE DERBY IS FANTASTIC AND MAGIC.

AND YOU KNOW, TERRY BRADSHAW PROBABLY PUT IT BEST A FEW YEARS AGO WHEN HE SAID YOU HAVE THE SUPER BOWL IN LOUISVILLE EVERY YEAR.

THAT'S WHAT THE KENTUCKY DERBY IS.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ YOU CAN WATCH AND SHARE THIS EPISODE ANY TIME ONLINE AT ket.org/INSIDELOUISVILLE PLUS BE SURE TO GIVE US A FOLLOW ON INSTAGRAM, YOU WILL GET AN INSIDER'S LOOK AT THE KENTUCKY DESERVE MUSEUM.

THE TOP FIVE THINGS YOU HAVE TO SEE WHEN YOU GO THERE.

FIND US ON INSTAGRAM AT KET IN LOU.

THANKS FOR SPENDING A LITTLE TIME GETTING TO KNOW LOUISVILLE.

HOPE TO SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT TIME.

UNTIL THEN, MAKE IT A GREAT WEEK.

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