After 9 months of closure due to flood damage and a resulting renovation, the Kentucky Derby Museum has experienced record level crowds. From April 18th of 2010 until July 31st of 2010, the Kentucky Derby Museum has had a 63 percent jump in attendance. The first two weeks the museum was open (two weeks prior to Derby), attendance more than tripled compared to the same time period in 2009.
“We really owe our attendance growth to three factors. First, our fans were so supportive during the flood and they were anxious for us to re-open. They’ve been out to celebrate the renovation in force ever since. Second, we’ve had some great conventions in town over the spring and summer that gave us a real boost in numbers. Third, the closure of Kentucky Kingdom sent visitors looking for alternatives during their visit and we were one of the attractions that benefitted greatly from that,” says Executive Director, Lynn Ashton.
In celebration of the one year anniversary marking the museum’s triumph over the flood waters, visitors will receive a rose lapel pin today. Each staff member will also be given a pin to mark the date and to serve as a reminder of the efforts and sacrifices they made to restore the Derby Museum during a nine month closure.
