Our staff is working around the clock to clean up from the flood. Damages are estimated at over $4 million dollars for clean-up and recovery. Here are some updates we have to share with you. Please note the photo-op at the bottom of this email.
All education field trips to the museum will be cancelled from now until the end of December. We will resume field trips in January and schools are welcome to book now through the museum’s education department. The Kentucky Derby Museum normally see about 22,000 children during annual field trips. Our outreach program will continue as scheduled. (Our Outreach Coordinator travels the state of Kentucky bringing educational programs to schools across the region. He saw 37,000 youth last year.)
Tours and Gift Shop continue to operate out of the Churchill Downs Store located through Gate 17 of Churchill Downs. Please check the website for further tour times and details. Fulfillment for catalog orders will begin again soon. www.derbymuseum.org
The museum will be closed until further notice. We will be given a more definite timeline at the end of August.
To date, the carpet has been removed from the main floor and lower level. Dryers have been placed all over the museum along with long stretches of forced air hosing and hepa filters. All offices in the basement have been cleaned out and any wooden furniture has been disposed. Staff from those offices have been moved upstairs to share space with their co-workers. Objects from the collections that were damaged are being packed for shipment to the conservator in Chicago. More than 2 thousand pieces were rescued during the flood and fewer than 100 pieces from the collection suffered damage. There are an estimated 10,000 pieces in the museum’s collection.
The main and lower levels will receive a preliminary wash soon and will then be analyzed by an industrial hygienist for contamination before the sterilization will take place.
PHOTO OP, TUESDAY AT 10:30AM: Deconstruction continues. Tomorrow at 10:30 AM the main floor exhibit areas will be further dismantled. After a water probe showed further flood deposits behind walls, sections will be cut out and exhibit panels will be removed. On the lower level, offices have been cleaned out and drywall removal has begun. Tuesday morning, further sections of drywall will be cut along the floor removing up to two feet so decontamination can begin. Dryers still snake through the museum with large fans everywhere to continue to dry out the floors.
Media only to attend as this work is performed by the First Response clean-up team.
For more information or questions: Wendy Treinen, cell. 502-693-5605
