Breakfast with Santa and Santa's Market at the Corvette Museum

There’s nothing like seeing the face of a child light up when they first spot Santa each holiday season… except maybe when you see a child spot Santa driving a red Corvette into the room! For kids (and kids at heart) it will be a memory they will never forget and for Santa – well, he gets a taste of what it must have been like when the Beatles would take the stage.

The National Corvette Museum is hosting the 3rd Annual Breakfast with Santa event on Saturday, November 26 at 9am, complete with the man in red in a Corvette of red! “There’s something magical about the moment when the garage doors open up and Santa comes driving in,” said Katie Frassinelli, Museum Marketing Manager. “I have to admit, even I get a little excited when it happens! It’s not something you’ll find anywhere else.”

This fun-filled event not only offers a hot breakfast for families and a chance for pictures with Santa AND a red Corvette, but also loads of activities like arts and crafts stations, dance performances, music, story time with Mrs. Claus, an IGA sweet treat station with goodies to take home, life-size gingerbread play houses and more.

“Each year we try to pick a theme and have craft activities, decorations and more that focus on the theme,” said Jackie Utzler, Education and Community Events Coordinator for the Museum. “This year each child will get the opportunity to actually make a mini gingerbread house to take home, in addition to other fun crafts.”

A new activity for this year is kid-sized gingerbread houses. The houses, transformed from empty appliance boxes into a miniature replica of historic downtown Bowling Green, will give younger kids a little extra activity to do. In addition, after the festivities the houses will be placed in the Museum for visitors to enjoy throughout the month of December.

Tickets for the event are only $12 for adults and $8 for kids 12 and under. Infants under 1 are free. Tickets must be reserved in advance by phone at 270-781-7973, online at www.corvettemuseum.org/registration/santa or in person at the National Corvette Museum, open daily 8am-5pm. A limited number of tickets are available.

New for 2011 is “Santa’s Market” – an indoor craft and shopping fair offering holiday gift ideas. The fair will also be on Saturday, November 26 on the Museum’s Corvette Boulevard and is free for the public to attend. The Market is 9am-3pm and vendors will be offering goods including sports merchandise, jewelry, homemade packaged foods, cookwear, doll clothing and accessories, children's books, candles, purses, totes and more.

Corvette Museum Offers "Free Admission" to Recognize US Military, Fire Fighters and Police in November

The National Corvette Museum would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank the many men and women who have served, and are serving our country.

November is "Military Appreciation Month" at the National Corvette Museum and all military personnel, fire fighters, police officers and their immediate families receive "Free Admission" during the entire month of November. All American branches including active, retired and reserve members will be honored with free admission when presenting a military or service ID.

"We are truly a blessed nation and our military provide the safety we have to enjoy our American privileges," states NCM Executive Director, Wendell Strode. "Corvette is an American icon and we invite these special individuals and their family members to experience a tour of the Museum dedicated to America’s favorite sports car."

THANKS FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO TO PROTECT OUR FREEDOM!

Adam Turpin of Henderson, KY Wins a Vette

Adam Turpin, a native of Henderson, KY (now stationed out of Norfolk, VA) received a special and exciting phone call on Thursday, September 22. He was drawn as the winner of a 2011 “Build Your Own” ZR1 Corvette in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Adam had visited the National Corvette Museum in August and entered a fundraising raffle sponsored by the Museum – a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation. His lucky ticket, number 153, was drawn.

Adam had the option of building a ZR1 Corvette, choosing the color and features of the car – or taking an $80,000 cash option. Adam is currently deployed to the Middle East, serving in the US Navy on the USS Typhoon in the Persian Gulf, and decided to take the cash option on the raffle.

The National Corvette Museum holds a series of fundraising raffles each year, varying in ticket price, odds and type of Corvette. The raffles help support the Museum, which is not only a nonprofit organization, but also a membership organization created solely by Corvette enthusiasts. The Museum is located just off I-65, exit 28 in south central Kentucky and is open daily, 8am-5pm CT. Learn more about the Museum online at www.corvettemuseum.org or call 800-53 VETTE.

Congratulations to Adam!

Chevrolet Fireball Run Brings National Search for Missing Children to Bowling Green, KY

Next Thursday, September 29 the National Corvette Museum will play host to a very special group of people.

The Chevrolet Fireball Run is an eight-day adventure rally race to raise awareness in the search for missing children, including Amy Lyn Haueter, from Fern Creek, KY. The entire Chevrolet Fireball Run fleet and team members will make a stop in Bowling Green where they will be greeted by the folks from the National Corvette Museum and treated to a light lunch.

Over 40+ teams are participating in this excursion which began in Melbourne, Fla., and will conclude in Gulfport, Miss. On the fifth-day of their journey, all Fireball Run teams, including Daytona 500 Winner and NASCAR legend Geoff Bodine and Astronaut Winston Scott, will make their way to the National Corvette Museum to continue their mission of distributing flyers announcing the search of their designated missing child.

As one of America’s most popular motoring events and largest awareness campaigns, Chevrolet Fireball Run has aided in the recovery of 35 missing children to-date. The teams will be driving a fleet of exotic vehicles, which includes an Angel-1, a specially designed 2011 Chevrolet Camaro dedicated to the more than 1,000 first responders who lost their lives on 9/11 and since Sept. 11. The fleet also features famous vehicles.

Fireball Run participants will distribute more than 50,000 flyers during their journey to aid in the recovery of missing children. Teams will also face-off in motorsport challenges and solve clues during the competition.

Media and spectators are invited to come out from 2-4pm to visit with the group and send them off in style! Learn more about the Fireball Run at http://www.fireballrun.com.

Smithsonian Magazine's 7th Annual Museum Day Offers Free Admission to Area Museums

On Saturday, September 24, 2011, the Historic Railpark and Train Museum, National Corvette Museum, and Riverview at Hobson Grove will participate in the seventh annual Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day. The Museums will join other participating museums and cultural institutions nationwide to open their doors free of charge to all visitors who download the Museum Day Ticket from Smithsonian.com. A journey to celebrate our world’s dynamic heritage and cultural life, participating Museum Day venues emulate the free admission policy of the Smithsonian Institution’s Washington, D.C.-based facilities.

The Historic RailPark & Train Museum takes a step back in time to the golden era of passenger service. A guided tour of vintage railcars showcases the workings of a Post Office Car, Dining Car and Sleeper Car. The self-guided tour of the two story museum immerses visitors into the cultural story of the railroad including two new exhibits. "Hobo Times explores the life of the Hobo with the secret language interpreted into quilts by Creative Quilters Guild," said Sharon Tabor, Executive Director of the Railpark. "The Civil War and the Railroad includes personal stories, models and antique photography," she added.

Visitors to the National Corvette Museum will view 14 examples of Chevrolet models through the decades as part of the special 100 Years of Chevrolet Exhibit. The Museum also offers a new display of NASCAR race suits worn by Jimmy Johnson, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Jeff Gordon and Mark Martin - on loan from Hendrick Motorsports. "We are an ever-changing Museum and no two visits with us are the same," said Katie Frassinelli, Corvette Museum Marketing Manager. "We are more than just Corvette, offering a little something for everyone!"

Riverview at Hobson Grove is celebrating the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War in Kentucky with a juried art show with a Civil War theme. The home is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and an official site on the Civil War Discovery Trail.

Other participating Kentucky museums include: Kentucky Historical Society (Frankfort), Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory (Louisville), My Old Kentucky Home (Bardstown), Owensboro Museum of Science and History, The National Quilt Museum (Paducah), Kentucky Derby Museum (Louisville) and International Museum of the Horse at the Kentucky Horse Park (Lexington).

The Museum Day Ticket is available to download at www.smithsonian.com/museumday. Visitors who present the official pass will gain free admission for two people to one participating museum or cultural venue of their choice. One ticket is permitted per household, per email address. Listings and links to participating museums’ and sponsors’ sites can be found at www.smithsonian.com/museumday.

About Historic RailPark & Train Museum
Located off I-65 at exit 28, The Historic RailPark & Train Museum is open 9-5 Monday – Saturday and 1-4 on Sunday. For more information visit http://www.historicrailpark.com/ or call 270-745-7317.

About National Corvette Museum
The National Corvette Museum is the ‘Gateway to all things Corvette’ and is open daily from 8am to 5pm Central Time. It is located at I-65 exit 28 and more information can be found by calling 800-538-3883 or online at http://www.corvettemuseum.org/.

About Riverview at Hobson Grove
Open daily, 10am-4pm, Riverview is located at 110 W. Main Avenue and can be reached at 270-843-5565 or online at www.bgky.org/riverview.

About Smithsonian Media
Smithsonian Media comprises Smithsonian magazine, Air & Space, goSmithsonian, Smithsonian Media Digital Network and the Smithsonian Channel. Smithsonian Media’s flagship publication, Smithsonian magazine, is one of the nation’s largest magazines with a circulation of more than 2 million and nearly 7 million readers. Smithsonian Media is a division of Smithsonian Enterprises, the revenue-generating business unit of the Smithsonian Institution. The Smithsonian Institution is the world’s largest museum and research complex consisting of 19 museums and galleries, the National Zoological Park and nine research facilities. Approximately 30 million people from around the world visited the Smithsonian in 2009.

National Corvette Museum Insurance Agency Launches New Online Services

NCM Insurance Agency and American Modern Insurance Group, has introduced new online self-service capabilities for policyholders which will launch in phases over the next few years. This month we have introduced a new Online Services portal which allows customers to receive electronic notification when new policy and billing documents are posted online and the ability to download and print the documents.

The online services not only give customers the option of doing business online 24/7, but saves paper in the process and helps customers better manage their insurance documents electronically.

“The Museum is fortunate to have customers from across the country and we realize that our business hours may not always be convenient – especially for those on the west coast,” said NCM Insurance Agent Adam Boca. “The new online services gives our customers 24/7 self-service access, and you can even signup to receive email and text notifications.”

Customers can also file non-emergency claims at their convenience, and request simple policy modifications like change of name, address or payment plan online at any time.

To learn more about the NCM Insurance Agency’s Online Services visit: www.ncminsurance.com/manage or if you would like a no obligation quote, visit www.ncminsurance.com.

National Corvette Museum Launches Audio Tour

Tour Enhances Visits to the Museum with Information and Stories

The National Corvette Museum now offers an audio tour to accompany self-guided tours through the Museum. The audio tour is 45 minutes in length and can be downloaded to any MP3 device through the Museum's website free of charge, or visitors may rent an MP3 player at the Museum for only $5 each.

“'The audio tour will greatly enrich visitors' experiences as they navigate through our seven sections of the Museum: Gateway, Nostalgia, Performance, Engineering & Design, Enthusiast, Skydome/Hall of Fame and Exhibit Hall,” said Katie Frassinelli, Marketing and Communications Manager at the National Corvette Museum.

Listeners will hear how Corvette got its name, where Harley Earl got the idea for "Project Opel," why the Corvette emblem was changed at the last minute and how Bill Mitchell's paint shop guys got the car to match the shark.

Susan West Woodard, Program Director of Christian Family Radio in Bowling Green, loaned her vocal talents by recording the tour for the Museum. "The Museum has a lot of sights and ambient sounds in the different exhibits, so we felt Susan's voice would be a fantastic complement to the excitement already in place," added Katie.

The audio tour is currently available in English and can be rented at the Museum's admissions counter or downloaded here.