Going to a museum is like watching a movie: you see the carefully prepared, eye-catching final result of a sometimes years-long process full of research, problem solving, and elbow grease. Starting March 12, 2026, the National Corvette Museum‘s “Driven to Preserve” exhibit will show you “how Corvettes are tracked, documented, stabilized, and interpreted—not just displayed.”
There are three main components to the enlightening display. The first is the museum-grade documentation, logistics, and care involved in handling the NCM’s precious contents. The second is that there’s more to the museum’s work than just keeping the cars in great shape—their context, modifications, materials, and history also have to be maintained.
The third is Corvettes, of course, which will be displayed on lifts in the Limited Engagement Gallery and accompanied by “interpretive displays explaining how Museum staff manage everything from environmental monitoring to object tracking.”
This fall, the NCM’s new 66,000-square-foot Collections Facility will open as a showcase of the most historically significant Corvettes, Corvette artifacts, and Corvette preservation efforts. Those who attend “Driven to Preserve” will be able to preview what to expect in the space. The Corvettes included in the sneak-peek will be:
—Tuxedo Black ’62 that fell into the sinkhole back in 2014 and was restored in 2018, right down to the Frisch’s Big Boy sugar packet that was found under the seat.
—1979 engineering development mule that was built as an experimental platform and later used as a training tool for employees at the Bowling Green Assembly Plant. It received its own restoration: after arriving at the NCM in pieces, it was reassembled over the course of several years.
—2003 Z06 that was modified by Callaway to produce nearly 500 horsepower.
To score tickets for the National Corvette Museum’s “Driven to Preserve” exhibit, click here.
