JRA, part of RWS Entertainment Group, is celebrating the recent renovations at Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory, the first gallery renovation for the museum in almost 15 years. The improvements include an expanded Bat Vault, a completely renovated museum gallery, a new temporary exhibit space, and more.
At 638 square feet, the Bat Vault gallery has more than doubled in size. It is home to over 3,000 original bat models created by some of the most illustrious players in the history of the game. Some of the displayed models date back more than a century. The Bat Vault experience is now a part of the museum’s general admission, whereas it was previously only accessible to visitors who had opted for the VIP museum experience.
“We call the Bat Vault our Fort Knox of baseball bats, and we are thrilled to now treat all of our guests to the stories, history, and spectacle that comes with the Vault,” says Deana Lockman, executive director of Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory. “The museum is all about creating unforgettable experiences, and these renovations will undoubtedly add to the one-of-a-kind experience we offer.”
Getting closer to history
The renovated museum gallery is a space where visitors can explore the stories of baseball’s history. The permanent exhibit, Hold A Piece of History, where visitors can hold game-used bats, has undergone a major renovation, offering more photo possibilities for visitors to display their best batting stance while holding a legendary piece of lumber
The museum’s iconic player sculptures are now placed with a backdrop for a photo opportunity so that visitors may remember what it was like to stand next to legends like Henry Aaron, Babe Ruth, Roberto Clemente, Derek Jeter, Ken Griffey Jr., Jackie Robinson, and Ted Williams. Additionally, museum artefacts will be displayed beside the sculptures to demonstrate each player’s relationship to Hillerich & Bradsby Co. (H&B)’s history.
New cameras will help record the flying wood chips at the hand-turning station and the sizzle of the bat at the burn branding station, allowing visitors to see more of the activity of two classic bat-making processes. The two demonstrations will run daily.
The stories that have shaped H&B’s illustrious past also can be explored and discussed by museum Brand Ambassadors in a new programming area. The addition of the dedicated space will allow the museum to focus more on its programming.
New temporary exhibition space
An additional feature of the remodelling is a new 200-square-foot area designated for temporary exhibitions, starting with West Main’s Marvel: The Big Bat. In this display, visitors can learn about the history of H&B’s relocation to West Main in 1995, the installation of the iconic Big Bat, and the influence the museum has had on the growth of downtown Louisville.
In the near future, H&B intends to update the museum shop and will also continue to build within the 800 Main campus that it has been occupying since 1995.
“One of our main goals is to build out the H&B campus to be a premier entertainment center that currently includes Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory, our bourbon attraction Barrels & Billets, and event spaces,” says John Hillerich, CEO of Hillerich & Bradsby Co. “The 800 block of West Main will only become more appealing for people in the city with the excitement in our facility, as well as across the street when The Dream hotel is completed.”
The gallery renovation was designed by JRA – Part of RWS Entertainment Group of Cincinnati with Louisville’s Schaefer Construction serving as the general contractor for the build-out. Exhibit fabrication was performed by 1220 Exhibits of Nashville, Tennessee.
Last year, JRA completed a brand experience project for Bush’s Visitor Center Museum in Dandridge, Tennessee, US. The company provided master planning, design and implementation services for the reimagined museum, working in partnership with the team at Bush’s.
