BRC Imagination Arts, a full-service strategy, design, and production company, is working with the Muhammad Ali Center to reimagine the attraction. The announcement comes a decade after the passing of Muhammad Ali, the three-time world heavyweight champion and humanitarian.
Based in Burbank, California, BRC Imagination Arts strategises, designs, and delivers story-led museums and cultural destinations that shape how people feel, think, and act.
Its portfolio includes the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.
The project is led by Lonnie Ali, co-founder and interim president and CEO of the Muhammad Ali Center.
Lonnie Ali says: "Muhammad opened his door to everyone, and he believed the surest way to find your own greatness was to believe in something greater than himself.
"We chose BRC because they share our belief that a story told with heart can change how people live, and because they understand that the Center should carry Muhammad’s values into everyday life.
"We want this message to reach young people everywhere and to travel further than it ever has. We invite Louisville, and everyone Muhammad has inspired, to help shape what comes next."
Christian Lachel, chief creative officer at BRC Imagination Arts, says: "Muhammad Ali was one of one.
"Ask the people you admire most in sports and in public life who their hero is, and so many of them come back to Muhammad Ali, because he stood up for his convictions and for what was right.
"At a moment when we all need a little more Muhammad Ali, our job is to help the Center become a living expression of that conviction and compassion, for the next generation and for visitors from around the world."
Founded in 2005 by Muhammad Ali and Lonnie Ali, the Center is the only place in the world dedicated to preserving and teaching Muhammad Ali’s legacy and principles.
Located in his birthplace of Louisville, Kentucky, where the airport also bears his name, the Muhammad Ali Center welcomes more than 80,000 visitors and 8,000 students each year. The partnership builds on that tradition, looking toward the next 20 years and beyond.
Privilege and responsibility
BRC Imagination Arts was selected through a competitive process in 2025 and will guide the project end to end, from visioning and design through to delivery.
Carmel Lewis, president of BRC Imagination Arts, says: "Muhammad Ali gave his time and his home to other people, and the Center carries that spirit forward.
"It is a privilege to work alongside Lonnie Ali and her team, and all of us at BRC feel the responsibility that comes with it."
"Muhammad Ali’s story still asks every visitor what they believe in and what they are willing to do about it,” says Matthew Solari, vice president of story and creative at BRC Imagination Arts.
"The further we move from his lifetime, the more that question matters. Our job is to create aplace where people experience it from the moment they arrive."
The Center and BRC Imagination Arts have already done significant groundwork, including more than 30 hours of listening sessions with 20 community and stakeholder groups in an effort to align with the sentiment of those it impacts most. The collaboration with the community will continue as the Center’s vision develops.
The transformed Center seeks to inspire greatness in all of its visitors, building on Muhammad Ali's core principles of confidence, conviction, dedication, giving, respect and spirituality.
Its learning programmes will cultivate curious and courageous young leaders, and its community work aims to help grow a more compassionate world.
Anthony Onibon, studio lead, Planning at BRC Imagination Arts, says: "Growing up in Nigeria, I've seen how deeply Muhammad Ali was, and remains, a source of hope and inspiration across Africa.
"People there embraced him as their own, and we want the Center to reflect that connection and to welcome visitors from every continent."
This announcement coincides with the 13th annual Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards in Louisville. On Saturday, 7 November, the Muhammad Ali Center recognised former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick as Humanitarian of the Year.
In the coming months, the Center will share more about the vision and invite the people of Louisville, along with partners and supporters beyond the city, to take part in shaping it.
Earlier this year, BRC Imagination Arts marked the publication of Bob Rogers’ new book, Deep Story: A Complete Guide to Creating Transformational Visitor Attractions.
Rebecca Hardy has over 10 years' experience in the culture and heritage sector. She studied Fine Art at university and has written for a broad range of creative organisations including artists, galleries, and retailers. When she's not writing, she spends her time getting lost in the woods and making mud pies with her young son.
