Kentucky Derby Museum Offers Unbridled Interactive Excitement

Interactivity at Churchill Downs’s Kentucky Derby Museum includes learning history of Run for the Roses and opportunities to pretend you’re part of the Fastest Two Minutes in Sports.

Leave a Comment
Kentucky Derby Museum Offers Unbridled Interactive Excitement

The Kentucky Derby Museum is an interactive area that's dedicated to the history of the Run for the Roses.

Photos & Slideshow
View the slideshow View the slideshow

And down the stretch we come to one of the biggest weekends in horse racing, when thousands of nattily dressed, well-heeled fans of swift equines head to Churchill Downs for the annual Kentucky Derby, a classic that dates back to 1875.

Fans who are lucky enough to get tickets to watch the annual Run for the Roses live can either pull out their fancy mini-binoculars or check out all the action of the Fastest Two Minutes in Sports on the world’s largest 4K video board.

Those who want even more Kentucky Derby-related action can celebrate their winnings or cushion the blow of a heartbreaking loss with a visit to the interactive Kentucky Derby Museum, which is located next to the racetrack.

We admit it! … We love writing about technology in sports venues. Check out more of our sports-themed technology integration articles. 

The Louisville, Ky.-based museum, which opened in 1985, will soon become the permanent home for items collected by thoroughbred trainer D. Wayne Lukas, a four-time Derby winner who has saddled 48 horses in the popular race, known for mint juleps and extravagant haberdasheries.

Lukas’ collection includes trophies from the Kentucky Derby, the Kentucky Oaks and the Breeders’ Cup in addition to other awards and photos. The museum was the “ideal fit to protect and showcase my legacy for many years to come,” said Lukas in a statement.

Kentucky Derby Museum Adds 4K Element

If you can’t wait for Lukas’ items to make their way to the Kentucky Derby Museum, there are already plenty of interactive exhibits and historical artifacts within its walls today.

They range from a tribute to 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah to a test of your Derby IQ to an immersive movie on the Derby in a rare 360-degree 4K theater to a look at some of the outfits worn by the jockeys and fans of the Kentucky Derby over the years, plus chances to imagine what it feels like to be part of the fast and furious action yourself.

More pics and videos

Check them out and, as those in and around the race track who also enjoy science fiction might say, “May the horse be with you.”

The only sad news is the world’s largest horseshoe is on a traveling tour and not at the museum but here’s more information about that:

If you enjoyed this article and want to receive more valuable industry content like this, click here to sign up for our digital newsletters!