Cue the paparazzi and velvet ropes! Today, the National Corvette Museum opens a new exhibition to the public: An American Love Affair: Pop Culture and Corvette. A road trip through Corvette’s impact on entertainment and popular culture, the exhibition features more than a dozen Corvettes and the pop culture stories that made them famous.
Beginning with Elvis Presley’s sleek 1959 Stingray Racer in Clambake to the Corvette-inspired characters in the Transformers franchise, Pop Culture and Corvette highlights the lasting cultural influence of Corvette and explores how America’s Sports Car has made its mark on everything from Hollywood blockbusters to music videos.
“From the silver screen to rock ‘n’ roll stages, Corvette has always been a pop culture icon. Our new Pop Culture and Corvette exhibition celebrates how America’s Sports Car has raced its way into the hearts of celebrities, starring in moments that defined generations,” explained Robert Maxhimer, Director of Curatorial Affairs and Education at the National Corvette Museum.
Exhibition Highlights Include:
- Screen Legends: A Medium Blue 1973 Corvette featured in the Hawaii Five-0 reboot (2010–2020), and Corvette-based concepts “Crosshairs” and “Sideswipe” from the Transformers film series.
- Gaming Great: A concept version of the C7 Corvette, brought to life in the virtual racing world of Gran Turismo 6, highlighting how Corvette has captured the excitement of new audiences.
- Famous Owners: See Corvettes owned by country music icon Brad Paisley, Major League Baseball star Reggie Jackson, and rock ‘n’ roll pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis, among others.
- Six Strings for the Z06 and 1960: Admire a Z06-themed Paul Reed Smith guitar signed by Corvette Hall of Famer Ron Fellows (2011), featuring the Corvette emblem and other special flourishes. Also on display is a Les Paul guitar with styling cues from the 1960 Corvette, signed by Zora Arkus-Duntov.
- To the Moon: View Gemini and Apollo mission astronaut Jim Lovell’s 1968 Silverstone Silver Corvette, along with artifacts like Lovell’s astronaut gloves and an autographed lunar navigational chart on loan from the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville.
Beyond the cars, the exhibition immerses visitors in Corvette’s cultural legacy with a multimedia presentation of iconic Corvette moments in film, television, and music, bringing to life how this legendary car has shaped—and been influenced by—American pop culture.
“As we continue to enhance our exhibitions and deepen the storytelling that connects Corvette to American history, exploring the intersection of Corvette and pop culture was a natural progression for our popular An American Love Affair: 70 Years of Corvette exhibition,” said Kaye Wagner, Chair of the National Corvette Museum Board. “With Pop Culture and Corvette, we celebrate how Corvette has transcended the road to become a true cultural icon.”
An American Love Affair: Pop Culture and Corvette opens to the public on October 18, 2024, and will be on display through 2025. Learn more and plan your visit at www.corvettemuseum.org.
