It is the only museum dedicated to a single marque which is not supported by a manufacturer.  And, it is one of the more successful automobile museums in the United States, drawing ambout 140,000 visitors annually.
   
It is the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and it is expanding.   
   
Ground has been broken an an addition to the museum which was add 47,000 square feet to the current 69,000, creating room for increased archival capacity, an expanded conference facility, a larger gift shop and the display of an additional 50 cars – effectively doubling the exhibit area.
   
The expansion is expected to cost $9 million.  The project’s targeted completion is summer of 2009 and includes renovation of some of the current museum and increased parking for visitors.
   
The museum will also add a dedicated space for “museum delivery,” a General Motors option for buyers of new Corvettes.  Those who select this option from their local dealer can have their new Corvette delivered to them at the museum, which is located directly across the street from the Bowling Green Assembly Plant of General Motors, the facility in which the Corvette is built.
   
Though independent of General Motors, the museum has benefited from the tie-in which having the assembly plant located nearby has provided.  Chevrolet has routinely introduced new models at the Museum and the ability of visitors to the Museum to also tour the assembly plant has made the combination, located on one of Kentucky’s primary interstate highways, one of the largest tourist attractions in the state.