America’s Horse, May 14, 2007 – The doors are opening to the new, state-of-the-art American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum, and you are cordially invited to walk among legends at the grand opening June 9, 2007.
Immerse yourself in the American Quarter Horse the second you step foot into the newly renovated American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum. From the soaring stone pillars of the Grand Hall to the highly interactive Education Gallery, you will have a distinct opportunity to connect with America’s Horse in ways never before possible.
Every step in your journey through the building reveals precious art and artifacts that come alive to tell the story of the world’s most versatile breed and the people and horses that fueled the world’s passion for it.
BUILDING RENOVATION;
- Original Building totaled 36,000 sq. feet
- New Configuration totals 44,000 sq. feet
- New building configuration focuses on useable space, future
exhibit expansion for longer life and better accessibility as well
as more useful multi-purpose spaces. - Artifact Storage areas increase from 1,800 sq. feet to 2,800 sq.
feet, featuring state-of-the-art climate control and fire
suppression. - Quarter Horse Outfitters adds, through reconfiguring existing
spaces, 1,600 sq. feet of much needed shipping and receiving space
and re-configured lockable storage spaces for inventory control. - The creation of 6,000 sq. feet of more useful and accessible
multi-purpose rooms that will provide theater, meeting, banquet
and temporary exhibit space through re-configuring existing spaces.
     NEW HALL OF FAME EXHIBITS
- The Dogwood Horse, a life-size sculpture of the horse depicted in
the Orren Mixer painting “Ideal American Quarter Horse†will greet
visitors when they enter the foyer of the Hall of Fame. - A donor recognition area will be presented in the foyer opposite
the sculpture. - The Grand Hall presents the Hall of Fame inductees by year of
induction in a format that will allow approximately 15 years of
expansion at the current rate of induction. - Grand Hall will contain the Hall of Fame plaques displayed by year
of induction. - Stone in the Grand Hall and Front Entry was quarried in Paris,
Arkansas, and has a total weight of 93,000 lbs. - The Medallion in the Grand Hall, which will be the focal point and
backdrop for presentations, is 13 feet in diameter and was
sculpted from 1,400 lbs. of clay. - The American Quarter Horse Foundation bloodline chart is etched
into the floor of the Grand Hall. - The Timeline Exhibit presents the Hall of Fame inductees in a
timeline format. Each inductee will have a space devoted to
personal artifacts and historical memorabilia presented in the era
that they made their greatest impact on the breed or AQHA. - The three-tiered timeline that will present world history events,
AQHA milestones and American Quarter Horse breed milestones along
with the Hall of Fame inductees gives historical context to the
inductees’ achievements. - The Champions Gallery will showcase AQHA World Champions through
an interactive, searchable film database. - Six interactive multi-media stations along with two family-sized
mini theaters will provide an in-depth look into the history of
the American Quarter Horse and the Hall of Fame inductees through
a searchable film database. - The Joni Hegel Education Gallery will give visitors an orientation
to the American Quarter Horse and general horse care, activities
and careers. - Quarter Horse Outfitters will have an updated look to match the
décor of the new Hall of Fame and also will have a reconfigured
floor plan that increases useable space.
This summer, we invite you to visit your brand new American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum. For more information, please call (806) 376-5181 or visit www.aqha.com/foundation .
AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines .