The National Corvette Museum is preparing for one of its most ambitious expansions yet — a 66,000-square-foot collections facility designed to preserve and showcase some of America’s most significant Corvettes, including one once owned by astronaut Neil Armstrong.
The new building, located on Corvette Drive near the museum’s delivery storage area, will centralize the museum’s extensive vehicle and artifact collection under one roof. Unlike traditional storage facilities, this space will be open to both museum members and the public, offering a rare glimpse into the care and preservation of historic automobiles that have shaped Corvette’s seven-decade legacy.
A key feature of the expansion will be a state-of-the-art preservation and conservation lab equipped with service bays, lifts, and climate-controlled workspaces. These tools will allow curators and technicians to continue long-term preservation projects like the recent restoration work on Zora Arkus-Duntov’s 1974 Corvette — a prime example of how the museum maintains the physical and historical integrity of its vehicles.
Among the new facility’s most anticipated residents is Neil Armstrong’s unrestored 1967 Corvette Sting Ray Coupe, finished in Marina Blue and powered by a 427-cubic-inch V8. Armstrong’s car, long associated with the famed “astronaut Corvette program,” underscores the deep cultural ties between the sports car and America’s space program.
The project has already secured $2.1 million in funding through major donations from longtime supporters, including $1 million from Mary and Ivan Schrodt, whose contribution will name the Vehicle Collections Gallery in their honor. Additional gifts from philanthropists Michael LaRocca and the McMichael family will name the atrium and preservation center, respectively.
A groundbreaking ceremony will take place October 23 during the museum’s Fall Member Appreciation Day, with completion targeted for summer 2026. Once finished, the new facility will not only safeguard Corvette’s most iconic models but also expand public access to the stories that make each car a part of American history.
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