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The Instruments of American Excellence exhibit closed to the public on May 12, 2018. This is an archived web site.

IAE Grand Opening Gallery

The Instruments of American Excellence exhibit at the Kentucky Museum opened on September 21. The event was celebrated with many exhibition donors and community leaders.

View Gaines Penn, chairman of the Chamber board of directors, welcomes guests to the opening of the IAE exhibit on September 21, 2012. Larger

View Gaines Penn, chairman of the Chamber board of directors, welcomes guests to the opening of the IAE exhibit on September 21, 2012. Larger

View President Gary Ransdell welcomes a large crowd to the Kentucky Museum for the debut of the IAE exhibit. Larger

View President Gary Ransdell welcomes a large crowd to the Kentucky Museum for the debut of the IAE exhibit. Larger

View President Gary Ransdell welcomes a large crowd to the Kentucky Museum for the debut of the IAE exhibit. Larger

View President Gary Ransdell introduces IAE exhibit chairman, Dan Murph. Larger

View Dan Murph, chairman of the IAE exhibit, explains how the collection was started and its significance to the University. Larger

View Rick Redman from the Hillerich & Bradsby Co, presented custom Instruments of American Excellence bats from the Louisville Slugger factory. Larger

View Rick Redman, vice president of the Hillerich & Bradsby Co, presented custom Instruments of American Excellence bats from the Louisville Slugger factory. Larger

View Sara Mearns, principal dancer for the New York City Ballet, was guest speaker at the opening of the IAE exhibit. Mearns' pointe shoes are an important part of the exhibit. Larger

View Sara Mearns, principal dancer for the New York City Ballet, was guest speaker at the opening of the IAE exhibit. Mearns' pointe shoes are an important part of the exhibit. Larger

View Contributors to the IAE exhibit assisted President Ransdell, Dan Murph and others in cutting the ribbon to officially open in the exhibit to the public. Larger

View A large crowd in the Kentucky Building ascended the grand staircase that leads to the IAE exhibit on the third floor. Larger

View Guests at the opening enjoyed reading the stories about each of the items on display in the IAE exhibit. Larger

View Guests at the opening enjoyed reading the stories about each of the items on display in the IAE exhibit. Larger

View This lathe from the Louisville Slugger factory turned bats for such greats as Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb. Larger

View Guests at the opening enjoyed reading the stories about each of the items on display in the IAE exhibit. Larger

View Sydina Bradshaw from Maker's Mark was one of several contributors in attendance. This bucket, in which the old family recipe was burned, represents the origin of Maker's Mark. Larger

View Tim Broekema, with his daughters Kacey and Gabi, stand before his display in the exhibit. He was a picture editor in Louisville when the newspaper editorial staff won a Pulitzer Prize for team coverage of the Carrollton, Ky bus crash. Larger

View Dr. Steve Huskey's work has been featured on the National Geographic Channel. Larger

View Roger Ingram has played lead trumpet for Jazz at Lincoln Center, toured with Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, and Paul Anka, and performed at jazz festivals around the world. Larger

View A microbiologist by training, Curt Jones invented the process of cryogenically freezing the ingredients for ice cream in liquid nitrogen that we all know as Dippin' Dots. Larger

View Jack LaLanne's wife Elaine and two sons Jon and Dan Doyle, attended the opening of the IAE exhibit. LaLanne is known as the father of the modern American fitness movement. Larger

View Sara Mearns' Pointe Shoes are also highlighted by a video of her dancing the lead in Swan Lake. Larger

View Rick Redman, Vice President of the Hillerich & Bradsby Co. brought custom Louisville Slugger bats to commemorate the opening of the exhibit. Larger

View Bill "Whitey" Sanders 1955 graduate of Western Kentucky State College, is a political cartoonist and once described himself as a "horsefly on the back of public officials." Larger

Last Modified 7/6/21