LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Kentucky Derby Museum has announced a multi-year partnership with Churchill Downs, upholding its commitment to educating students on the race's history and significance.
The partnership has a financial commitment of $150,000 over three years and will ensure thousands of students both across the commonwealth and the U.S. can experience the magic of the Derby through field trips and outreach programs.
Since opening in 1985, the Derby Museum has provided generations of students with race-related programming. Its Education Department reached more than 32,000 students in fiscal year 2024 alone, the museum said.
"We are excited to partner with Churchill Downs on this important initiative that directly supports our mission to engage, educate and excite students about the Kentucky Derby," said Patrick Armstrong, president and CEO of the Kentucky Derby Museum. "This generous commitment allows us to continue offering free educational programs that our instructors are so passionate about. With our organizations' shared love of education, we're proud to work together with Churchill Downs to not only preserve the Derby's legacy but also inspire the next generation."
Churchill Downs will support the Derby Museum's efforts to make these experiences more accessible. Funding will also allow the museum to offer free in-house field trips during January and February, along with additional outreach programming to extend its reach to schools that may not be able to travel to Louisville.
"Churchill Downs is thrilled to come together with the Kentucky Derby Museum, one of our longtime partners on this incredible education initiative," said Mike Anderson, president of Churchill Downs Racetrack. "Educating the next generation of horse racing fans is so important to the vitality of the sport. The Kentucky Derby Museum has a long history of educating the next generation on the history, richness and legacy of the Kentucky Derby, and we are excited to partner with them to continue this great work."
For years, the Derby Museum has prioritized making field trips accessible to all Kentucky students. Free trips during the winter months date back to at least the 1990s, the Derby Museum said. Since starting its free outreach program in the early 2000s, Derby Museum educators have traveled to schools in all 120 Kentucky counties before adding virtual field trips during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The Kentucky Derby Museum has always been dedicated to bringing the history and excitement of the Derby to students across Kentucky,” said Chris Goodlett, senior director of Curatorial and Educational Affairs. “Our educational programs are designed to spark curiosity and foster a deep connection to Kentucky’s cultural heritage. This partnership with Churchill Downs helps support our efforts, making sure cost is not a barrier to learning about the rich history of the Kentucky Derby."
The Derby Museum's Education Department offers a range of content spanning history, science, math, cultural studies, social-emotional learning and career studies through 19 in-house and 12 outreach programs. During the 2023-24 school year, the free outreach program totaled 59 in-person trips and 17 virtual field trips, reaching more than 22,000 people.
The partnership begins in Sept. 2024 and runs through Aug. 2027, the Derby Museum said.
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