Louisville, KY, USA – Twenty years ago, Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory swung open its doors. Back in the day of the Macarena and Mario Kart 64, museum admission was just $4, factory tour guides used bullhorns, and Derek Jeter was named Rookie of the Year. More than four million guests later, LSMF plans to party like it’s 1996 on Sunday, July 17.
Admission to Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory will be the 1996 price of $4, which is a $10 savings on adult tickets. Guests can groove with 1996 music and activities including Macarena dance contests and Mario Kart 64 tournaments on the original Nintendo 64 system. From Seinfeld to Beanie Babies, visitors can test their 1996 knowledge while playing trivia. The Big Bat will tower over inflatable games and a “Dunk the Ump” dunking machine.
A Mayoral Proclamation celebrating the 20th Anniversary will be read at noon.
After a final Macarena dance contest, and with help from their buddies at The Kentucky Science Center, Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory will put a 1996 spin on the infamous Disco Demolition Night staged by the Chicago White Sox. The Macarena will be symbolically destroyed and blown to smithereens in a controlled science experiment led by the Kentucky Science Center at3:30p.m.
A free showing of the 1996 baseball movie, “Soul of the Game,” is also in the line-up at 6 p.m. in the LSMF theater. This entertaining feature starring Blair Underwood depicts the competition between Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson and Jackie Robinson to be the first African-American to break the color barrier in Major League Baseball.
The $4 admission also includes the sensational temporary exhibition, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Oddball. Wacky themes explored in the Oddball exhibit include quirky baseball oddities, bizarre ballpark food and team-focused treasures that must be seen to be believed. Admission to the museum also includes interactive exhibits, historic memorabilia and an award-winning factory tour. As an added bonus, all guests receive a free souvenir mini-bat at the end of their factory tour.