Across Union Avenue from Saratoga Race Course, itself a piece of racing history dating to 1863, sits a brick building, a mixture of modern and classic lines, its exterior dotted with odes to the greatness inside. A walk through its hallowed halls yields a journey through centuries of a sport, as everything from the legendary Lexington's horseshoe to an assortment of Triple Crown trophies greets visitors along the way. Here is where fans come to connect with the names and faces that make up our collective memories.
Founded in 1950, the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame celebrates the sport of horse racing in America, preserving the mementos and moments that have made it such an integral part of our national sporting psyche and recognizing the men, women, and horses whose timeless performances have left their mark on its history.
Laying the Foundation
In late August 1950, newspapers reported that plans for a national museum of racing were in the works. Among those involved were Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney, grandson of prominent owner William Collins Whitney (one of The Jockey Club's founding members), and son of Harry Payne Whitney, who owned Regret, the first filly to win the Kentucky Derby; George D. Widener Jr., president of The Jockey Club and a leading breeder and owner; and other prominent racing names including members of the Saratoga Springs community, turf writers, and representatives of the Saratoga Association, which ran Saratoga Race Course.
The announcement of this new endeavor brought immediate reactions from some of the sport's most prominent names. Harold O. Vosburgh, the son of legendary handicapper Walter S. Vosburgh, donated a shoe worn by the legendary Lexington, while the Saratoga Association contributed $5,000 to the nascent organization. On August 6, 1951, the National Museum of Racing opened its temporary home at Canfield Casino in Congress Park, its collections attracting 8,000 visitors that first year.
"The long-range purpose," Whitney said at the museum's opening, "is to build a permanent home for the important memorabilia for the sport whose beginnings in this country antedate by 100 years or more the United States of America."
Locating it in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., recognized the area's role in the sport throughout the last century, as the home of the country's "oldest active sporting venue," a racetrack that his grandfather had heavily invested in at the turn of the century. The subsequent decision to put the museum and later the Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs was also part of an effort to revitalize the area at a pivotal moment in its history.
"It was a very interesting time in Saratoga because Saratoga as a town was falling apart in a lot of ways. All those big old hotels were closing. There was actually even a big push to [ask], do we need racing in Saratoga? Because you had all the New York City tracks that were doubling what Saratoga did." Brien Bouyea, communications director for the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, said. "But there were such traditions here. It was still very good racing and well thought of. It was in a hard rut where it was at that point. But yeah, Saratoga was obviously historic. I mean, we were almost at 100 years at that point already, from 1863 to the 1950s."
The museum's initial success in its temporary location inspired discussion of a new location, a permanent home for the growing collections of memorabilia and more, as well as the addition of a Hall of Fame to honor the sport's greats.
Becoming an Institution
By 1955, interest in the museum had grown enough that it needed a building of its own. Walter M. Jeffords, who succeeded Whitney as museum president, announced the construction of a new home at 191 Union Ave., across the street from Saratoga Race Course, in January 1955. In addition to the museum, the building would also house a Hall of Fame that turf writers would vote on annually. Though construction on its new home would not be complete until the following year, the Hall of Fame welcomed its first class in 1955, honoring 10 horses, including Lexington and his sire, Boston; 12 jockeys, including Isaac Murphy and Earl Sande; and six trainers, a group led by Sam Hildreth and Thomas Healey.
The museum added the Patrons of the Turf Gallery in 1957 and then a third wing, which became the home of the Hall of Fame, in 1979. For decades, the museum was open only during Saratoga's annual summertime meet, but as interest and its collections grew, the need to formalize the institution prompted the Board of Trustees to raise funds to renovate the building and create a professionally managed museum. The $6.4 million raised covered a 10-month overhaul of the facility done in collaboration with an English design team that helped develop a series of galleries encompassing three centuries of American racing history. The museum reopened on July 14, 1988.
The early years of the 21st century saw another major renovation for the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. Still residing in its original spot on Union Avenue, this popular destination is home to 20 diverse galleries, housing the interactive Hall of Fame as well as spaces devoted to sculpture, photography, education, the Triple Crown, and more. It also plays host to special exhibits honoring the sport's immortals like Paul Mellon and Secretariat; artisans like Richard Stone Reeves and Jim Raftery; and more.
This year also marks the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame's 75th anniversary, a milestone that comes with a series of special events that celebrate this home to the sport's immortals.
Celebrating 75 Years
In addition to events like its parties for each of the Triple Crown classic races, the museum is marking its diamond anniversary with a special edition of its annual magazine with a comprehensive look at its holdings, plus a series of exhibits that recognize both the history of the institution and the sport itself.
"One traces the museum's history itself. So we've got a small exhibit about the architecture and how that has changed over the years, what we've been talking about here, how the place has evolved, how the mission has evolved, how the collection has evolved, etc.," Bouyea shared.
"We've got another exhibit that's about to open. This one is called 'The Past is Present,' which goes throughout different galleries, showing how these different things have evolved throughout the years," he continued. "Some of the special exhibitions we have include 'The Heart of the Turf: Racing's Black Pioneers,' from Keeneland, coming here in July. We have an exhibition on Greg Montgomery because this is the 40th anniversary of his Travers poster series. We've also got a big exhibition on Charlotte Weber's life and her career with her artwork and everything that she's involved with."
This year's milestone comes with mixed emotions as two figures central to its recent history, John Hendrickson and Ed Bowen, both passed away in the last year. Museum chairman Hendrickson, widower of Marylou Whitney, also a long-time patron of the museum, died in August 2024, his sudden passing described by Bouyea as "a shock."
"John was such a big personality, and he was such a great leader, and I think everybody respected him. He had a lot of energy, and a lot of the stuff that we've done the past few years were ideas that he either came up with or that he supported staff members through," Bouyea remembered.
Bowen, who died in January, was a museum trustee and chairman of the Hall of Fame Nominating Committee since 1987, the Joe Hirsch Media Roll of Honor Selection Committee, and the Historic Review Committee. Both men left indelible marks on the museum over their years of service. As the museum marks this milestone, both Hendrickson and Bowen remain integral parts of its history.
Racing fans can continue their support of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame during this diamond anniversary year by visiting and attending programs throughout the year. "We have membership programs where if you become a member, you get a year of benefits like gift shop perks and invitations to special events," Bouyea said. "But the biggest way for people to support us is by coming in and visiting us and seeing all these exhibitions, coming to events and programs, and listening to a talk."
Most of all, whether you are a casual fan or a hardcore railbird, a visit to the museum is not just a chance to support an institution that preserves the sport's history but also an opportunity to learn and explore the people, places, and horses that have made this ancient game such an integral part of the country's sporting psyche.
