The Muhammad Ali Center is a non-profit museum and cultural center dedicated to boxer
Muhammad Ali in
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border ...
. Ali, a native of Louisville, and his wife Lonnie Ali founded the museum in 2005.
The six-story, museum is located in the city's
West Main District. It opened on November 19, 2005 at a cost of $80 million.
["Fact sheet." ''Muhammad Ali Center'', Muhammad Ali Center, Louisville] It also includes a two-level
amphitheater and a plaza.
On April 4, 2013, a new pedestrian bridge opened, helping residents and visitors connect from the Muhammad Ali Center's plaza to the Belvedere, the Waterfront, and other downtown attractions. The 170-foot-long walkway is nine feet wide, with exterior metal panels that complement the Ali Center plaza's design.
History
In 2020, the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville and the SEEK Museum in
Russellville were added to the U.S. Civil Rights Trail.
Description
The cultural center features exhibitions regarding Ali's six core principles of confidence, conviction, dedication, giving, respect, and spirituality. Throughout his life, Muhammad Ali strived to be guided by these core principles in his quest to inspire people around the world, dedicating himself to helping others, being the best athlete he could be and by standing up for what he believed in.
An orientation theater helps present Ali's life. A mock boxing ring is recreated based on his
Deer Lake Training Camp A training camp is an organized period in which military personnel or athletes participate in a rigorous and focused schedule of training in order to learn or improve skills. Athletes typically utilise training camps to prepare for upcoming events, ...
. A two-level pavilion, housed within a large elliptical room, features Ali's
boxing
Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves and other protective equipment such as hand wraps and mouthguards, throw punches at each other for a predetermine ...
memorabilia and history. A large projector displays the film ''
The Greatest'' onto a full-sized boxing ring. There are also booths where visitors can view clips of Ali's greatest fights on
video-on-demand
Video on demand (VOD) is a media distribution system that allows users to access videos without a traditional video playback device and the constraints of a typical static broadcasting schedule. In the 20th century, broadcasting in the form of ...
terminals, which also feature pre- and post-fight interviews.
Another exhibit offers visitors the chance to explore sense of self, others and purpose through an interactive terminal program. Visitors are encouraged to share what they are fighting for in the Generation Ali Story Booths
Two art galleries, the
LeRoy Neiman
LeRoy Neiman (born LeRoy Leslie Runquist, June 8, 1921 – June 20, 2012) was an American artist known for his brilliantly colored, expressionist paintings and screenprints of athletes, musicians, and sporting events.
Early life
Neiman was ...
Gallery and the
Howard L. Bingham Gallery, feature rotating exhibits that are located on the third floor.
Gallery
AliMedalOfFreedom.jpg, Ali's Presidential Medal of Freedom
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian award of the United States, along with the Congressional Gold Medal. It is an award bestowed by the president of the United States to recognize people who have made "an especially merit ...
on display
Muhammad Ali Center - Spirituality.jpg
See also
*
List of attractions and events in the Louisville metropolitan area
*
List of museums focused on African Americans
This is a list of museums in the United States whose primary focus is on African American culture and history. Such museums are commonly known as African American museums. According to scholar Raymond Doswell, an African American museum is "an ...
*
List of museums in the Louisville metropolitan area
References
External links
*
{{Muhammad Ali
2005 establishments in Kentucky
African-American museums in Kentucky
Ali, Muhammed
Boxing museums and halls of fame
Muhammad Ali
Museums established in 2005
Museums in Louisville, Kentucky
Personal development
Sports museums in Kentucky