Enduring Love: Exploring Corvettes’ Iconic Role in Pop Culture

Explore Corvette’s iconic role in pop culture at the National Corvette Museum’s new exhibit, “An American Love Affair,” showcasing famous models from film, music, and TV.

In the opening of the 1967 film Clambake, Elvis Presley cruises through the Florida Everglades in a jaw-dropping red Corvette Stingray concept car, setting the stage for a classic Elvis romp.

The scene, complete with a “Welcome to Florida…The Happy State” sign and a quirky rock song about clambakes, might be cheesy, but the Corvette is pure style—designed by the legendary Bill Mitchell, who turned the Corvette into an American icon.

Now, that Stingray is joining a new exhibit at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky, called An American Love Affair: Pop Culture and Corvette, running through November 2025.

This exhibit celebrates the Corvette’s starring roles in film, TV, and music, with over 3,000 appearances cataloged by the Internet Movie Cars Database. On display are fan-favorite models like the “Transformers” concept cars, a ’73 Corvette from the Hawaii Five-0 reboot, and the video game-inspired Gran Turismo 6 concept car.

The exhibit also features Corvettes owned by celebrities and musicians, including Roy Orbison, George Jones, Brad Paisley, and even baseball legend Reggie Jackson.

Notably, Jim Lovell’s 1968 Silverstone Silver Corvette recalls a time when astronauts could lease Corvettes for $1 a year near Cape Canaveral, a nod to American adventure and exploration.

In addition to the cars, the exhibit’s Skydome features clips from movies and music videos celebrating the Corvette, including scenes from Star Trek, For All Mankind, and, of course, Prince’s Little Red Corvette. Curator Bryan Gable, inspired by the Corvette’s 70th anniversary, wanted to emphasize its cultural impact as a symbol of freedom and adventure.

Songs about the Corvette span genres, from surf rock to country—George Jones’s The Corvette Song and David Ball’s “Riding With Private Malone,” where a Vietnam soldier’s spirit seems to rescue the narrator from a crash, underscore the Corvette’s emotional resonance.

An independent nonprofit near GM’s Bowling Green Assembly, the museum offers a tribute to the Corvette’s place in American pop culture and automotive history. Whether you’re a die-hard Corvette fan or just intrigued by its legacy, this exhibit is a must-see.

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