LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Something more than just a display area, the Kentucky Derby Museum is a celebration dedicated to the world-famous horse race from which it draws its name.

Many of the museum exhibits are updated to focus on each year’s winners. The Derby, held annually at Churchill Downs in Kentucky’s largest city, is still the top equine racing event in the world.

The Derby Museum’s physical address is next door to the track entrance. On a bright day when the sun sparkles off the gold lettering and the logos of the two institutions, if an onlooker stands behind the bronze statue of racehorse favorite Barbaro, the scene takes on the appearance of a ritzy Beverly Hills courtyard.

 All bling aside, once inside the museum’s front door visitors stand in a round two-story hallway. Here customers can get their tickets, meet their assigned tour guides or go on to the café, the gift shop or turn left into the museum featuring two floors of exhibits.

Museum Communications Director Wendy Treinen said 85 percent of the museum’s exhibits now use virtual technology in their design. Unfortunately, this update was due to flash flooding in late 2009 that caused millions of dollars of damage to the building and exhibits.

Of the updated exhibits Treinen said, “Customers love the ‘Riders Up’ exhibit, which utilizes a computer to allow the rider to be a ‘jockey’ and maneuver his horse in and out along the rail while competing with friends.”

 Treinen also said in another exhibit, “Kids can try on ‘silks’ in the jockey’s locker room portion of the second floor, and then climb upon a life-size replica of a horse in a special starting gate.”

There are many visual exhibits as well as artifacts used by jockeys, trainers, grooms, blacksmiths and veterinarians. One popular video exhibit is called “Countdown to Victory.” It is a self-directed touch screen presentation of the action during hours and minutes before a Derby race, with interviews.

Other displays have Derby-related antiques and memorabilia, such as highly polished racing trophies, a collection of Derby hats and personal items owned by early promoters of the great race.

 One popular piece of memorabilia is a 1936 Kentucky Derby racing program signed by the baseball legend “Babe” Ruth.

All interesting; but flashy visual imagery is not all there is to see. For people who like to get out in the open and experience the sights and sounds of a racetrack, the walking tours are the way to go. The museum conducts all organized tours for Churchill Downs and one tour included in museum admissions price.

A last stop along this tour is a small barn in the memorial garden behind the museum, where a few Derby-winning horses are buried. Here Stable Manager Alison Knight tends to retired racehorses and a miniature horse named Winston. Knight said Winston’s job is to be a companion to whichever of two Thoroughbreds happens to be on loan at the time.

She said Risen Warrior is 16 years old and mostly a pasture horse. The other part-time resident is Perfect Drift, who ran third in the 2002 Kentucky Derby.

Knight said Perfect Drift, who is a bit of a “bad boy,” won $4.7 million in his lifetime and ran in the prestigious Breeders Cup Classic race five times. “He is 17 hands high and looks like a hunter,” she described.