The Milwaukee Brewers today announced the construction of the “Selig Experience,” a new fan exhibit at Miller Park to honor retiring Commissioner of Baseball and former Brewers owner Allan H. (Bud) Selig.
The year-round exhibit will be located on Miller Park’s loge level in the left field corner. A highlight of the attraction will be a multimedia presentation that tells the story of Selig’s role in saving Major League Baseball in Milwaukee, his successful efforts to bring the Brewers to the city and his efforts to promote and grow the game in his hometown.
“Commissioner Selig is the one person who ensured that the city of Milwaukee would continue as a Major League city, even when virtually all others had lost hope,” said Brewers chief operating officer Rick Schlesinger. “We want to mark his legacy with much more than a museum, and we believe the Selig Experience will tell his story in one of the most unique fan attractions in all of sports.”
The exhibition space totals approximately 1,400 square feet and will include authentic artifacts from Selig’s tenure as the Brewers owner. It will celebrate the fans’ love of the game, as told through the story of the Brewers founder.
The main multimedia show builds to a three-dimensional encounter with an image of Selig inside an authentic reproduction of his County Stadium office, using a technology found in only a handful of exhibits around the world.
The design and production of the Selig Experience is being led by BRC Imagination Arts, an experience design firm that turns brands into destinations.
“This exhibit is as much a celebration of the passionate Milwaukee Brewers fans as it is an homage to Commissioner Selig,” said Brad Shelton, creative director at BRC Imagination Arts. “We’re telling an emotional story of how the Brewers’ first fan brought professional baseball back to his friends and neighbors. Whether they take a quick tour between innings or spend more time examining every detail, this is an immersive experience that no Brewers fan will forget.”
Uihlein-Wilson Architects of Milwaukee is also contributing to the initial design of the space for the Selig Experience.
Selig was the lead executive in bringing Major League Baseball back to Milwaukee in 1970, when he founded the Milwaukee Brewers.
In the 1990s, Selig began his efforts to build a new ballpark in Milwaukee to replace the aging County Stadium, and Miller Park opened for its first season of play in 2001.
“I am humbled that the Brewers will chronicle the remarkable journey of the franchise through a fan experience at Miller Park named in my honor,” Selig said. “The story of the Brewers revolves around the great sports fans of Milwaukee and Wisconsin, whose passion drove me to work toward bringing the National Pastime back to my hometown. Given my affinity for history, I believe this exhibit will illustrate the extraordinary sense of community that the Brewers have always inspired.”
Earlier this year, the Brewers also announced that the Club will retire uniform #1 in Selig’s honor, signifying his role as founder of the franchise. The retired number will be displayed in time for Opening Day. Additionally, he was honored with a statue at Miller Park, which was unveiled on August 24, 2010.
