Kentucky Derby Museum

For the Kentucky Derby Museum’s immersive signature experience, The Greatest Race, Available Light developed a lighting design that supports the emotional arc of DLP’s 360-degree media environment. Designed to complement the world’s first seamless 360° projection installation—featuring more than 30 million pixels—the lighting enhances atmosphere and visual storytelling without compromising the the primary visual driver the projected film.

The program guides visitors through the unfolding day of Derby Day, from the quiet anticipation of the pre-dawn stables to the intensity and spectacle of race time. Carefully integrated lighting lovingly reinforces these transitions, shaping mood and directing attention within the circular surround theater environment.

Subtle shifts in intensity and direction help orient visitors while revealing moments that connect audiences to the traditions and behind-the-scenes rhythms of the Derby. The result is an engaging cinematic experience that deepens visitors’ connection to the history, pageantry, and enduring legacy of the Kentucky Derby.