Floyd Collins exhibit opens ahead of musical production

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – At the Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center, Arts of Southern Kentucky unveiled their newest exhibit with the help of the Aviation Heritage Park & Museum.

News 40 visited SKyPAC Wednesday morning to hear more about Floyd Collins, a local cave explorer who died in 1925, and see dozens of artifacts and pieces on lease for the exhibit. Collins was an explorer taking part in the Kentucky Cave Wars back in that time, when people were trying to discover new areas to profit from for tourism.

Collins unfortunately became trapped in Sand Cave where he would stay for 14 days before dying. The story captured the country by storm and pushed the formation of Mammoth Cave National Park.

For the 100th anniversary of his death, the Ramsey Theatre Company will be performing a musical based on the explorer’s story on March 8.