Knoebel estate donates $25,000 to Roller Coaster Museum

By | November 15, 2012

The donation will build the Barbara Knoebel wing to the museum archive facility.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Celebrating the life of an amusement park icon, the estate of Barbara Knoebel is donating $25,000 to help preserve the history of an industry she loved. The family presented the check at the IAAPA Attractions Expo in Orlando on November 14, 2012.

“Barbara loved the amusement business,” husband and partner Dick Knoebel said. “To Barbara, (National Roller Coaster Museum ( NRCMA) chairman) Gary Slade was more than a colleague, he was a good friend and she respected the work the museum was trying to do. We know the donation is going to the right place!”

Barbara Knoebel

“The time, effort and dedication of those involved in the NRCMA mirrors that of Barbara’s in the industry,” son, Brian Knoebel added.

The donation will ultimately include the NRCMA’s climate controlled archives. “The board and I are humbled and honored to receive such a generous donation,” Gary Slade, NRCMA Chairman said. “Barbara was a cherished friend and this will carry her legacy into the future.” The “Barbara Knoebel Wing” will open in mid-2013.

The Museum’s first traveling exhibit will reopen at Dollywood for the park’s 2013 operating season. The National Roller Coaster Museum and Archive is a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and protection of the history of the roller coaster and the amusement industry. Cash and artifact donations can be made by contacting the NRCMA: PO BOX 5424, Arlington, Texas 76005-5424.