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The Bronco is among the most popular and most prominent exhibits at the privately owned museum, which opened in 2016 after a similar crime museum closed in Washington. The vehicle belonged to Al Cowlings, Simpson\u2019s friend and former teammate, who was driving it about 40 miles per hour as Simpson fled the police.<\/p>\n
The car was previously featured on a 2017 episode of the reality television show \u201cPawn Stars,\u201d<\/a> on which Mike Gilbert, a former agent for Simpson, said he purchased the car in part to keep it from potentially being used by a tour company. He unsuccessfully sought more than $1 million<\/a> for it on the show.<\/p>\n The museum declined to say who allowed for the display of the car, citing privacy concerns.<\/p>\n \u201cDifferent generations have different responses to it, because obviously people who watched the chase live and who were around for that respond differently,\u201d Pennington said. She added, \u201cMost people are just shocked to see it because it is the white Bronco from the O.J. chase and it\u2019s such an iconic moment in history.\u201d<\/p>\n Never far from the museum\u2019s mind, Pennington said, are the victims of the crimes featured in the exhibits, or the pain experienced by those who survive them. She said that while Simpson\u2019s death might change aspects of a temporary display recognizing the 30th anniversary of the tragedy, it planned to focus on the victims.<\/p>\n On Thursday, the museum had taped a label acknowledging Simpson\u2019s death on a plexiglass case next to the Bronco that displays a set of his golf clubs. At least two visitors learned of his death from the sign.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was pretty wild \u2014 you\u2019d have people arguing about it, you know, at Waffle House,\u201d David Hardigree, who was visiting from Northern Kentucky, recalled of the Simpson trial, and the debates over whether he was guilty or not.<\/p>\n But his visit on Thursday, he said, was just \u201cironic timing.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n