Lisa Hall of the Aiken Parks and Recreation Department does some measuring while hanging photos in the hall of fame. RON COCKERILLE/FILE

The museum was damaged by fire in December 2000. After extensive repairs, it reopened on Oct. 28.

To find replacements for photographs destroyed in the fire, Lisa Hall of the Aiken Parks and Recreation Department fframed a notice to hang where the photos of champion race horses Hawaii, Heavenly Cause and Relaxing should be. The notice reads, "A photo of this horse is not available at this time. If you know where a photo may be obtained, please contact the city of Aiken Parks and Recreation Department."

Ms. Hall said her plan could work if visitors make the hall of fame a stop on their Triple Crown itinerary.

"We're hoping during March somebody will see (the signs) and give us a lead or resource on how to get those pictures replaced," she said. "But (to lose) only three out of hundreds (of photographs), we are lucky."

The museum in Hopeland Gardens is the yellow-framed, green-shingled carriage barn of the former Iselin estate, willed to Aiken as a public park in 1970.

In 1977, the building was renovated and became the hall of fame, thanks to support from the Aiken Jaycees' and the work of Whitney and Joan Tower.

At the time, Mr. Tower was vice president of the National Racing Museum and chair of the Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. He compiled the background information on the first horses inducted into the Aiken hall of fame.

A new alarm and sprinkler system were installed during repairs to the hall of fame, which holds memorabilia from 39 inductees.

"The biggest change in the museum is now (visitors) can really go through it on their own," Ms. Hall said. "We've worked very hard to put an educational (explanation) with every painting, exhibit, statue or photograph."

The museum, at Dupree Place and Whiskey Road, is open from 2 to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

Reach Carly Phillips at (803) 648-1395 or carly.phillips@augustachronicle.com