(Prefer a printer friendly PDF file format? Click here.)

Collectively Speaking, There's a Lot to See in Lexington and the Bluegrass Region

There really isn't time to tarry over a long-winded introduction to the topic of museums in the Bluegrass. There are so many of them--displaying everything from traditional museum fare (fine art and fossils) to regional history and culture (pioneers, horses and Civil War) to the "believe-it-or-not" realm (a Victorian “body basket"?) that you'd better get started if you hope to see them all.
 Here's an "A to Z" guide to historical, artistic and just plain interesting collections worth musing over. Museums within Lexington/Fayette County are marked with an *.
 
 * Airplanes. Explore the history of flight, get an up-close view of an experimental fighter jet and climb into the “cockpit” of a flight simulator at the Aviation Museum of Kentucky. Fifteen  airplanes from the 1920s to present day are on display, along with engines, propellers, and other exhibits. The museum is at Lexington's Blue Grass Airport, 4316 Hangar Drive off Man O’ War, and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. Admission charged. (859) 231-1219.
 * Basketball. Of course we have basketball stuff. This is Lexington, home of seven-time NCAA champions, the University of Kentucky Wildcats. Lexington now has a museum dedicated entirely to the Cats, the UK Basketball Museum, located next to Rupp Arena in Lexington Center downtown. Exhibits include virtual reality "one-on-one" against top players from the past, an historical timeline which outlines the team’s legendary players and coaches, and broadcast booth where you can make the call for some of UK's most memorable games. Open Monday through Saturday 10 to 5. Open Sundays 12 to 5.  Admission charged. (859) 225-5670.
 * Civil War. Kentuckians were deeply divided during the Civil War, and today Civil War artifacts are divided as well. Numerous museums in the area include at least a few Civil War items. The greatest concentration in Lexington is at the Alexander T. Hunt Civil War Museum at The Hunt-Morgan House (201 North Mill Street, 859- 233-3290 or 859-253-0362). The house was the family home of Confederate General John Hunt Morgan, and the museum has a fascinating collection of uniforms, equipment, letters and other items relating to Morgan and his "Morgan's Raiders." The museum is part of the general house tour, but they'll let you linger if you like. The house is closed Mondays and mid-December through mid-March. Admission charged. The museum at Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site (859-332-8631), 40 miles southwest of Lexington, displays cannon, guns, swords, flags and other artifacts from Kentucky's bloodiest battle. Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, April through October. The museum has limited hours November through March, but if you call ahead Wednesdays through Saturdays, they’ll be happy to let you in. Admission charged. 
  Deaf culture. The Kentucky School for the Deaf was founded in 1823, the first state-supported school for the instruction of deaf children in the United States. The school's museum contains photographs, letters, historical records, auditory trainers and hearing aid equipment and artifacts of vocational trades once taught to students, including shoemaking and upholstery. The school is located on South Second Street in Danville, 35 miles southwest of Lexington. Open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to noon or by appointment. Free. (859) 239-7017.
 * Equines. Learn about hundreds of breeds of horses and see antique carriages and horse racing trophies at the International Museum of the Horse at the Kentucky Horse Park (4089 Iron Works Pike; 859-259-4232 or 800-678-8813). It’s open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays November through mid-March. Included with Park admission. In the same neigh-borhood, so to speak (and also included in the Horse Park admission) is the American Saddlebred Museum, with photographs, a multimedia presentation and interactive exhibits about the American Saddlebred, Kentucky's only native breed of horse. Open year-round. 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily Memorial Day to Labor Day, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily at other times. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays, November to mid-March. (859) 259-2746. 
  Flight to freedom. Many escaped slaves from the Deep South found freedom aided by the network of Underground Railroad Stations throughout Kentucky. The National Underground Railroad Museum in Maysville , the first of its kind, features artifacts and memorabilia related to escaped slaves and the people who aided them in their struggle for freedom. Maysville is about one hour north on US 68. Open Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. or by appointment. Admission charged. (606) 564-3200.

Guns and more. Exhibits at the Kentucky Military History Museum in Frankfort trace weapons of Kentucky from pioneer to modern times. The collection includes uniforms, guns, cannons and swords and other battle memorabilia. The museum is located on East Main at Capital Avenue in a building that was once the State Arsenal. Open Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. A $4 ticket also includes admission to the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History and the Old State Capitol. (502) 564-3265.
  Historical highlights. Lexington's newest museum is housed in the old Fayette County Courthouse on Main Street which served the area from 1901 to 2001. The Lexington History Museum* explores the rich history of the Bluegrass Region with exhibits and lecture series. Open Friday through Monday. (859)254-0530.
The capital of Kentucky, Frankfort, is now home to a 167,000 square-foot Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History. The Center includes a state-of-the-art museum and genealogy research library, and is geared toward preserving the memories of Kentuckians. Visitors can tour the Center's quality exhibits, participate in creative educational programs, study its vast storehouse of collections, or conduct research using its library and technological resources. Call for days and hours of operation. The museum is closed on Mondays. Admission charged. (502) 564-1792).
  Another area museum with a wide range of items is at Blue Licks Battlefield State Park, off US 68, 38 miles north of Lexington. Exhibits range from saltmaking equipment used by Daniel Boone to Victoriana. The museum is open daily April through October. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays November through May. Admission charged. (800) 443-7008.
 * Indian (and inner-city) artifacts. The William S. Webb Museum of Anthropology at the University of Kentucky includes archaeological artifacts from Kentucky "prehistory" to modern times. Exhibits feature tools, weapons, pottery, ornaments and other items that give insight into the lives of Indians who inhabited Kentucky as early as 10,000 B.C., as well as the results of a recent excavation of a post-Civil War African-American neighborhood in Lexington. The museum is located in Lafferty Hall, next to the UK Martin Luther King, Jr. Library. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Free. (859) 257-8208.
 * Jewels. The sparkling and somewhat eccentric artistic expressions of George W. Headley are the centerpiece of three buildings housing decorative arts at the Headley-Whitney Museum in Lexington. The museum began as Headley's private collection; until his death in 1985 he lived next door. The spectacular Jewel Room is home to dozens of Headley’s creations from bejeweled sculptures to bibelots. There's also a Shell Grotto (where, even though the name suggests it, it's hard to believe that just about everything is covered with shells). The main building features changing exhibits of decorative arts. The museum is located at 4435 Old Frankfort Pike (it's a scenic drive through horse farm country). Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission charged. (859) 255-6653. 
 * Kid stuff. You'll find all kinds of hands-on fun at the Explorium of Lexington (Lexington Children's Museum). Seven permanent galleries feature exhibits about nature, history, science and geography, with activities ranging from a "moon walk" to a bubble-making lab. Special exhibits and activities are also offered. The museum is located in Victorian Square, at Main Street and Broadway in downtown Lexington. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Closed Mondays. Admission charged. (859) 258-3256.
  Locks. (And a lockup.) One of the largest private lock collections in the world, the Harry C. Miller Lock Collection, is safely housed at the Lockmasters Security Institute at 1014 South Main Street in Nicholasville. (859) 887-9633. The collection includes locks going back to the 1300s and is usually open Monday through Friday, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. (Hours may vary depending upon what's going on at the center, which trains locksmiths.) Admission is free. While you're in Nicholasville, you may also want to check out the Old Jail, 200 South Main Street (859-885-4500) , where you can see the old cells, and pictures of the jailers. Open by appointment. Nicholasville is 12 miles south of Lexington.
  Mansion miscellany. The Mansion Museum at Old Fort Harrod State Park in Harrodsburg has all kinds of stuff relating to Kentucky history. Indian artifacts, Union and Confederate Rooms, Lincolniana, antique musical instruments, documents relating to George Rogers Clark and Daniel Boone, and other items fill two floors in a restored Greek Revival mansion. Open 9 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily, mid-March through November. Admission charged (includes a fort tour). Harrodsburg is 29 miles southwest of Lexington. (859) 734-2927.

Natural wonders. Though it's not officially labeled a "museum," the Salato Wildlife Education Center in Franklin County has a variety of interesting and educational exhibits relating to Kentucky geography and wildlife. There are numerous mounted birds, as well as live deer, wild turkey, snakes and fish.It's located off US 60 near Frankfort. Open 9 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Closed Sunday and Monday. Free. (502) 564-7863.
 * Old Masters & other masterpieces. You'll find them at The University of Kentucky Art Museum in Lexington. The museum's permanent collection of more than 3,500 works includes fine examples of European and American art, with works by Rembrandt, Durer, Goya, and Cassatt. The collection also includes African and Pre-Columbian artifacts, sculpture and works by contemporary regional artists. About six loan exhibitions each year bring to Lexington outstanding art from around the world. Open noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, except on Fridays when it stays open till 8:00. Free. (859) 257-5716. The museum is located in the Singletary Center for the Arts at Rose and Euclid streets. There's limited parking in the center’s circular drive. You also can park in university lots on Euclid Avenue or the faculty parking lot off Rose Street.

  Phones. Antique crank phones, early switchboards, dead ringers - you'll find these and other telephone memorabilia at the Bluegrass Heritage Museum, 217 South Main Street, Winchester. The contents of the Pioneer Telephone Museum formerly housed in the Bell South maintenance building are on permanent display. Does it really surprise you that you should call first before visiting? (859) 745-1358. Winchester is 22 miles east of Lexington.
 * Quackery? You decide. The medical instruments, "philosophical apparatus" and other scientific and medical paraphernalia owned by Transylvania University were state-of-the-art in the 18th and 19th centuries. Today, however, many look like something out of science fiction. These fascinating items are on display at the Monroe Moosnick Medical Museum and in the lobby of the Brown Science Center (next to Old Morrison, the main administration building) . Open by appointment. (859) 233-8229.
  Revival relics. The museum at the Old Cane Ridge Meeting House in Bourbon County displays items relating to the great 1801 revival at the meeting house (which attracted 20,000 to 30,000 people) and the subsequent 1804 founding of a new American denomination, the Christian Church, Disciples of Christ. Open April through October, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. The meeting house is located on Ky. 537 east of Paris and 25 miles north of Lexington. (859) 987-5350.
  Scott County stuff. Scott County, north of Lexington, boasts a long and fascinating history. Bourbon may have been invented here, and industries have ranged from paper to penmaking. A wide range of exhibits on local history are found at the Georgetown & Scott County Museum, located in the old Post Office, 229 East Main Street. Open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday 10 to 4. (502) 863-6201.
  Trains, big and little. Lionel model trains and other antique toys and railroad items are on display at Nostalgia Station Toy Train Museum, 279 Depot Street in Versailles (10 miles west of Lexington). The building is a former L & N station. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday or by appointment. Admission charged. (859) 873-2497. Also in Versailles, at Woodford County Park, is the Bluegrass Railroad Museum, with a collection of life-size vintage engines and cars. There are weekend excursions June through October. Open Saturday and Sunday; call for times. 175 Beasley Road. (859) 873-2476. 
  Undertaker tools and other unusual things. The Old Presbyterian Meeting House in Stanford is a museum with a little bit of everything, but it's the wicker Victorian "body basket" and antique undertaker's table that usually stops touring school groups and others dead in their tracks, so to speak. 315 West Main Street in Stanford. Call (606) 365-2503 or (606) 365-1216 for hours. Free.
  Vintage Versailles. Another collection of all kinds of things, the Woodford County Historical Society Museum features items ranging from an early Kentucky cupboard and historic photographs to Civil War and distillery relics. The museum is at 121 Rose Hill in Versailles. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Free. (859) 873-6786.
  Walking sticks and more. About an hour's drive east of Lexington in Morehead is the Kentucky Folk Art Center with an outstanding museum of walking sticks, carvings and other works by Kentucky's unschooled artists. More than 100 works from the 740 item permanent collection are on display every day, and rotating exhibits are featured in the second floor gallery. Art from over 50 eastern Kentucky folk artists are offered for sale in the Museum Store, plus educational materials, books and videos. The Folk Art Center is at 102 West First Street in Morehead. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and also on Sundays, April through December from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Admission charged, except on Sundays. (606-783-2204).
  “X-tra” Secret Recipe Museum. (Well, since nobody had an X-ray Museum, we had to cheat a little.) South of Lexington in Corbin is the Harland Sanders Museum (606-528-1933) at the restaurant where the Colonel first sold his "secret recipe" chicken. You can learn about the Colonel’s life and see a reproduction of the kitchen where he concocted his special combination of herbs and spices. There are now more than 300 Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants worldwide.
  You-name-it. Another local history museum with a little bit of everything is the Cynthiana-Harrison County Museum. Civil War items, Indian artifacts, vintage wedding dresses and photographs of local industry and a model of a long-gone covered bridge are among the historical treasures found at 124 South Walnut Street in Cynthiana. Open Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. or by appointment. (859) 234-7179.. Cynthiana is 34 miles north of Lexington. 
  Zymology. That’s the science of fermentation. Of course Bourbon making is as much an art as it is a science. Just ask the folks at Woodford Reserve (formerly Labrot & Graham), one of America’s oldest operating Bourbon distilleries. The visitor’s center is filled with exhibits, photos and artifacts celebrating the living history of Kentucky Bourbon. The Woodford Reserve Distillery was recently named a National Historic Landmark. 7855 McCracken Pike, Versailles. Open Tuesday through Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Open Sundays April through October 12:30-4:30 p.m. $5 includes your tour....and a sample!
 (859) 879-1812. 

Prices and times are subject to change. Call before making your travel plans.
     
By Teresa Day, a freelance writer based in Georgetown, KY.
Edited and updated by Lu Ann Pelle, July 2007.

Top of Page