Museums in Louisville
While several of Louisville's top museums focus on sports - boxing, baseball and horse racing - this Top Ten list covers science, art and history, as well. And even the sports-themed museums have something everyone will enjoy.
Our number one museum pick is 21c Museum Hotel. We love the interactive alphabet rain display, the red penguins, the diverse exhibitions and that the art continues into the bar and dining room of Proof on Main. And because the museum is the hotel lobby, it's open 24/7.
Just down road, the Muhammad Ali Center presents not only the biography and boxing feats of Louisville's most famous celebrity, but also his story in the context of historical events, including the civil rights movement and his opposition to the Vietnam War. With exhibitions focused on Ali's core values, the museum educates and inspires all visitors, not just boxing fans.
While several of the other museums on Museum Row show up further down on this Top 10 list, our next pick is the Kentucky Derby Museum. As with the Ali Center, a previous love or knowledge of the sport isn't a requirement. Learn about past Derby winners and their jockeys and the history of horse-racing - then tour Churchill Downs and the stables, home of the "most exciting two minutes in sports."
Our last sports-related museum is the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory, dedicated to baseball and the Louisville Slugger bat. We think everyone will enjoy the factory tour - especially the mini-Slugger you get to take home at the end.
We also like the Speed Art Museum, Kentucky's oldest and largest art museum, for its special exhibitions and its interactive children's section, ArtSparks. For local art, head back to Museum Row to check out the Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft.
For history, choose from the Frazier International History Museum, the interpretative center at Falls of the Ohio State Park, which covers the area's geological history, and the Thomas Edison House in Butchertown. The Frazier has an expansive collection of weaponry, diverse live interpretations, and informative exhibitions on local history. The emphasis on weapons is still strong, and we look forward to it more fully embracing the "international history" part of its name. Instead, we recommend a visit to the Thomas Edison House, where visitors can see a recreation of the inventor's rented quarters and learn about some of his inventions.
Our number one museum pick is 21c Museum Hotel. We love the interactive alphabet rain display, the red penguins, the diverse exhibitions and that the art continues into the bar and dining room of Proof on Main. And because the museum is the hotel lobby, it's open 24/7.
Just down road, the Muhammad Ali Center presents not only the biography and boxing feats of Louisville's most famous celebrity, but also his story in the context of historical events, including the civil rights movement and his opposition to the Vietnam War. With exhibitions focused on Ali's core values, the museum educates and inspires all visitors, not just boxing fans.
While several of the other museums on Museum Row show up further down on this Top 10 list, our next pick is the Kentucky Derby Museum. As with the Ali Center, a previous love or knowledge of the sport isn't a requirement. Learn about past Derby winners and their jockeys and the history of horse-racing - then tour Churchill Downs and the stables, home of the "most exciting two minutes in sports."
Our last sports-related museum is the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory, dedicated to baseball and the Louisville Slugger bat. We think everyone will enjoy the factory tour - especially the mini-Slugger you get to take home at the end.
We also like the Speed Art Museum, Kentucky's oldest and largest art museum, for its special exhibitions and its interactive children's section, ArtSparks. For local art, head back to Museum Row to check out the Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft.
For history, choose from the Frazier International History Museum, the interpretative center at Falls of the Ohio State Park, which covers the area's geological history, and the Thomas Edison House in Butchertown. The Frazier has an expansive collection of weaponry, diverse live interpretations, and informative exhibitions on local history. The emphasis on weapons is still strong, and we look forward to it more fully embracing the "international history" part of its name. Instead, we recommend a visit to the Thomas Edison House, where visitors can see a recreation of the inventor's rented quarters and learn about some of his inventions.
Thomas Edison House
729 East Washington Street
Historic house and museum dedicated to Thomas Edison...
Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory
800 West Main Street
The factory that makes all Louisville Slugger bats is also a museum dedicated to the bat's history...
Kentucky Museum of Art & Craft
715 West Main Street
Museum featuring art by local and regional artists...
Falls of the Ohio State Park
201 West Riverside Drive
Explore fossil beds at this state park along the Ohio River...
