List of Museums in Kentucky

This list of museums in Kentucky is a list of museums, defined for this context as institutions (including nonprofit organizations, government entities, and private businesses) that collect and care for objects of cultural, artistic, scientific, or historical interest and make their collections or related exhibits available for public viewing. Museums that exist only in cyberspace (i.e., virtual museums) are not included.

To use the sortable table, click on the icons at the top of each column to sort that column in alphabetical order; click again for reverse alphabetical order.

Name Image Location Region Area of study Summary
1817 Saddle Factory Museum Russellville South Central Kentucky Industry website, history of the saddle factory, its workers and products
Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park Hodgenville Derby Region Biographical Preserves two farm sites where Abraham Lincoln lived as a child.
Adsmore Princeton Western Waterlands Living Victorian home with "living" tours by season
African American Heritage Center Franklin South Central Kentucky African American website, African American achievements in Simpson County and Kentucky
American Cave Museum Horse Cave South Central Kentucky Natural history website, caves, groundwater, pollution and tour of Hidden River Cave
American Saddlebred Museum Lexington Bluegrass Natural history website, part of Kentucky Horse Park
Ashland, The Henry Clay Estate Lexington Bluegrass Historic house
Auburn Museum Auburn South Central Kentucky Local history website, operated by the Auburn Historical Society
Aviation Heritage Park Bowling Green South Central Kentucky Aviation website, park display of a F-4 Phantom II, planned display of other aircraft
Aviation Museum of Kentucky Lexington Bluegrass Aviation
Bardstown Historical Museum Bardstown Derby Region Local history Located in Spalding Hall along with the Oscar Getz Museum of Whiskey History
Barlow House Museum Barlow Western Waterlands Historic house website
Barren River Imaginative Museum of Science Bowling Green South Central Kentucky Science website
Barthell Coal Mining Camp Whitley City South Central Kentucky Mining Open air museum includes museum, barber shop, bath house, doctor's office, machine shop, mining motor displays, school/church house, 1890s reconstructed log cabin and mine tour
Behringer-Crawford Museum Covington Northern Kentucky Local history website, regional history of Northern Kentucky
Bell County Coal Mine and Museum Middlesboro Daniel Boone Country Mining information, local coal mines
Bell County Historical Society Museum Middlesboro Daniel Boone Country Local history website
Ben E. Clement Mineral Museum Marion Western Waterlands Natural history website, minerals including large collection of fluorite specimens
Bibb House Museum Russellville South Central Kentucky Historic house information, operated by Historic Russellville
Big Bone Lick State Park Big Bone Northern Kentucky Natural history Visitor center includes fossils found in the park, and the Outdoor Museum features a recreated bog diorama with extinct animals
Big Sandy Heritage Center Pikeville Kentucky's Appalachians Local history Housed in a former railroad station
Bill Monroe Museum Rosine Bluegrass, Blues & Barbecue region Biographical Life of Bill Monroe and the early foundations of bluegrass music
BitterSweet Cabin Museum Renfro Valley Daniel Boone Country Open air website, log cabin museum village and stores
Black History Gallery Elizabethtown Derby Region African American website, display of photos, articles and biographies of black Americans
Blue Heron Coal Mining Camp Blue Heron South Central Kentucky Mining Restored former company town
Bluegrass Heritage Museum Winchester Bluegrass Local history
Bluegrass Motorcycle Museum Rosine Bluegrass, Blues & Barbecue region Transportation information, private collection of over 20 vintage, American made motorcycles and memorabilia
Bluegrass Railroad and Museum Versailles Bluegrass Railroad
Blue Licks Battlefield State Park Mount Olivet Northern Kentucky Local history Pioneer Museum includes exhibits about the battle during the American Revolution, local natural and cultural history
Bobby Davis Museum and Park Hazard Daniel Boone Country Local history website
Breathitt County Museum Jackson Daniel Boone Country Local history information
Breckinridge County Historical Society Museum Hardinsburg Derby Region Local history information, information
Brennan House & Medical Office Museum Louisville Derby Region Historic house Victorian mansion
Brown-Pusey House Elizabethtown Derby Region Historic house website, includes the Pusey Room Museum with a replica of a late 19th century medical office, a genealogical library, and meeting rooms
Bullitt County History Museum Shepherdsville Derby Region Local history website, operated by the Bullitt County Genealogical Society
Butler-Turpin State Historic House Carrollton Historic house Located in General Butler State Resort Park, mid 19th century period house
Caldwell County Railroad Museum Princeton Western Waterlands Railroad website
Callahan Museum of the American Printing House for the Blind Louisville Derby Region Cultural
Camp Breckinridge Museum & Arts Center Morganfield Bluegrass, Blues & Barbecue region Historic site website, former officer's club, features murals painted by a German POW
Camp Nelson Civil War Heritage Park Nicholasville Bluegrass Civil War
Cane Ridge Meeting House & Barton Warren Stone Museum Paris Bluegrass Religious
Capital City Museum Frankfort Bluegrass Local history website, operated by the City of Frankfort’s Department of Parks & Recreation
C.B. Caudill Store & History Center Blackey Daniel Boone Country Local history website
Civil War Museum of the Western Theater Bardstown Derby Region Multiple Five attractions, including Civil War Museum of the Western Theater, Old Bardstown Village Village with 10 log cabins, Women's Civil War Museum, Wildlife Museum and War Memorial of Mid America
Cloverfork Museum Highsplint Daniel Boone Country Local history website
Cloverport Depot Museum Cloverport Derby Region Local history information
Columbus-Belmont State Park Columbus Western Waterlands Civil War
Conrad-Caldwell House Louisville Derby Region Historic house
Constitution Square State Historic Site Danville Bluegrass Open air Includes replica of 1785 log courthouse, jail and meetinghouse, 1792 post office
Coal Miners' Museum Van Lear Kentucky's Appalachians Mining Local coal mining history
Creation Museum Petersburg Northern Kentucky Religious
Crittenden County Historical Museum Marion Western Waterlands Local history website
Cumberland Gap National Historical Park Middlesboro Daniel Boone Country History Includes the Visitor Center with museum exhibits about the area's natural and cultural history, and Hensley Settlement, an open air mountain community
Cumberland Inn Museum Williamsburg Daniel Boone Country Multiple Natural history, collections of crosses, coins, stamps, arrowheads and nutcrackers
Cynthiana-Harrison County Museum Cynthiana Bluegrass Local history website
David A. Zegeer Coal-Railroad Museum Jenkins Daniel Boone Country Mining Coal mining and railroad history
Dawson Springs Museum and Art Center Dawson Springs Bluegrass, Blues & Barbecue region Local history information
Dinsmore Homestead Burlington Northern Kentucky Historic house 1840s house on 30 acres (120,000 m2)
Don F. Pratt Memorial Museum Fort Campbell Western Waterlands Military History of Fort Campbell and the 101st Airborne Division Air Assault the "Screaming Eagles"
Duncan Center Greenville Bluegrass, Blues & Barbecue region Multiple website, includes coal museum. local history museum and art gallery
Duncan Tavern Historical Center Paris Bluegrass Historic site website, state headquarters of the Kentucky Society, NSDAR; 1788 tavern
East Kentucky Science Center Prestonsburg Kentucky's Appalachians Science Includes exhibit hall, planetarium and laser dome
Elkhorn City Railroad Museum Elkhorn City Kentucky's Appalachians Railroad History of railroads in Kentucky's Eastern Mountain Coal Fields region
Embroidery Museum and Resource Center Louisville Derby Region Textile Operated by the Embroiderer's Guild of America
Ephraim McDowell House Danville Bluegrass Historic house
Explorium of Lexington Lexington Bluegrass Children's website, formerly known as the Lexington Children’s Museum
Fairholme (John Street Home) Cadiz Western Waterlands Historic house website, tours by appointment, also known as the John L. Street Home
Farmington Historic Plantation Louisville Derby Region Historic house Early 19th century plantation home
Federal Hill Bardstown Derby Region Historic house Also known as My Old Kentucky Home, part of My Old Kentucky Home State Park
The Filson Historical Society Louisville Derby Region Local history Includes a museum of local history and art exhibits
Fleming County Covered Bridge Museum Flemingsburg Bluegrass Local history information
Floyd Collins Museum Cave City South Central Kentucky Biographical website, information
Fordsville Depot Museum Fordsville Bluegrass, Blues & Barbecue region Multiple website, includes local history, railroad and rural life displays
Forkland Abraham Lincoln and Community Center Museum Forkland Bluegrass Local history website
Fort Boonesborough State Park Boonesborough Bluegrass Fort Reconstructed pioneer fort with artisans
Frazier International History Museum Louisville Derby Region Military U.S. and UK arms, armor and historic weaponry
Friendship School Campbellsville Daniel Boone Country School website, 1918 one room schoolhouse
Garrard County Jail Museum Lancaster Bluegrass Prison
General George Patton Museum of Leadership Fort Knox Derby Region Biographical
Georgetown & Scott County Museum Georgetown Bluegrass Local history website
Glema Mahr Center for the Arts Madisonville Bluegrass, Blues & Barbecue region Art website, part of Madisonville Community College, features the Anne P. Baker Gallery of fine art
Governor William Owsley House Lancaster Bluegrass Historic house Also known as Pleasant Retreat
Great American Dollhouse Museum Danville Bluegrass Toy website, dollhouses and miniatures
Green River Female Academy Elkton History 19th century female seminary
Hancock County Museum Hawesville Bluegrass, Blues & Barbecue region Local history website, housed in the old railroad station
Hardin County History Museum Elizabethtown Derby Region Local history website
Harland Sanders Café and Museum Corbin South Central Kentucky Food Birthplace of Kentucky Fried Chicken
Harriet Beecher Stowe Slavery to Freedom Museum Maysville Northern Kentucky Biographical information
Hart County Historical Museum Munfordville South Central Kentucky Local history website, operated by the Hart County Historical Society
Headley-Whitney Museum Lexington Bluegrass Art website, decorative arts including jewelry, bibelots and mounted semi-precious stones, doll houses, shell grotto, changing exhibits
Hickman County Museum Clinton Western Waterlands Local history website
Hiestand House Museum Campbellsville Daniel Boone Country Historic house website, 1823 German stone house
Highlands Museum and Discovery Center Ashland Kentucky's Appalachians History Local history and specialized science displays
Historic Washington, Kentucky Washington Northern Kentucky Open air website, includes historic houses, log cabins, churches, Slavery to Freedom Museum, carriage museum,
Historical Society of Hopkins County Museum Madisonville Bluegrass, Blues & Barbecue region Local history website, includes Ruby Laffoon cabin
Historic Locust Grove Louisville Derby Region Historic house 55 acre 18th century farm homestead
Historic Railpark and Train Museum Bowling Green South Central Kentucky Railroad
Hopewell Museum Paris Bluegrass Multiple website, art and history of Bourbon County and Central Kentucky
Hunt-Morgan House Lexington Bluegrass Historic house 18th century home, includes Alexander T. Hunt Civil War Museum
International Bluegrass Music Museum Owensboro Bluegrass, Blues & Barbecue region Cultural
Irvinton House Museum Richmond Bluegrass Local history website
Jack Jouett House Historic Site Versailles Bluegrass Historic house website, home of American Revolutionary hero Jack Jouett
James A. Ramage Civil War Museum Fort Wright Northern Kentucky History
Janice Mason Art Museum Cadiz Western Waterlands Art website, part of the Cadiz Community Arts Center
Jefferson Davis State Historic Site Fairview Western Waterlands Biographical Monument and museum about Confederate leader Jefferson Davis
JFC Museum Danville Bluegrass Commodity website, collections include fossils, rocks, Native American artifacts and antiques
John James Audubon State Park Henderson Bluegrass, Blues & Barbecue region Art Includes the Audubon Museum with art by John James Audubon and the John James Audubon Nature Center
Kentucky Coal Mining Museum Benham Daniel Boone Country Mining Coal mining and life of the coal miner and family
Kentucky Derby Museum Louisville Derby Region Sports American Thoroughbred horse racing museum
Kentucky Folk Art Center Morehead Kentucky's Appalachians Art Part of Morehead State University
Kentucky Gateway Museum Center Maysville Northern Kentucky Local history website, includes regional history dioramas and artifacts, art and miniatures
Kentucky Governor's Mansion Frankfort Bluegrass Historic house
Kentucky Museum Bowling Green South Central Kentucky History On the campus of Western Kentucky University, Kentucky and US cultural history
Kentucky Military History Museum Frankfort Bluegrass Military Operated by the Kentucky Historical Society
Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft Louisville Derby Region Art Art and craft heritage of Kentucky
Kentucky Music Hall of Fame & Museum Renfro Valley Daniel Boone Country Music website
Kentucky Railway Museum New Haven Derby Region Railroad
Kentucky River Museum Boonesborough Bluegrass Transportation Impact of the river, locks and dams on the area's family and commerce
Knox Historical Museum Barbourville Daniel Boone Country Local history information
Laurel Gorge Cultural Heritage Center Sandy Hook Kentucky's Appalachians Local history information, Facebook site
Mountain Life Museum London Daniel Boone Country Open air Part of Levi Jackson Wilderness Road State Park, recreated pioneer village and a restored watermill
Lexington History Center Lexington Bluegrass Multiple Includes the Lexington History Museum, Lexington Public Safety Museum, Isaac Scott Hathaway Museum and the Kentucky Renaissance Pharmacy Museum
Liberty Hall Historic Site Frankfort Bluegrass Historic house Includes both Liberty Hall and Orlando Brown House
Lincoln Heritage House Elizabethtown Derby Region Historic house website, log home of Thomas Lincoln
Lincoln Homestead State Park Springfield Derby Region Historic house Includes the home of Nancy Hanks, mother of Abraham Lincoln, the replica log house of his grandmother, and the restored home of his uncle, Mordecai Lincoln
Lincoln Museum of Kentucky Hodgenville Derby Region Biographical website, features dioramas with wax figures depicting important events in Lincoln's life and Lincoln artwork
Lloyd Tilghman House & Civil War Museum Paducah Western Waterlands History Focuses on Kentucky and the western theater of the American Civil War
Lone Oak House Museum Hopkinsville Western Waterlands Historic house information, open by appointment
Louisville Science Center Louisville Derby Region Science
Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory Louisville Derby Region Sports Baseball and the history of the baseball bat
Louisville Visual Art Association Louisville Derby Region Art website, changing art exhibits, located in the Louisville Water Tower
LSI Museum of Physical Security Nicholasville Bluegrass Commodity website, operated by Lockmasters Security Institute, collection of safe locks
Lyon County Museum Eddyville Western Waterlands Local history information, also known as Rose Hill Museum
Magoffin County Pioneer Village and Museum Salyersville Kentucky's Appalachians Open air Reconstructed log buildings, operated by the Magoffin County Historical Society
Mammoth Cave Wildlife Museum Cave City South Central Kentucky Natural history website, mounted animal dioramas
Marie Stewart Museum & Craft Shop Hindman Daniel Boone Country Local history
Mary Todd Lincoln House Lexington Bluegrass Historic house 1840s period family home of Mary Todd Lincoln
McCreary County Museum Stearns South Central Kentucky Local history Adjacent to Big South Fork Scenic Railway
McLean County History & Genealogy Museum Calhoun Bluegrass, Blues & Barbecue region Local history website, housed in the old railroad station
Mill Springs Battlefield Visitors Center and Museum Nancy South Central Kentucky Civil War Commemorates the January 1862 Battle of Mill Springs
Morgan County History Museum West Liberty Kentucky's Appalachians Local history information
Morris Toy Museum Carrsville Western Waterlands Toy information, information
Mountain Homeplace Staffordsville Kentucky's Appalachians Living Mid-19th century working farm with Museum Of Appalachian History, includes farmstead, church, school, and blacksmith shop.
Muhammad Ali Center Louisville Derby Region Biographical
National Corvette Museum Bowling Green South Central Kentucky Automotive
National Quilt Museum Paducah Western Waterlands Textile Quilts and fiber art
National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution Museum Louisville Derby Region Military
National Underground Railroad Museum Maysville Northern Kentucky Historic house website, located in the Bierbower House, a safe house for the Underground Railroad
Northeastern Kentucky Museum Olive Hill Kentucky's Appalachians Local history information
NKU Museum of Anthropology Highland Heights Northern Kentucky Anthropology website, part of Northern Kentucky University, display cases on the second floor of Landrum Academic Center
Octagon Hall Museum Franklin South Central Kentucky Historic house website
Ohio County Museum Hartford Bluegrass, Blues & Barbecue region Open air information
Ohio County Veterans’ Museum Hartford Bluegrass, Blues & Barbecue region Military information
Old Fort Harrod State Park Harrodsburg Derby Region Open air Reconstructed fort and museum
Oldham County History Center La Grange Derby Region Local history website, operated by the Oldham County Historical Society, the Peyton Samuel Head Family Museum, J.C. Barnett Archives and Library, and the Robb Morris Chapel
Old State Capitol Frankfort Bluegrass Historic site Operated by the Kentucky Historical Society
Oscar Getz Museum of Whiskey History Bardstown Derby Region Food History of American whiskey from Colonial days through the 1960s; located in Spalding Hall along with the Bardstown Historical Museum
Owensboro Area Museum of Science & History Owensboro Bluegrass, Blues & Barbecue region Multiple website, natural history, science, local history, motor sports, children's area and government
Owensboro Museum of Fine Art Owensboro Bluegrass, Blues & Barbecue region Art website, collection features American, European and Asian fine and decorative arts dating from the 15th century to the present
Paducah Railway Museum Paducah Western Waterlands Railroad website
Paradise Park Museum Complex Powderly Bluegrass, Blues & Barbecue region Open air information, includes Merle Travis birthplace, Coal Mines Shotgun House, a replica of a 1920s coal mining town and a two-room schoolhouse
Parker Warner Historic Museum Providence Bluegrass, Blues & Barbecue region Local history website,
Pennyroyal Area Museum Hopkinsville Western Waterlands Local history information
Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site Perryville Bluegrass Civil War
Portland Museum Louisville Derby Region Local history History of Portland, Louisville’s riverside community
Railway Museum of Greater Cincinnati Covington Northern Kentucky Railroad
Red River Historical Museum Clay City Daniel Boone Country Local history website, local mining, logging and railroad industries
River Heritage Museum Paducah Western Waterlands Maritime website
Riverside, The Farnsley-Moremen Landing Louisville Derby Region Historic house 1840s house, archaeological excavations, gardens
Riverview at Hobson Grove Bowling Green South Central Kentucky Historic house Mid-19th century home
Rob Morris Home La Grange Derby Region Historic house Home of Rob Morris, the second and last poet laureate of Freemasonry and the founder of the Order of the Eastern Star
Robert Penn Warren Birthplace Museum Guthrie Western Waterlands Biographical website, birthplace of poet Robert Penn Warren
Rosemary Clooney Museum Augusta Northern Kentucky Biographical Home of singer Rosemary Clooney
Royal Spring Park Georgetown Bluegrass Historic house Includes 1874 Leach Cabin
Samuel May House Living History Museum Prestonsburg Kentucky's Appalachians Historic house Early 19th century house
Shaker Museum at South Union South Union South Central Kentucky Religious Shaker folklife and material culture
Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill Pleasant Hill Bluegrass Living 19th century Shaker village
Simpson County Archives and Museum Franklin South Central Kentucky Local history website, operated by the Simpson County Historical Society, housed in an old jail and jailer’s residence; also known as Old Stone Jail - Simpson County Archives
South Central Kentucky Cultural Center Glasgow South Central Kentucky Local history website, also known as Museum of the Barrens
Speed Art Museum Louisville Derby Region Art
Swamp Valley Museum Menifee County Daniel Boone Country Local history information
Swope's Cars of Yesteryear Museum Elizabethtown Derby Region Automotive website, historic automobiles
Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History Frankfort Bluegrass History Operated by the Kentucky Historical Society, over 12,000 years of Kentucky history
Thomas Edison House Louisville Derby Region Biographical
University of Kentucky Art Museum Lexington Bluegrass Art
U.S. 23 Country Music Highway Museum Paintsville Kentucky's Appalachians Music Exhibits on the country music entertainers who grew up near U.S. Route 23.
Vent Haven Museum Fort Mitchell Northern Kentucky Puppet Only museum devoted to the art of ventriloquism
Waveland State Historic Site Lexington Bluegrass Historic house 19th century plantation home
Whitehall House & Gardens Louisville Derby Region Historic house website
White Hall State Historic Site Richmond Bluegrass Historic house 1860s period mansion
Whitney Young Birthplace and Museum Simpsonville Derby Region Biographical Home of civil rights leader Whitney Young, open by request
Wickland Bardstown Derby Region Historic house Early 19th century house that was home to three state governors, two for Kentucky and one in Louisiana
Wickliffe Mounds Wickliffe Western Waterlands Archaeology
William Clark Market House Museum Paducah Western Waterlands Local history website
William Crenshaw Kennedy, Jr. Memorial Museum Monticello Daniel Boone Country Local history website, also known as the Wayne County Museum, operated by the Wayne County Historical Society
William S. Webb Museum of Anthropology Lexington Bluegrass Anthropology website, research collection of the University of Kentucky
William Whitley House State Historic Site Stanford Bluegrass Historic house
Wolfe County Historical Museum Campton Daniel Boone Country Local history information
Woody Winfree Fire-Transportation Museum Hopkinsville Western Waterlands Transportation information, includes fire trucks, automobiles, wagons, buggies, a sleigh, license plates and local fire memorabilia
Wrather West Kentucky Museum Murray Western Waterlands Local history website, part of Murray State University, history of West Kentucky and the Jackson Purchase
Yeiser Art Center Paducah Western Waterlands Art website

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