If you’re a fan of fine jewelry, toy soldiers, horses, vintage fire
trucks or country music, you’ll find museums and exhibitions in Kentucky
dedicated to these and other unique interests.
The
Headley-Whitney Museum
near Lexington offers a permanent decorative and fine arts collection
and is now featuring “The Cutting Edge II,” an exhibit of more than 20
contemporary jewelers and gem carvers on display until July 8. The
exhibit focuses on gems highlighted in necklaces, brooches, rings,
eyewear, pens and spoons, among other objects.
Meanwhile, the
Frazier History Museum
in Louisville is expanding its focus on arms and history to include a
permanent display of one of the nation’s largest collections of toy
soldiers. The Frazier has integrated its vast toy soldier collection
throughout its permanent galleries, which cover more than 1,000 years of
world and American history.
At the
International Museum of the Horse
at the Kentucky Horse Park, an acclaimed international exhibition
titled simply “The Horse” is featured through April 6. Illuminating the
timeless union between humans and horses, this blockbuster exhibit
explores the origins of the horse family, which extends back more than
50 million years, and reveals the fascinating story of the horse-human
bond.
The
Woody Winfree Fire-Transportation Museum
in Hopkinsville features historic fire trucks, automobiles, carriages,
wagons and various firefighter memorabilia. Housed in the city’s
original fire station, which opened in 1905, the museum displays the
building’s original 22 foot brass pole, along with the city’s first fire
truck. Also on view are historic site and fire photos and the hats of
firemen who served from the station.
For country music lovers, the
Kentucky Music Hall of Fame and Museum
in Renfro Valley is a must-see for its instruments, costumes and
memorabilia of many famous stars. The museum’s instrument room allows
visitors to see, touch, hear and perform, and a functioning sound booth
permits visitors to sing and record. A timeline with dioramas takes
visitors from the beginnings of Kentucky music on the front porch to
much more extensive venues.
Unlike other museums, the
Civil War Museum
in Bardstown focuses mainly on the war of the western states. The
museum houses myriad artifacts from both Union and Confederacy. In
addition, the adjacent Women’s Civil War Museum is the only museum
dedicated to the various roles women played during the conflict.
Whatever your interest, you’re likely to find a museum in Kentucky that caters to it. Explore more options at
kentuckytourism.com.