Preserving Kentucky's Past

From Muhammad Ali to "Father of Bluegrass" Bill Monroe, Kentucky’s multifaceted heritage is kept alive at dozens of world-class museums around the state. Hear the strains of Kentucky’s musical history at the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum in Owensboro, and learn about the artists who changed music forever at the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame & Museum in Renfro Valley. Celebrate the champions of horse racing at the Kentucky Derby Museum, and experience a different kind of horsepower at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, the only place in the world where "America's sports car" is manufactured.

 

Abraham Lincoln was born in Kentucky, as was his future wife, Mary Todd Lincoln. You can visit many historic sites and house museums related to both families along the Kentucky Lincoln Heritage Trail. Louisville is home to several state-of-the-art museums; explore the life of “The Greatest” at the Muhammad Ali Center, or delve into Kentucky’s bourbon history (and many more topics) at the Frazier History Museum.

 

And if that weren’t enough, the commonwealth's repository, the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History in Frankfort and smaller museums around the state offer glimpses into Kentucky people, places and stories. From the American Cave Museum to the Historic RailPark & Train Museum, there is no shortage of fascinating experiences in the Bluegrass State.

Trip Inspiration

Hatfield & McCoy Trail

Involving land disputes, doomed love affairs, courtroom drama and violent clashes, the conflict raged for more than five decades on both sides of the Tug River, which carves out the border between Kentucky and West Virginia.
This deeply tangled story takes many twists and turns throughout Pike County in scenic Southeastern Kentucky. Stop by the Pike County Tourism Office in Pikeville to pick up free self-guided Hatfield & McCoy Driving Tour materials, which point out flashpoints in the feud and paint a vivid picture of the many colorful characters from both families.

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