List of attractions and events in Louisville, Kentucky
Encyclopedia
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
metropolitan area.
Annual festivals and other events
- 100 Years on the Ohio River, historical re-enactment at Riverside, The Farnsley-Moremen LandingRiverside, The Farnsley-Moremen LandingRiverside, The Farnsley-Moremen Landing is a historic 300 acre farm and house in Southwest Louisville, Kentucky along the banks of the Ohio River...
, commemorating the first hundred years of Louisville's history, from its founding through the Civil WarAmerican Civil WarThe American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
(years 1765 through 1865), held in September - Abbey Road on the RiverAbbey Road on the RiverAbbey Road on the River is a five-day, multi-stage music festival honoring the music and spirit of The Beatles. The festival takes place in Louisville, Kentucky over the Memorial Day weekend. An East Coast version has taken place once to date - in 2010 in the Washington, D.C. area...
, a salute to The BeatlesThe BeatlesThe Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
with many bands, held on Memorial DayMemorial DayMemorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War...
weekend - Bluegrass Balloon Festival, held in September
- Corn IslandCorn Island (Kentucky)Corn Island is a now-vanished island in the Ohio River, at head of the Falls of the Ohio, just north of Louisville, Kentucky.-Geography:Estimates of the size of Corn Island vary with time as it gradually was eroded and became submerged. A 1780 survey listed its size at...
Storytelling Festival, held in September - Danger RunDanger RunThe Danger Run is a Halloween driving game played in a car. Participants are given a book of cryptic directions written as 5-line limerick clues. Clues are solved and are used as directions for participants to find their way to selected locations that participate on the Danger Run, which are...
, from the end of September through the end of October - Farmington Harvest Festival, held the second Sunday in October at Farmington Historic Plantation
- Forecastle FestivalForecastle FestivalThe Forecastle Festival is a three-day music, art, and environmental activism festival held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, since 2002. The festival originated as a small gathering of local musicians in Louisville's Tyler Park, and steadily grew into a national attraction that now includes major...
, a co-mingling of music, art and activism, held in July - Garvin Gate Blues Festival, held in Old LouisvilleOld LouisvilleOld Louisville is a historic district and neighborhood in central Louisville, Kentucky, USA. It is the third largest such district in the United States, and the largest preservation district featuring almost entirely Victorian architecture...
in October - Ghosts of Old Louisville Tour, guided ghost tours of Old Louisville, "America's Most Haunted Neighborhood"
- Humana Festival of New American PlaysHumana Festival of New American PlaysHumana Festival of New American Plays is an internationally renowned festival that celebrates the contemporary American playwright. Produced annually in Louisville, Kentucky by Actors Theatre of Louisville, this prestigious event showcases new theatrical works and draws producers, critics,...
, held in the Spring - Jeffersontown Gaslight Festival (JeffersontownJeffersontown, KentuckyJeffersontown is a city in Jefferson County, Kentucky, United States. Before Louisville and Jefferson County were consolidated in 2003, it was the county's largest city outside of Louisville. The population was 26,633 at the 2000 census.- History :...
), held in September - Kentucky Art CarArt carAn art car is a vehicle that has had its appearance modified as an act of personal artistic expression. Art cars are often driven and owned by their creators, who are sometimes referred to as "Cartists"....
Weekend, held in August - Kentucky Bourbon FestivalKentucky Bourbon FestivalThe Kentucky Bourbon Festival is a weeklong event consisting of more than thirty events in Bardstown, Kentucky, United States, dedicated to celebrating the history and art of distilling bourbon whiskey...
(BardstownBardstown, KentuckyAs of the census of 2010, there were 11,700 people, 4,712 households, and 2,949 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 5,113 housing units at an average density of...
) - Kentucky Derby FestivalKentucky Derby FestivalThe Kentucky Derby Festival is an annual festival held in Louisville, Kentucky during the two weeks preceding the first Saturday in May, the day of the Kentucky Derby...
, KentuckyKentuckyThe Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
's largest single annual event; includes Thunder Over LouisvilleThunder Over LouisvilleThunder Over Louisville, the annual kickoff event of the Kentucky Derby Festival, is an airshow and fireworks display held in mid April in Louisville, Kentucky...
, Great Steamboat Race, Pegasus Parade and the Marathon/miniMarathon, and is held for two weeks from late April through early May - Kentucky Shakespeare FestivalKentucky Shakespeare Festival'Kentucky Shakespeare', commonly called Shakespeare in the Park, is a cultural event which features free Shakespeare performances every summer in Central Park in Old Louisville . Begun as the Carriage House Players in 1949, it is the oldest free professional and independently-operating Shakespeare...
, commonly called Shakespeare in the ParkShakespeare in the ParkShakespeare in the Park is a concept used across the world, as a form of free public presentation of William Shakespeare's works. Such performances exist in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America....
; held in the Summer - Kentucky State FairKentucky State FairThe Kentucky State Fair is the official state fair of Kentucky which takes place at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville. More than 600,000 fairgoers fill the of indoor and outdoor exhibits, eat a smorgasbord of food and ride hair-raising, adrenaline-pumping coasters during the 11-day event...
, annual 10-day event held in August at the Kentucky Exposition CenterKentucky Exposition CenterThe Kentucky Exposition Center , formerly Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center , is a large multi-use facility in Louisville, Kentucky, United States...
; includes the - Kentuckiana Pride Festival, series of events in June in support of LGBTLGBTLGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
pride and rights - Lebowski FestLebowski FestLebowski Fest is an annual festival begun in 2002 in Louisville, Kentucky celebrating Joel and Ethan Coen’s 1998 cult film The Big Lebowski, whose fans' line memorization and creative attire rival those of The Rocky Horror Picture Show...
- Louisville Zombie Attack, where thousands of locals dressed as zombies walk down Bardstown Road to a set location, held every year on August 29 at 8:29 p.m.
- National Quartet ConventionNational Quartet ConventionThe National Quartet Convention is an annual gathering of Southern Gospel quartets and musicians. It is currently held at Freedom Hall on the grounds of the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Kentucky.-History:...
- North American International Livestock ExpositionNorth American International Livestock ExpositionNorth American International Livestock Exposition is a livestock show held each November in Louisville, Kentucky and lasts for two weeks. It is billed as the "world's largest all-breed, purebred livestock exposition", with nine major livestock divisions with competitors from the 48 contiguous states...
, held in November - Oktoberfest/Oktoberfeast Louisville, held in October
- Spirit Ball, a Victorian-inspired masquerade ball held annually the Saturday before Halloween at the Conrad-Caldwell House on St. James Court
- St. James Court Art ShowSt. James Court Art ShowThe St. James Court Art Show, colloquially called the St. James Art Fair, or just St. James, is a popular free public outdoor annual arts and crafts show held since 1957 in the Old Louisville neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky, in the St. James-Belgravia Historic District...
, one of the top-ranked shows of its kind in the country; held in Old Louisville the first weekend of October - St. Joseph Orphans Picnic, held the second Saturday in August
- Starlight Strawberry Festival (Starlight, IndianaStarlight, IndianaStarlight is an unincorporated community in Wood Township, Clark County, Indiana, United States. Addresses in Starlight are listed as part of nearby Borden.-Attractions:...
), held during Memorial DayMemorial DayMemorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War...
weekend - WHAS Crusade for ChildrenWHAS Crusade for ChildrenThe WHAS Crusade for Children is an annual telethon broadcast by WHAS-TV and WHAS Radio in Louisville, Kentucky. The telethon benefits a wide range of children's charities throughout Kentucky and southern Indiana....
, fundraiser held over the first weekend in June - The World's Largest Halloween Party, Louisville ZooLouisville ZooFounded in 1969, the Louisville Zoo, or the Louisville Zoological Garden, is a zoo in Louisville, Kentucky, situated in the city's Poplar Level neighborhood...
, held 14 nights in October.
Distinctive locales
- Old LouisvilleOld LouisvilleOld Louisville is a historic district and neighborhood in central Louisville, Kentucky, USA. It is the third largest such district in the United States, and the largest preservation district featuring almost entirely Victorian architecture...
, the third largest historic preservationHistoric preservationHistoric preservation is an endeavor that seeks to preserve, conserve and protect buildings, objects, landscapes or other artifacts of historical significance...
district in the U.S., which features:- the highest number of buildings of Victorian architectureVictorian architectureThe term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
in a U.S. neighborhood - Louisville's Central ParkCentral Park, LouisvilleCentral Park is a municipal park maintained by the city of Louisville, Kentucky. Located in the Old Louisville neighborhood, it was first developed for public use in the 1870s and referred to as "DuPont Square" since it was at that time part of the Du Pont family estate.During the Southern...
- St. James Court, famous for the annual St. James Court Art ShowSt. James Court Art ShowThe St. James Court Art Show, colloquially called the St. James Art Fair, or just St. James, is a popular free public outdoor annual arts and crafts show held since 1957 in the Old Louisville neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky, in the St. James-Belgravia Historic District...
.
- the highest number of buildings of Victorian architecture
- The Highlands areaThe Highlands (Louisville)The Highlands is an area of Louisville, Kentucky which contains a high density of nightclubs, eclectic businesses, and many upscale and fast food restaurants. It is centered along a three-mile stretch of Bardstown Road and Baxter Avenue and is so named because it sits atop a ridge between the...
, which features:- Distinctive shops, restaurants and nightlife along Bardstown Road and Baxter Avenue
- Cherokee Triangle and Original HighlandsOriginal HighlandsThe Original Highlands is a historic neighborhood in Louisville, Kentucky, USA. The neighborhood was built on land surveyed in 1774 and granted to Colonial William Preston, surveyor of Fincastle County, Virginia. He died in 1781, and eventually his son, Major William Preston, and wife moved onto...
historic neighborhoods
- The West Main DistrictWest Main District (Louisville)The West Main District is one of the five districts of downtown Louisville, Kentucky. The district, or a portion of it, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places as West Main Street Historic District, due to its containment of some of the oldest structures in the city...
of downtownDowntown LouisvilleDowntown Louisville is the largest central business district in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the urban hub of the Louisville, Kentucky Metropolitan Area. Its boundaries are the Ohio River to the north, Hancock Street to the east, York and Jacob Streets to the south, and 9th Street to the west...
, including "Museum Row" and featuring some of the oldest structures in the city - Corydon Historic DistrictCorydon Historic DistrictThe Corydon Historic District of Corydon, Indiana, United States, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is also known as Indiana's First State Capital and as Historic Corydon...
- Old Jeffersonville Historic DistrictOld Jeffersonville Historic DistrictThe Old Jeffersonville Historic District is located in Jeffersonville, Indiana. It marks the original boundaries of Jeffersonville, and is the heart of modern day downtown Jeffersonville It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983...
- Frankfort Avenue corridor, including the CliftonClifton, LouisvilleClifton, a neighborhood east of downtown Louisville, Kentucky USA. Clifton was named because of its hilly location on the Ohio River valley escarpment....
and Crescent HillCrescent Hill, LouisvilleCrescent Hill is a neighborhood four miles east of downtown Louisville, Kentucky USA. Area was originally called "Beargrass" because it sits on a ridge between two forks of Beargrass Creek....
neighborhoods — another area with distinctive shops and restaurants - East Market DistrictEast Market District (Louisville)The East Market District, also referred to as NuLu , is an unofficial district of Louisville, Kentucky, situated along Market Street between downtown to the west and the Highland's neighborhoods to the east. A growing, hip district, the area comprises parts of two of Louisville's oldest...
, featuring a row of art galleries, prominently featured in the monthly First Friday Trolley Hop
Historic properties
- See also: History of Louisville, KentuckyHistory of Louisville, KentuckyThe history of Louisville, Kentucky spans hundreds of years, with thousands of years of human habitation. The area's geography and location on the Ohio River attracted people from the earliest times. The city is located at the Falls of the Ohio River...
- Basilica of Saint Joseph Proto-CathedralBasilica of Saint Joseph Proto-CathedralThe Basilica of Saint Joseph Proto-Cathedral is a Catholic parish church at 310 West Stephen Foster Avenue in Bardstown, Kentucky. It is the former cathedral mother church of the former Roman Catholic Diocese of Bardstown...
(BardstownBardstown, KentuckyAs of the census of 2010, there were 11,700 people, 4,712 households, and 2,949 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 5,113 housing units at an average density of...
) — first Roman CatholicRoman Catholic ChurchThe Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
cathedral west of the Appalachian Mountains - Belle of LouisvilleBelle of LouisvilleThe Belle of Louisville is a steamboat owned and operated by the city of Louisville, Kentucky and moored at its downtown wharf next to the Riverfront Plaza/Belvedere during its annual operational period...
, the oldest MississippiMississippi RiverThe Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
-style steamboatSteamboatA steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
in operation on the inland waterways of the U.S. (Built 1914-1915 in PittsburghPittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
for service in MemphisMemphis, TennesseeMemphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
as the Idlewild, renamed Avalon in 1948, purchased by Jefferson County and renamed Belle of Louisville in 1962.) - Bray PlaceBray PlaceThe Bray Place in Louisville, Kentucky refers to the early farmstead and home built in 1796 by Major Samuel E. Bray and his wife, Nancy Lyle Bray from Virginia. The was granted by Thomas Jefferson to Bray as payment for serving in the Revolutionary War and surveying what was then Virginia...
, the land and 1796 home, now called the Bashford Manor Bed and Breakfast, one of the oldest houses in Kentucky. - The Brennan HouseRonald-Brennan HouseThe Ronald–Brennan House, often referred to as just the Brennan House, is a historic Italianate townhouse located in Downtown Louisville, Kentucky. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 11, 1975...
- Brown Hotel, where the Hot BrownHot BrownA Hot Brown Sandwich is a hot sandwich originally created at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, by Fred K. Schmidt in 1926. It is a variation of traditional Welsh rarebit and was one of two signature sandwiches created by chefs at the Brown Hotel shortly after its founding in 1923...
was invented. - Cathedral of the AssumptionCathedral of the Assumption in LouisvilleThe Cathedral of the Assumption is the cathedral mother church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky. His Excellency, the Most Reverend Joseph Kurtz, D.D., the fourth and current Archbishop of Louisville, is in residence at the Cathedral. The Very Reverend Jeffery...
- Colgate ClockColgate Clock (Indiana)The Colgate Clock, located at a Colgate-Palmolive factory in Clarksville, Indiana, is one of the largest clocks in the world. It has a diameter of 40 feet . It was first illuminated in Clarksville on November 17, 1924...
(Clarksville, IndianaClarksville, IndianaClarksville is a town in Clark County, Indiana, United States, along the Ohio River as a part of the Louisville Metropolitan area. The population was 21,724 at the 2010 census. The town, once a home site to George Rogers Clark, was founded in 1783 and is the oldest American town in the Northwest...
), the second largest clock in the world. - Colonial GardensSenning's ParkSenning's Park was a park located across New Cut Road from Iroquois Park in Louisville, Kentucky, on the site of present-day Colonial Gardens. It was the site of the first zoo in Louisville, Kentucky's largest city.-Zoo days:...
, a local landmark in the enwood Hill] neighborhood. - Conrad-Caldwell House
- Culbertson Mansion State Historic SiteCulbertson Mansion State Historic SiteCulbertson Mansion State Historic Site is located in New Albany, Indiana by the Ohio River. It was the home of William Culbertson, who was once the richest man in Indiana. Built in 1867 at a cost of $120,000, this French Second Empire-style mansion has 25-rooms within , and was completed in...
(New Albany, IndianaNew Albany, IndianaNew Albany is a city in Floyd County, Indiana, United States, situated along the Ohio River opposite Louisville, Kentucky. In 1900, 20,628 people lived in New Albany; in 1910, 20,629; in 1920, 22,992; and in 1940, 25,414. The population was 36,372 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of...
), most noted for its annual haunted houseHaunted houseA haunted house is a house or other building often perceived as being inhabited by disembodied spirits of the deceased who may have been former residents or were familiar with the property...
located in the mansion's carriage barn. - Farmington Historic Plantation, including the Thomas JeffersonThomas JeffersonThomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
-designed home of the Speed family, visited by Abraham LincolnAbraham LincolnAbraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
. - The Filson Historical SocietyThe Filson Historical SocietyThe Filson Historical Society is a historical society located in the Old Louisville neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky. The organization was founded in 1884 and named after early Kentucky explorer John Filson, who wrote The Discovery, Settlement, and Present State of Kentucke, which included one...
, a historical society and research library housed in the Ferguson Mansion, a Beaux-Arts style mansion built in 1906. - Fort DuffieldFort DuffieldFort Duffield is an American Civil War fort located outside West Point, Kentucky. It saw use in 1862, and was abandoned when it appeared that the War would never come near the fort...
, a Civil WarAmerican Civil WarThe American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
fort. - Fort KnoxFort KnoxFort Knox is a United States Army post in Kentucky south of Louisville and north of Elizabethtown. The base covers parts of Bullitt, Hardin, and Meade counties. It currently holds the Army Human Resources Center of Excellence to include the Army Human Resources Command, United States Army Cadet...
, including the U.S. Bullion DepositoryUnited States Bullion DepositoryThe United States Bullion Depository, often known as Fort Knox, is a fortified vault building located adjacent to Fort Knox, Kentucky, used to store a large portion of United States official gold reserves and occasionally other precious items belonging or entrusted to the federal government.The...
and General George Patton Museum (BullittBullitt County, KentuckyAs of the census of 2000, there were 61,236 people, 22,171 households, and 17,736 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 23,160 housing units at an average density of...
, HardinHardin County, KentuckyAs of the census of 2000, there were 94,174 people, 34,497 households, and 25,355 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 37,673 housing units at an average density of...
and MeadeMeade County, KentuckyAs of the census of 2000, there were 26,349 people, 9,470 households, and 7,396 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 10,293 housing units at an average density of...
Counties) - Fort Nelson ParkFort Nelson (Kentucky)Fort Nelson, built in 1781 by Richard Chenoweth, was the second on-shore fort on the Ohio River in the area of what is now downtown Louisville, Kentucky. Fort-on-Shore, the downriver and first on-shore fort, had proved to be insufficient barely three years after it was established...
, located in the same spot as the second on-shore fort in Kentucky. - Galt HouseGalt HouseThe Galt House is a 25-story, 1300-room hotel in Louisville, Kentucky. The original hotel was erected in 1837. The current Galt House is presently the city's only hotel on the Ohio River. Many noted people have stayed at the Galt House, including Jefferson Davis, Charles Dickens, Abraham Lincoln...
, the famous hotel where Civil WarAmerican Civil WarThe American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
generals planned campaigns, including William Tecumseh ShermanWilliam Tecumseh ShermanWilliam Tecumseh Sherman was an American soldier, businessman, educator and author. He served as a General in the Union Army during the American Civil War , for which he received recognition for his outstanding command of military strategy as well as criticism for the harshness of the "scorched...
's Atlanta CampaignAtlanta CampaignThe Atlanta Campaign was a series of battles fought in the Western Theater of the American Civil War throughout northwest Georgia and the area around Atlanta during the summer of 1864. Union Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman invaded Georgia from the vicinity of Chattanooga, Tennessee, beginning in May...
and March to the SeaSherman's March to the SeaSherman's March to the Sea is the name commonly given to the Savannah Campaign conducted around Georgia from November 15, 1864 to December 21, 1864 by Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman of the Union Army in the American Civil War...
. - Historic Locust GroveHistoric Locust GroveHistoric Locust Grove is a 55-acre 18th century farm site and National Historic Landmark situated in eastern Jefferson County, Kentucky . The site is presently owned by the Louisville Metro government, and operated as a historic interpretive site by Historic Locust Grove, Inc.The main feature on...
farm, home of George Rogers Clark and site of the homecoming of Lewis and ClarkLewis and Clark ExpeditionThe Lewis and Clark Expedition, or ″Corps of Discovery Expedition" was the first transcontinental expedition to the Pacific Coast by the United States. Commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson and led by two Virginia-born veterans of Indian wars in the Ohio Valley, Meriwether Lewis and William...
. - Little LoomhouseLittle LoomhouseThe Little Loomhouse is a place on the National Register of Historic Places in the Kenwood Hill neighborhood on the south side of Louisville, Kentucky. It consists of three log cabins from the nineteenth century Victorian Era: Esta Cabin, Tophouse, and Wisteria Cabin. It not only displays weavings,...
- Louisville StonewareLouisville StonewareLouisville Stoneware, previously known as Louisville Pottery, is located in the Highlands section of Louisville, Kentucky. Founded in 1815, making it one of the oldest stoneware companies in the United States, it creates fanciful stoneware that is nationally renowned...
, making pottery since 1815. - My Old Kentucky Home State ParkMy Old Kentucky Home State ParkMy Old Kentucky Home State Park is a state park located in Bardstown, Kentucky. The park's centerpiece is Federal Hill, a former plantation built by United States Senator John Rowan in 1795. During Rowan's life, the mansion became a meeting place for local politicians and hosted several visiting...
(Bardstown), featuring the Federal Hill mansion (inspiration for Stephen FosterStephen FosterStephen Collins Foster , known as the "father of American music", was the pre-eminent songwriter in the United States of the 19th century...
's My Old Kentucky HomeMy Old Kentucky Home"My Old Kentucky Home" is a minstrel song by Stephen Foster , probably composed in 1852. It was published as "My Old Kentucky Home, Good Night" in January 1853 by Firth, Pond, & Co. of New York...
) and Stephen Foster - The Musical - Peterson-Dumesnil HousePeterson-Dumesnil HouseThe Peterson-Dumesnil House is a Victorian-Italianate house in the Crescent Hill neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky, USA. Of the remaining large country estates built by Louisvillians in the late 19th century to the east of the city, it is the closest to Downtown Louisville, and primarily for...
- Riverside, The Farnsley-Moremen LandingRiverside, The Farnsley-Moremen LandingRiverside, The Farnsley-Moremen Landing is a historic 300 acre farm and house in Southwest Louisville, Kentucky along the banks of the Ohio River...
- Scribner House (New Albany, IndianaNew Albany, IndianaNew Albany is a city in Floyd County, Indiana, United States, situated along the Ohio River opposite Louisville, Kentucky. In 1900, 20,628 people lived in New Albany; in 1910, 20,629; in 1920, 22,992; and in 1940, 25,414. The population was 36,372 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of...
) - Seelbach HotelSeelbach HotelThe Seelbach Hotel is a hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, founded by Bavarian-born immigrant brothers Louis and Otto Seelbach. It has since been renamed the Seelbach Hilton. The hotel was envisioned by the Seelbach Brothers to embody the old-world grandeur of European hotels in cities such as Vienna...
, the famous hotel written about by F. Scott FitzgeraldF. Scott FitzgeraldFrancis Scott Key Fitzgerald was an American author of novels and short stories, whose works are the paradigm writings of the Jazz Age, a term he coined himself. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest American writers of the 20th century. Fitzgerald is considered a member of the "Lost...
and frequently visited by Al CaponeAl CaponeAlphonse Gabriel "Al" Capone was an American gangster who led a Prohibition-era crime syndicate. The Chicago Outfit, which subsequently became known as the "Capones", was dedicated to smuggling and bootlegging liquor, and other illegal activities such as prostitution, in Chicago from the early...
. - Spalding HallSpalding HallSpalding Hall is a building on the National Register of Historic Places in Bardstown, Kentucky, USA. It was built in conjunction with the Basilica of Saint Joseph Proto-Cathedral. The building houses the Oscar Getz Museum of Whiskey and the Bardstown Historical Museum.The hall was built in 1826...
(BardstownBardstown, KentuckyAs of the census of 2010, there were 11,700 people, 4,712 households, and 2,949 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 5,113 housing units at an average density of...
) - Thomas Edison HouseThomas Edison HouseThomas Edison House is a historic house located in the Butchertown neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky. The house is a shotgun duplex built around 1850. Thomas Edison took up residence in the same neighborhood, possibly even at this location, a part of the time he lived in Louisville from 1866 to...
- Union StationUnion Station (Louisville)The Union Station of Louisville, Kentucky is a historic railroad station that serves as offices for the Transit Authority of River City, as it has since mid-April 1980 after receiving a year-long restoration costing approximately $2 million. It was one of three union stations in Kentucky, the other...
- United States Marine Hospital of LouisvilleUnited States Marine Hospital of LouisvilleThe United States Marine Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky, in the Portland neighborhood was built in 1845, and is considered the best remaining antebellum hospital in the United States...
- Vogue Theater, a movie theater in St. MatthewsSt. Matthews, KentuckySt. Matthews is the 20th largest city in Kentucky, United States and is a prominent suburb of Louisville. It is located 8 miles east of downtown Louisville in Jefferson County. It is one of the state's major shopping areas, being home to second and fifth largest malls in Kentucky St. Matthews is...
that closed in 1998, known for showing The Rocky Horror Picture ShowThe Rocky Horror Picture ShowThe Rocky Horror Picture Show is the 1975 film adaptation of the British rock musical stageplay, The Rocky Horror Show, written by Richard O'Brien. The film is a parody of B-movie, science fiction and horror films of the late 1940s through early 1970s. Director Jim Sharman collaborated on the...
for 25 years. Its sign is being refurbished as a historical landmark. - Waverly Hills SanatoriumWaverly Hills SanatoriumThe Waverly Hills Sanatorium is a closed sanatorium located in southwestern Louisville/Jefferson County, Kentucky. It opened in 1910 as a two-story hospital to accommodate 40 to 50 tuberculosis patients. In the early 1900s, Jefferson County was ravaged by an outbreak of tuberculosis which prompted...
- Whitehall House & Gardens
- Whitney Young Birthplace and MuseumWhitney Young Birthplace and MuseumThe Whitney Young Birthplace and Museum was the birthplace and childhood home of Whitney M. Young, Jr., an American civil rights leader. The simple wooden house in Shelby County, Kentucky, near Louisville, is on the campus of the former Lincoln Institute, an all-black high school that Young...
Museums, galleries and interpretive centers
This list may contain repeats from other sections so that a complete list of Louisville area museums can be shown in one spot.
Art
- Kentucky Museum of Art and CraftKentucky Museum of Art and CraftThe Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft, located in Louisville, Kentucky's "Museum Row" in the West Main District of downtown, is a nonprofit organization founded in 1981 to continue the art and craft heritage of Kentucky through the support and education of craft artists and education of the public...
- Louisville GlassworksLouisville GlassworksLouisville Glassworks is a multi-use facility housing three working glass studios , two glass galleries, a Walk-In Workshop and daily tours. Louisville Glassworks is located in Louisville, Kentucky's "Museum Row" in the West Main District of downtown...
- Speed Art MuseumSpeed Art MuseumThe Speed Art Museum, originally known as the J.B. Speed Memorial Museum, now colloquially referred to as the Speed by locals, is the oldest, largest, and foremost museum of art in Kentucky...
Regional history
- See also: History of Louisville, KentuckyHistory of Louisville, KentuckyThe history of Louisville, Kentucky spans hundreds of years, with thousands of years of human habitation. The area's geography and location on the Ohio River attracted people from the earliest times. The city is located at the Falls of the Ohio River...
and History of KentuckyHistory of KentuckyThe history of Kentucky spans hundreds of years, and has been influenced by the state's diverse geography and central location.-Origin of the name:The name "Kentucky" derived from an Iroquois name for the area south of the Ohio River...
- Bullitt CountyBullitt County, KentuckyAs of the census of 2000, there were 61,236 people, 22,171 households, and 17,736 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 23,160 housing units at an average density of...
History Museum (ShepherdsvilleShepherdsville, KentuckyAs of the census of 2000, there were 8,334 people, 3,177 households, and 2,363 families residing in the city. The population density was 791.3 people per square mile . There were 3,402 housing units at an average density of 323.0 per square mile...
) - Carnegie Center for Art & History (New Albany, IndianaNew Albany, IndianaNew Albany is a city in Floyd County, Indiana, United States, situated along the Ohio River opposite Louisville, Kentucky. In 1900, 20,628 people lived in New Albany; in 1910, 20,629; in 1920, 22,992; and in 1940, 25,414. The population was 36,372 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of...
) - Corydon Capitol State Historic SiteCorydon Historic DistrictThe Corydon Historic District of Corydon, Indiana, United States, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is also known as Indiana's First State Capital and as Historic Corydon...
(Corydon, IndianaCorydon, IndianaCorydon is a town in Harrison Township, Harrison County, Indiana, United States, founded in 1808, and is known as Indiana's First State Capital. After Vincennes, Corydon was the second capital of the Indiana Territory from May 1, 1813, until December 11, 1816. After statehood, the town was the...
) - Falls of the Ohio State ParkFalls of the Ohio State ParkFalls of the Ohio State Park is a state park in Indiana. It is located on the banks of the Ohio River at Clarksville, Indiana, across from Louisville, Kentucky.The park is part of the Falls of the Ohio National Wildlife Conservation Area...
interpretive center, a museum covering the natural historyNatural historyNatural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
related to findings in the nearby exposed DevonianDevonianThe Devonian is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic Era spanning from the end of the Silurian Period, about 416.0 ± 2.8 Mya , to the beginning of the Carboniferous Period, about 359.2 ± 2.5 Mya...
fossilFossilFossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
beds as well as the human history of the Louisville area.
- The Filson Historical SocietyThe Filson Historical SocietyThe Filson Historical Society is a historical society located in the Old Louisville neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky. The organization was founded in 1884 and named after early Kentucky explorer John Filson, who wrote The Discovery, Settlement, and Present State of Kentucke, which included one...
— features a museum and extensive historical collections - Henry CountyHenry County, KentuckyAs of the census of 2000, there were 15,060 people, 5,844 households, and 4,330 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 6,381 housing units at an average density of...
History Center & Museum (New CastleNew Castle, KentuckyNew Castle is a city in Henry County, Kentucky, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 919. It is the county seat of Henry County. It is located on U.S. Route 421 30 miles northeast of Louisville.- History :...
) - Historic Locust GroveHistoric Locust GroveHistoric Locust Grove is a 55-acre 18th century farm site and National Historic Landmark situated in eastern Jefferson County, Kentucky . The site is presently owned by the Louisville Metro government, and operated as a historic interpretive site by Historic Locust Grove, Inc.The main feature on...
Visitors Center, which includes a museum - Historic MiddletownMiddletown, KentuckyThe median income for a household in the city was $53,608, and the median income for a family was $61,667. Males had a median income of $45,417 versus $33,135 for females. The per capita income for the city was $26,660...
Museum - Howard Steamboat MuseumHoward Steamboat MuseumThe Howard Steamboat Museum is located in Jeffersonville, Indiana, across from Louisville, Kentucky. Based in the old Howard home, it features items related to steamboat history....
(Jeffersonville, IndianaJeffersonville, IndianaJeffersonville is a city in Clark County, Indiana, along the Ohio River. Locally, the city is often referred to by the abbreviated name Jeff. It is directly across the Ohio River to the north of Louisville, Kentucky along I-65. The population was 44,953 at the 2010 census...
) - JeffersontownJeffersontown, KentuckyJeffersontown is a city in Jefferson County, Kentucky, United States. Before Louisville and Jefferson County were consolidated in 2003, it was the county's largest city outside of Louisville. The population was 26,633 at the 2000 census.- History :...
Historical Museum - Jim BeamJim BeamJim Beam is a brand of bourbon whiskey produced in Clermont, Kentucky. It is currently one of the best selling brands of bourbon in the world. Since 1795 , seven generations of the Beam family have been involved in whiskey production for the company that produces the brand, which was given the name...
Outpost (ClermontClermont, KentuckyClermont is a USGS-designated populated place in Bullitt County, Kentucky, United States, south of Louisville.-History:The area was officially recognized by the USGS on September 20, 1979, during the rapid expansion of Shepherdsville due to the development of Interstate 65. A large portion of...
)
- Kentucky Derby MuseumKentucky Derby MuseumThe Kentucky Derby Museum is an American Thoroughbred horse racing museum located on the grounds of Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Dedicated to preserving the history of the Kentucky Derby, it first opened its doors to the public in the spring of 1985...
- Kentucky Railway MuseumKentucky Railway MuseumThe Kentucky Railway Museum, located in New Haven, Kentucky, United States, is a non-profit railroad museum dedicated to educating the public regarding the history and heritage of Kentucky's railroads and the people who built them. Originally created in 1954 in Louisville, Kentucky, the museum is...
(New HavenNew Haven, KentuckyNew Haven is a city in Nelson County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 849 at the 2000 census.New Haven was founded as Pottinger's Landing in 1781 and later named New Haven by Samuel Pottinger after the Connecticut town...
) - Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory
- My Old Kentucky Home State ParkMy Old Kentucky Home State ParkMy Old Kentucky Home State Park is a state park located in Bardstown, Kentucky. The park's centerpiece is Federal Hill, a former plantation built by United States Senator John Rowan in 1795. During Rowan's life, the mansion became a meeting place for local politicians and hosted several visiting...
(BardstownBardstown, KentuckyAs of the census of 2010, there were 11,700 people, 4,712 households, and 2,949 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 5,113 housing units at an average density of...
) - Oldham CountyOldham County, KentuckyAs of the census of 2000, there were 46,178 people, 14,856 households, and 12,196 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 15,541 housing units at an average density of...
History Center (La GrangeLa Grange, KentuckyAs of the census of 2000, there were 5,676 people, 2,216 households, and 1,502 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,514.8 people per square mile . There were 2,330 housing units at an average density of 621.8 per square mile...
) - Oscar Getz Museum of WhiskeyOscar Getz Museum of WhiskeyThe Oscar Getz Museum of Whiskey History chronicles the history of American whiskey from Colonial days through the 1960s. Rare documents such as Abraham Lincoln's liquor license, advertising posters, prescriptions for the medicinal use of alcohol during National Prohibition, whiskey bottles, and...
(BardstownBardstown, KentuckyAs of the census of 2010, there were 11,700 people, 4,712 households, and 2,949 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 5,113 housing units at an average density of...
) - Portland MuseumPortland Museum (Louisville)The Portland Museum is a local history museum in Louisville, Kentucky. It details the history of the Portland neighborhood through several permanent and monthly exhibits.-History:...
- Riverside, The Farnsley-Moremen LandingRiverside, The Farnsley-Moremen LandingRiverside, The Farnsley-Moremen Landing is a historic 300 acre farm and house in Southwest Louisville, Kentucky along the banks of the Ohio River...
Visitors Center, which includes a museum - Thomas Edison HouseThomas Edison HouseThomas Edison House is a historic house located in the Butchertown neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky. The house is a shotgun duplex built around 1850. Thomas Edison took up residence in the same neighborhood, possibly even at this location, a part of the time he lived in Louisville from 1866 to...
- Whitney Young Birthplace and MuseumWhitney Young Birthplace and MuseumThe Whitney Young Birthplace and Museum was the birthplace and childhood home of Whitney M. Young, Jr., an American civil rights leader. The simple wooden house in Shelby County, Kentucky, near Louisville, is on the campus of the former Lincoln Institute, an all-black high school that Young...
More regional historical collections can be found at the Louisville Free Public Library
Louisville Free Public Library
The Louisville Free Public Library is the largest public library system in Kentucky. Officially opened in 1908, the library's main site resides south of Broadway in downtown Louisville. Additional branches were added over time, including the Western Colored Branch, which was the first...
and the University of Louisville
University of Louisville
The University of Louisville is a public university in Louisville, Kentucky. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of the first universities chartered west of the Allegheny Mountains. The university is mandated by the Kentucky General...
.
U.S. and world history
- Callahan Museum of the American Printing House for the BlindCallahan Museum of the American Printing House for the BlindThe Museum of the American Printing House for the Blind opened in 1994 and is located in Louisville, Kentucky. The museum tells the story of the international history of the education of people who are blind, and how the American Printing House for the Blind has contributed to that history...
- Civil War MuseumCivil War Museum (Bardstown)The Civil War Museum in Bardstown, Kentucky is a collection of five attractions along what is called "Museum Row". It was established in 1996 by Dr. Henry Spalding. The star attraction is the Civil War Museum, which is the fourth largest American Civil War Museum and is dedicated to the Western...
(BardstownBardstown, KentuckyAs of the census of 2010, there were 11,700 people, 4,712 households, and 2,949 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 5,113 housing units at an average density of...
), including the Civil WarAmerican Civil WarThe American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
Museum of the Western TheaterWestern Theater of the American Civil WarThis article presents an overview of major military and naval operations in the Western Theater of the American Civil War.-Theater of operations:...
, Pioneer Village, Women's Civil War Museum, War Memorial of Mid America and the Wildlife Museum - Frazier International History MuseumFrazier International History MuseumThe Frazier International History Museum, formerly the Frazier Historical Arms Museum, is a museum in Louisville, Kentucky's "Museum Row" in the West Main District of downtown. It is named for the museum's founder Owsley Brown Frazier...
— features war weaponry and related historical artifacts, especially focusing on BritishUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and U.S. conflicts - Joseph A. Callaway Archaeological Museum at Southern Baptist Theological SeminarySouthern Baptist Theological SeminaryThe Southern Baptist Theological Seminary , located in Louisville, Kentucky, is the oldest of the six seminaries affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention . The seminary was founded in 1859, at Greenville, South Carolina. After being closed during the Civil War, it moved in 1877 to Louisville...
- John Hay CenterJohn Hay CenterThe John Hay Center is on the eastern edge of the Salem Downtown Historic District in Salem, Indiana. It comprises:* Hay-Morrison House: birthplace and home of Abraham Lincoln's private secretary and Secretary of State under William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt, John Hay, and is on the...
- National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution — features a historical museum and a genealogical collection
- Patton Museum of Cavalry and ArmorPatton Museum of Cavalry and ArmorThe General George Patton Museum of Leadership is a museum in Fort Knox, Kentucky, dedicated to the memory of General George S. Patton, Jr., and his life from World War I through the present day. The museum is administered by the U.S. Army Accessions Command, Fort Knox...
(Fort KnoxFort KnoxFort Knox is a United States Army post in Kentucky south of Louisville and north of Elizabethtown. The base covers parts of Bullitt, Hardin, and Meade counties. It currently holds the Army Human Resources Center of Excellence to include the Army Human Resources Command, United States Army Cadet...
)
Other subjects
- Louisville Museum PlazaLouisville Museum PlazaLouisville Museum Plaza was a 62-story skyscraper that was planned for Louisville, Kentucky, United States. By August 1, 2011, despite the expenditure of public funds on its behalf, its developers had officially announced that they were abandoning plans to build it...
(future) - Louisville Science CenterLouisville Science CenterThe Louisville Science Center, previously known as the Louisville Museum of Natural History & Science, is Kentucky's largest hands-on science museum. Located in Louisville, Kentucky's "Museum Row" in the West Main District of downtown, the museum operates as a non-profit organization...
— hands-on science museum featuring an IMAXIMAXIMAX is a motion picture film format and a set of proprietary cinema projection standards created by the Canadian company IMAX Corporation. IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems...
theater - Muhammad Ali CenterMuhammad Ali CenterThe Muhammad Ali Center, a museum and cultural center built as a tribute to the champion athlete and his values, is located in Louisville, Kentucky's "Museum Row" in the West Main District of downtown....
- Thomas Merton Center
Parks and other outdoor attractions
- See also: City of ParksCity of ParksCity of Parks is a municipal project to create a continuous paved pedestrian and biking trail around the city of Louisville, Kentucky while also adding a large amount of park land. The project was announced on February 22, 2005...
and List of parks in Louisville, Kentucky
Frederick Law Olmsted
Frederick Law Olmsted was an American journalist, social critic, public administrator, and landscape designer. He is popularly considered to be the father of American landscape architecture, although many scholars have bestowed that title upon Andrew Jackson Downing...
, as well as forested areas, trails and other outdoor attractions; distinctive examples include:
- Beargrass Creek State Nature PreserveBeargrass Creek State Nature PreserveBeargrass Creek State Nature Preserve is a nature preserve in Louisville, Kentucky's Poplar Level neighborhood, in roughly the central portion of the city. It is named for Beargrass Creek, the south fork of which passes along the northern side of the preserve. The preserve is adjacent to...
- Bernheim Arboretum and Research ForestBernheim Arboretum and Research ForestBernheim Arboretum and Research Forest is a 14,000 acre arboretum, forest, and nature preserve located in Clermont, Kentucky ....
(Bullitt County) - Blackacre Nature Preserve and Historic Homestead
- Bridges to the Past (RadcliffRadcliff, KentuckyRadcliff is a city in Hardin County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 21,961 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Elizabethtown, Kentucky Metropolitan Statistical Area....
) - Camp Carlson (Fort KnoxFort KnoxFort Knox is a United States Army post in Kentucky south of Louisville and north of Elizabethtown. The base covers parts of Bullitt, Hardin, and Meade counties. It currently holds the Army Human Resources Center of Excellence to include the Army Human Resources Command, United States Army Cadet...
) - Cave Hill Cemetery
- Central ParkCentral Park, LouisvilleCentral Park is a municipal park maintained by the city of Louisville, Kentucky. Located in the Old Louisville neighborhood, it was first developed for public use in the 1870s and referred to as "DuPont Square" since it was at that time part of the Du Pont family estate.During the Southern...
- Cherokee ParkCherokee ParkCherokee Park is a municipal park located in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. It was designed, like 18 of Louisville's 123 public parks, by Frederick Law Olmsted, the father of landscape architecture...
- E. P. "Tom" Sawyer State Park
- Falls of the Ohio National Wildlife Conservation AreaFalls of the Ohio National Wildlife Conservation AreaThe Falls of the Ohio National Wildlife Conservation Area is a national, bi-state area on the Ohio River near Louisville, Kentucky in the United States, administered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Federal status was awarded in 1981.- Overview :...
(Clarksville, IndianaClarksville, IndianaClarksville is a town in Clark County, Indiana, United States, along the Ohio River as a part of the Louisville Metropolitan area. The population was 21,724 at the 2010 census. The town, once a home site to George Rogers Clark, was founded in 1783 and is the oldest American town in the Northwest...
), which includes Falls of the Ohio State ParkFalls of the Ohio State ParkFalls of the Ohio State Park is a state park in Indiana. It is located on the banks of the Ohio River at Clarksville, Indiana, across from Louisville, Kentucky.The park is part of the Falls of the Ohio National Wildlife Conservation Area...
and features the oldest exposed DevonianDevonianThe Devonian is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic Era spanning from the end of the Silurian Period, about 416.0 ± 2.8 Mya , to the beginning of the Carboniferous Period, about 359.2 ± 2.5 Mya...
fossilFossilFossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
beds in the United States - Huber Orchard and Winery (Starlight, IndianaStarlight, IndianaStarlight is an unincorporated community in Wood Township, Clark County, Indiana, United States. Addresses in Starlight are listed as part of nearby Borden.-Attractions:...
) - Iroquois ParkIroquois ParkIroquois Park is a 739 acre municipal park in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. It was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, who also designed Louisville's Cherokee Park and Shawnee Park, at what were then the edges of the city. Located south of downtown, Iroquois Park was promoted as...
— features a locally popular amphitheaterAmphitheatreAn amphitheatre is an open-air venue used for entertainment and performances.There are two similar, but distinct, types of structure for which the word "amphitheatre" is used: Ancient Roman amphitheatres were large central performance spaces surrounded by ascending seating, and were commonly used... - Jefferson Memorial ForestJefferson Memorial ForestThe Jefferson Memorial Forest is a forest located in southwest Louisville, Kentucky , in the knobs region of Kentucky. At , it is the largest municipal urban forest in the United States...
, in southwest Louisville, the largest municipal urban forest in the United States - Levee Bike Trail
- Louisville Waterfront ParkLouisville Waterfront ParkLouisville Waterfront Park is a municipal park adjacent to the downtown area of Louisville, Kentucky and the Ohio River. Specifically, it is adjacent to Louisville's wharf and Riverfront Plaza/Belvedere, which are situated to the west of the park....
— features annual Thunder Over LouisvilleThunder Over LouisvilleThunder Over Louisville, the annual kickoff event of the Kentucky Derby Festival, is an airshow and fireworks display held in mid April in Louisville, Kentucky...
fireworksFireworksFireworks are a class of explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. The most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display. A fireworks event is a display of the effects produced by firework devices...
and airAirshowAn air show is an event at which aviators display their flying skills and the capabilities of their aircraft to spectators in aerobatics. Air shows without aerobatic displays, having only aircraft displayed parked on the ground, are called "static air shows"....
show during the Kentucky Derby FestivalKentucky Derby FestivalThe Kentucky Derby Festival is an annual festival held in Louisville, Kentucky during the two weeks preceding the first Saturday in May, the day of the Kentucky Derby... - Louisville ZooLouisville ZooFounded in 1969, the Louisville Zoo, or the Louisville Zoological Garden, is a zoo in Louisville, Kentucky, situated in the city's Poplar Level neighborhood...
- Louisville Mega Cavern
- Otter Creek Outdoor Recreation Area (Meade CountyMeade County, KentuckyAs of the census of 2000, there were 26,349 people, 9,470 households, and 7,396 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 10,293 housing units at an average density of...
) - Patriots Peace MemorialPatriots Peace MemorialPatriots Peace Memorial is a monument in eastern Louisville, Kentucky near the banks of the Ohio River. In 2000, County Judge-Executive Rebecca Jackson appointed a committee of local retired and former military personnel, as well as family members of local United States military personnel, to...
- Riverfront Plaza/BelvedereRiverfront Plaza/BelvedereRiverfront Plaza/Belvedere is a public area on the Ohio River in Downtown Louisville, Kentucky, USA. Although proposed as early as 1930, the project did not get off the ground until $13.5 million in funding was secured in 1969 to revitalize the downtown area . On April 27, 1973 the Riverfront...
, adjacent to Downtown LouisvilleDowntown LouisvilleDowntown Louisville is the largest central business district in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the urban hub of the Louisville, Kentucky Metropolitan Area. Its boundaries are the Ohio River to the north, Hancock Street to the east, York and Jacob Streets to the south, and 9th Street to the west...
and Louisville's wharf - Riverwalk Trail
- Seneca ParkSeneca ParkSeneca Park was the last park designed by Frederick Law Olmsted in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. The park system in Louisville was the last out of five designed by the Olmsted firm. The park resides in the Louisville neighborhood of Seneca Gardens, Kentucky...
- Shawnee ParkShawnee ParkShawnee Park is a municipal park in Louisville, Kentucky. It was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, who designed 18 of the city's 123 public parks...
- Squire Boone CavernsSquire Boone CavernsSquire Boone Caverns and Village is a cavern exploration attraction in Mauckport, Indiana . The park consists of a one-hour walking tour into the caverns, as well as a working pioneer village and grist mill.-Park's History:...
(Mauckport, IndianaMauckport, IndianaMauckport is a town in Heth Township, Harrison County, Indiana, along the Ohio River. The population was 81 at the 2010 census.-History:In the earliest times Daniel Boone and his brothers, most notably Squire Boone, were regularly in the area of Mauckport. Squire Boone settled in the area in 1806...
) - Tioga Falls Hiking Trail (Radcliff)
- Zachary Taylor National CemeteryZachary Taylor National CemeteryZachary Taylor National Cemetery, located at 4701 Brownsboro Road , in northeast Louisville, Kentucky is a national cemetery where former President of the United States Zachary Taylor and his first lady Margaret Taylor are buried. Zachary Taylor National Cemetery was listed in the National...
Shows and performing arts
- See also: Performing arts in Louisville, KentuckyPerforming arts in Louisville, KentuckyThe performing arts community in Louisville is currently undergoing a bit of a renaissance. The Kentucky Center, dedicated in 1983, located in the downtown hotel and entertainment district, is a premiere performing arts center...
, Theatres of LouisvilleTheatres of LouisvilleAs with all older American cities, Louisville, Kentucky has several generations of theatres, spanning from live stage theatres to large ornate downtown theaters to standalone neighborhood theaters to modern multiplexes. A great deal of the older theatres have been razed, or their buildings...
and Theater in KentuckyTheater in Kentucky- Ashland :* Paramount Arts Center, a Kentucky landmark on the Historic Register, opened in 1931.- Bardstown :* Stephen Foster - The Musical at My Old Kentucky Home State Park- Danville :...
- Actors TheatreActors Theatre of LouisvilleActors Theatre of Louisville is a performing arts theater located in downtown Louisville, Kentucky. It was founded in 1964 by Louisville native Ewel Cornett, local producer Richard Block and actor Ken Jenkins of Scrubs fame, and was designated the "State Theater of Kentucky" in 1974. It is run as a...
, producing the Humana Festival of New American PlaysHumana Festival of New American PlaysHumana Festival of New American Plays is an internationally renowned festival that celebrates the contemporary American playwright. Produced annually in Louisville, Kentucky by Actors Theatre of Louisville, this prestigious event showcases new theatrical works and draws producers, critics,...
, amongst many other productions - Baxter Avenue TheatresMid-City MallMid City Mall is a shopping mall in Louisville, Kentucky's Highlands area. While called a mall, and containing an enclosed shopping area, it has features atypical of suburban American malls, such as a comedy club, bar, grocery store and public library...
, with a monthly audience participation showing of The Rocky Horror Picture ShowThe Rocky Horror Picture ShowThe Rocky Horror Picture Show is the 1975 film adaptation of the British rock musical stageplay, The Rocky Horror Show, written by Richard O'Brien. The film is a parody of B-movie, science fiction and horror films of the late 1940s through early 1970s. Director Jim Sharman collaborated on the... - Horseshoe Southern Indiana (Elizabeth, IndianaElizabeth, IndianaElizabeth is a town in Posey Township, Harrison County, Indiana, United States. The population was 162 at the 2010 census. It was founded in 1812 and named for Elizabeth Veach, wife of the landowner who donated the land for the town.-History:...
) - Derby Dinner PlayhouseDerby Dinner PlayhouseDerby Dinner Playhouse is a dinner theatre located in Clarksville, Indiana that opened in 1974. The Derby is the only dinner theatre in the Louisville, Kentucky area and in southern Indiana.-History:...
(Clarksville, IndianaClarksville, IndianaClarksville is a town in Clark County, Indiana, United States, along the Ohio River as a part of the Louisville Metropolitan area. The population was 21,724 at the 2010 census. The town, once a home site to George Rogers Clark, was founded in 1783 and is the oldest American town in the Northwest...
) - Fourth Street Live!Fourth Street Live!Fourth Street Live! is a entertainment and retail complex located on 4th Street, between Liberty and Muhammad Ali Boulevard, in Downtown Louisville, Kentucky. It is owned and was developed by the Cordish Company; it was designed by Louisville architects, Bravura Corporation...
, a downtown entertainment and shopping complex - Gheens Science Hall and Rauch Planetarium (University of LouisvilleUniversity of LouisvilleThe University of Louisville is a public university in Louisville, Kentucky. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of the first universities chartered west of the Allegheny Mountains. The university is mandated by the Kentucky General...
) - IMAXIMAXIMAX is a motion picture film format and a set of proprietary cinema projection standards created by the Canadian company IMAX Corporation. IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems...
theaters at the Louisville Science CenterLouisville Science CenterThe Louisville Science Center, previously known as the Louisville Museum of Natural History & Science, is Kentucky's largest hands-on science museum. Located in Louisville, Kentucky's "Museum Row" in the West Main District of downtown, the museum operates as a non-profit organization...
and Showcase Stonybrook Cinemas - The Kentucky CenterThe Kentucky CenterThe Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts, located in Louisville, is a major performing arts center in Kentucky.The Kentucky Center also hosts artworks by Alexander Calder, Joan Miró, John Chamberlain, Jean Dubuffet and others....
- Kentucky Shakespeare FestivalKentucky Shakespeare Festival'Kentucky Shakespeare', commonly called Shakespeare in the Park, is a cultural event which features free Shakespeare performances every summer in Central Park in Old Louisville . Begun as the Carriage House Players in 1949, it is the oldest free professional and independently-operating Shakespeare...
- The Kentucky TheaterKentucky TheaterThe Kentucky Theater was a theater and performing arts center at 651 S. 4th St., located in the theatre district of downtown Louisville, Kentucky in the United States of America.Built in 1921, the building served for sixty years as a movie house...
- Louisville ChorusLouisville ChorusThe Louisville Chorus, established 1939 in Louisville, Kentucky, is the longest-thriving most frequently performing choral arts agency in Kentuckiana and neighboring states—also exceeding the longevity of opera, ballet, and theatre in the area...
- The Louisville PalaceThe Louisville PalaceThe Louisville Palace is a theatre, in downtown Louisville, Kentucky, located in the city's theater district, on the east side of Fourth Street, between Broadway and Chestnut Street. It has a seating capacity of 2,700 people and is owned by Live Nation...
- Music Theatre LouisvilleMusic Theatre LouisvilleMusic Theatre Louisville is a non-profit organization in Louisville, Kentucky, dedicated to producing, presenting, and developing diverse and affordable entertainment. Up through 2008, the company staged several shows during the summer at Iroquois Amphitheater in Iroquois Park...
Sports-related attractions and venues
- See also: Sports in Louisville, KentuckySports in Louisville, KentuckySports in Louisville, Kentucky- College :College basketball and football are very popular in Louisville, which prides itself on being one of the best college sports towns in America....
- Churchill DownsChurchill DownsChurchill Downs, located in Central Avenue in south Louisville, Kentucky, United States, is a Thoroughbred racetrack most famous for hosting the Kentucky Derby annually. It officially opened in 1875, and held the first Kentucky Derby and the first Kentucky Oaks in the same year. Churchill Downs...
thoroughbredThoroughbredThe Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racetrack and the Kentucky Derby MuseumKentucky Derby MuseumThe Kentucky Derby Museum is an American Thoroughbred horse racing museum located on the grounds of Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Dedicated to preserving the history of the Kentucky Derby, it first opened its doors to the public in the spring of 1985... - Freedom HallFreedom HallFreedom Hall is a multipurpose arena in Louisville, Kentucky, on the grounds of the Kentucky Exposition Center, which is owned by the Commonwealth of Kentucky...
- KFC Yum! CenterKFC Yum! CenterThe KFC Yum! Center is a US $238 million, 22,000-seat basketball and multipurpose arena that opened on October 10, 2010, on the Ohio River waterfront in Louisville, Kentucky, United States, on Main Street between Second and Third Streets. The project is part of a $450 million project that includes...
- Knob Creek Gun RangeKnob Creek Gun RangeKnob Creek Gun Range is an outdoor shooting range located in Bullitt County, Kentucky, United States, near the community of West Point, Kentucky. The range is a former military-munitions test range...
(in Bullitt CountyBullitt County, KentuckyAs of the census of 2000, there were 61,236 people, 22,171 households, and 17,736 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 23,160 housing units at an average density of...
near West PointWest Point, KentuckyWest Point is a city in Hardin County, Kentucky, United States, near the edge of Fort Knox military reservation on Dixie Highway. It is located in a former meander bend of the Ohio River...
), famous for its twice-yearly machine gunMachine gunA machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
shoot - Lindsey Golf Course (Fort KnoxFort KnoxFort Knox is a United States Army post in Kentucky south of Louisville and north of Elizabethtown. The base covers parts of Bullitt, Hardin, and Meade counties. It currently holds the Army Human Resources Center of Excellence to include the Army Human Resources Command, United States Army Cadet...
) - Louisville Extreme ParkLouisville Extreme ParkThe Louisville Extreme Park is a 40,000 square foot public skatepark located in downtown Louisville, Kentucky. It opened on April 5, 2002, and gained national recognition after the release of Tony Hawk's Secret Skatepark Tour, in which the park was featured. The park is open from 6 A.M. to 11 P.M...
- Louisville Slugger FieldLouisville Slugger FieldLouisville Slugger Field is a baseball stadium in Louisville, Kentucky and is home to the Louisville Bats, the AAA affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. It opened in 2000 with seats for over 13,000 fans. The Ohio River and state of Indiana are visible from the park...
, baseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
stadium that is home to the Louisville BatsLouisville BatsThe Louisville Bats, which play in Louisville, Kentucky, are the AAA minor league baseball affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. The team, formerly known as the Louisville RiverBats, plays in the International League... - Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory
- Muhammad Ali CenterMuhammad Ali CenterThe Muhammad Ali Center, a museum and cultural center built as a tribute to the champion athlete and his values, is located in Louisville, Kentucky's "Museum Row" in the West Main District of downtown....
- Papa John's Cardinal StadiumPapa John's Cardinal StadiumPapa John's Cardinal Stadium is a football stadium located in Louisville, Kentucky, USA and serves as the home of the University of Louisville football program. It opened in 1998, making it the second-to-last football stadium in NCAA Division I-A to open in the 20th century, with SMU's Gerald J....
- Valhalla Golf ClubValhalla Golf ClubValhalla Golf Club, located east of Louisville, Kentucky, USA, is a private golf club designed by professional golfer Jack Nicklaus. The course, which sits on a property on Shelbyville Road in the eastern portion of Louisville just outside the Gene Snyder Freeway, was envisioned by local business...
, designed by professional golfGolfGolf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
er Jack NicklausJack NicklausJack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a...