Frazier History Museum

I got married here on June 14, 2025. Not only was the venue gorgeous, the staff were magnificent. Throughout the entire process, they answered all my questions and after booking they let us and our family tour it multiple times since we booked almost 2 years out. The week/day of, the staff working our event were amazing. They were attentive and helped us in every way. We could not have picked a better place with better people.

It's been several years since we were there.. it was fun when we went.. not sure how it's doing after all the crazy riots that took place during covid. Look forward to a resurrection of the fun venue

As a visitor from out of town, I learned alot about KY. Alot of it definitely seems geared more for kids, but there was still quite a few exhibits I found interesting as an adult. P.s. There is an entrance to a secret speakeasy in the bourbon hallway

This is a really cool museum about Kentucky history. You could easily get through most of the exhibits in 1 to 2 hours. They did have a film that played three times a day, that we watched. That was really interesting and informative as well. We learned quite a bit about how many different people are from Kentucky. And we learned a lot of facts about the state, that we did not know before. Definitely worth a trip if you have time.

We had a tour of the bourbon floor and did the bourbon tasting. Very nice. We have tickets to go back because there are many floors and many different displays.

We enjoyed strolling thought this big history museum. I read a lot of talk about how they were making it more about the bourbon than history, but I don't believe that is accurate. There is a great theater that pay homage to kentucky's history. It was a nice place to visit.

This museum is incredible. My wife and I visited while we were staying a month in Kentucky. Absolutely blown away by everything Kentucky has to offer and all of the history of this place. The museum did a fabulous job displaying the wonderful and varied history of the state.

Very cool! 😎 First time in Louisville...neat find!! Not just the political history of Louisville and Kentucky but everything from the geological, industrial and sports! And no, they didn't forget the bourbon! 🥃 Sorry I didn't take more pics Louisville Slugger factory and museum are just across the street! Made for a great combo afternoon!

This museum is so beautiful and well designed. We loved walking through and would come back again to go through more in depth. We did a wedding venue tour of this place and were incredibly pressed with each of their spaces. As well as the prices. We worked with Hannah and she is so awesome. Very professional, kind, and communicates in a timely manner. No matter what you are visiting the museum for, you'll be sure to have a great experience :)

Fun museum that celebrates Kentucky history. We were visiting from out of state and spent an hour year but could have easily spent half the day. Lots of cool exhibits like how bourbon is made to Kentucky's role in the Civil War. Also lots of interactive exhibits for kids.

I'm always up for taking in a museum and some history when I'm visiting a new place for me. Already being in the downtown area I decided why not stop in here. It is also the start of the bourbon tour I believe, but I didn't get a chance to partake in that. There is a lot in such a small place. The exhibits spanned multiple topics and time periods. If you don't have a good attention span, then this might be the place for you. I wish there was an easy way to tell you how to explore this area, but in all truth, it doesn't matter where you start as a lot of this, even though it is history, doesn't link up very well. Notable exhibits include The Lewis and Clark Experience, Spirit of Kentucky, the bourbon/speakeasy area, Founders Gallery, and the miniature section. I spent a good amount of time in the Lewis and Clark section and even though they were doing maintenance here, I found it to be interesting and one of the most interactive portions of the museum. The bourbon/speakeasy portion was really cool and made you feel like you slipped back through time. You were able to see how a speakeasy functioned and were hidden in plain sight. Also you would be able to see the amounts of different types of bourbon that are made and take a tally of how many you have consumed. This museum also relies on loans from other museums in the state to place items on display. This can give you a good idea of other places to go and visit if you were like me and on vacation. Don't forget to check out the gift store before exiting. They have a wide array of items in here from shirts to stickers. I ended up with a few items from here and having a very pleasant conversation with the lady working. In fact, she gave me many suggestions for when I was there on what to see next.

We attended the recent special member event highlighting the newest exhibition-- Flashback: Louisville Media Through the Years. This was very informative as well as sometimes entertaining to view the literal visual timeline of local media and historical events. As one of my friends has stated, "we will go to bed less stupid tonight". Snowstorms, floods, tornados, mass shootings, protests, etc., have all left their mark on our community, uniting and dividing the citizenry, and the record keeping is an important endeavor. We were also fortunate to have Rachel Platt as one of our hosts during the tour and her sharing some of her personal experiences and anecdotes certainly made this event even more enriching. I certainly appreciate all that Frazier Museum has to offer and rate it as one of my top 5 tourist destination recommendations for visitors, as well as for locals.

On a weekend getaway, and my guy and I are budding bourbon enthusiasts, we chose Frazier Museum as our kickoff point on our bourbon tour. What a unique place to learn not only about Louisville, but famous Louisvillians (?). We took one of the educational classes - Bourbon 101. Our instructor was young, vibrant, knowledgeable and hilarious. He was very patient - even with the annoying bourbon know-it-all who clearly only attended to show off butting in every 5 seconds during the class. After the class we wandered thru the museum learning about music, Colonel Sanders and course, bourbon. The gift shop offered anything from bourbon to clothing to snacks and kitchen gadgets. Prices range from cheap to need to take out a second mortgage. Lol. We plan to visit on our next trip to Louisville.

I enjoyed the museum and learning about bourbon and Kentucky history. I went there as part of a wedding so got a semi exclusive experience. The staff there is helpful and happy to make your visit a great one. Go there and check it out.

It was a very cool little museum. Plenty of stuff to see and things to do for the kids. My kids (10/14) enjoyed the exhibits and especially the miniatures. Would recommend if you are in the area.

Amazing museum with lots of details on each artifact. Every floor has so many items to view and gain knowledge from about Kentucky.

The new Frazier is a great destination for out of town visitors or locals. The internal renovation is more open and airy than the past museum. They've redone the museum to focus on local Louisville and Kentuckiana history, and it's really a gem for adults and kids alike. From an overview of bourbon to biographies of local legends, there's a little bit of history for everyone, kids and adults alike. It's much more accessible and interesting than the prior arms focus. We will be back for sure.

I wasn't quite sure about what this museum covered, but it turns out to be 100% Kentucky, three floors of a classic old brick buildings, the walls of which reverberate the sounds of the children's groups that will likely be there, and the interior of which hits all the Kentuckiana you could ask for. A half-hour film in an open theater runs through the history and geography of the region with a heavy home-court slant. Exhibits cover things like the Lewis and Clark expedition, Civil War history, and of course horses and bourbon. The amenities include AC that was pleasantly strong on a day that approached 100 degrees, and water that they advertise as being of the highest quality (the water gets used for making bourbon too, after all). It is a nice welcome to Kentucky museum, and I think it compares favorably to the most obvious similar museum which is the Teennesee State Museum in Nashville about three hours south of here. That museum, however, is free with free parking, and this one costs a fair amount of money to basically pitch you on Kentucky tourism. If that's what you're up for, you'll have a good time.

My husband and I stopped here, while we were waiting for our room at our hotel to be ready for us to check in to the hotel. I had seen this museum on KET, when they had originally opened with the armor exhibit from England years ago. I had hoped to still get to thee that armor when I came to the museum this past Tuesday, but alas, it was not to be -- the armor exhibit left the museum years ago. I actually saw a worker while at the museum and I asked him about the whole armor exhibit, which is when I found out that it had left years ago. Not getting to see the armor exhibit was a minor disappointment, because the museum ended up being a lot better than I expected with what it did have inside of it. I really liked getting to see the Lewis and Clark expedition exhibit; the 1920s exhibit with flappers and Al Capone and all of that Bourbon related stuff, including the thing on "Pappy" Walker's stuff. I also liked getting to see Heather Renee French's crown and dress, seeing that she is from Augusta, Kentucky -- about 45 minutes south of where I live in Cold Spring, Kentucky. If I am ever in Louisville, Kentucky again and I want to spend 3 to 4 hours killing time in an interesting museum, I'm fairly certain that I'm going to be hitting this museum up again with my husband. We enjoyed looking at all of the displays in this museum.

The Frazier museum is a great museum along Main Street in Louisville, right on the corner. It's a relatively new museum, as it's fewer than 20 years old, but it's an affiliate of the Smithsonian so you know that it's worthy of a visit. Once focused on armor and firearms, they've expanded their focus to history more generally. Amongst their permanent exhibits is a collection of miniatures, which is something I'm not sure I expected to see. Of course as part of the bourbon trail they have an exhibit on the liquor for which Kentucky is most well known. Their rotating exhibits are perhaps even better than the permanent collection, so make sure to make time for them when you visit. It's not an overwhelmingly large museum, and it's also accessible with elevators that lead to each floor. They also have wheelchairs available for patrons to borrow. I think you could get away with two hours here, give or take some time depending upon how detailed you want your visit to be. If you've visited the Louisville Slugger Museum and left with your favorite new bat, be prepared to either put it in your car or check it when you arrive at this museum.

Due to missing a full day in Louisville because of my flight issues, I only had time for one museum during my short trip. Louisville has several museums so it was hard to decide on which museum to see, but I chose the Frazier History Museum, as I like to learn about the history of the places I visit. It was not a decision I regret. We spent about two hours at the museum, and I could easily have spent another hour -- there was so much to see! Some of the exhibits we saw were: The Spirit of Kentucky, an exhibit about the history of bourbon making in Kentucky; Pappy Van Winkle: The Van Winkle Family Collection (Julian "Pappy" Van Winkle was a well-known bourbon distiller); The Stewart Historic Miniatures Collection, one of the largest collections of miniatures (toy soldiers and such); Border State: Kentucky and the Civil War; and Cool Kentucky, an exhibit highlighting how cool Kentucky is (it certainly is cool!), with all sorts of facts and items about sports, pop culture, history, science, industry -- you name it -- and their ties to Kentucky. I learned a lot about the history of Louisville and Kentucky, and I particularly liked the Cool Kentucky exhibit, and learning about Kentucky's role in the civil war, a topic I know very little about (I have always struggled with learning history and keeping facts straight, and the best way for me to learn is at museums). If you like history and museums, I highly recommend the Frazier History Museum, and at $14 for an adult ticket (or as a student, I only paid $10), you definitely get your money's worth. [Yelp collections: Louisville, KY 2021; Museums and Art Galleries; Cheap Thrills]

One of my favorite activities from our weekend in Louisville. We arrived at the museum shortly after they opened on a Saturday morning and spent several hours exploring the exhibits before heading back home. We worked our way from the top floor down as suggested. For the $14 admission, there is A LOT to take in and a fair amount of variety as it relates to local history. I was pleased to see it covered both past and contemporary history and it was nice to find something to do that wasn't entirely centered around bourbon. (Though they do have a big exhibit and a tasting club, if you're looking to round out your Whiskey Row experience.) I don't know how much new exhibits rotate through, but if there was significant change I'd go back to check them out.

First stop on our Kentucky Bourbon Trail trip... and the perfect place to ease into drinking! While we waited for our reservation time (and the rest of our party) a few of us browsed the cool museum exhibits and gift shop. Despite being a bourbon lover, turns out I know very little about its history. I love that the tasting provides such a comprehensive overview. My friends and I were taken upstairs and introduced to Sam, who conducted our tour. The bright and airy room already contributed to the positive atmosphere. We learned all about the evolution of bourbon, from ingredients and barrels to transportation and types. And of course Sam taught us the correct way to taste bourbon. On the way out, we stopped by a few more exhibits to take pictures, especially in the enviable "whiskey cellar" looking spot. Definitely incorporating that into my future home. Love that a tasting includes a free museum pass, which I wish we had more time to take advantage of. I'm sure I'll do the Bourbon Trail again in the future and come back to Frazier!

This was a great Kentucky three-level history museum in downtown Louisville, just across the street from the Louisville Slugger museum. We only had about 1.5 hours to spend in the museum, but could have easily spent more time exploring the exhibits! I especially enjoyed Lewis & Clark Experience exhibit--very well done!

I Will start off by saying that this review is based off of my time in the Frazier Museum for a wedding, so I did not have a typical, going to a museum experience. That being said, the entire place is lovely. There is a beautiful roof top terrace where the actual ceremony was held. It has stunning views of the river and made for a perfect setting. My only complaint is that the elevator was SO SLOW and it was the only method we could use as we had a stroller and the stairs were also hidden. The pictures were held in the garden which was also very stunning with lots of plants, seating and options for the different views. During this time, I also snuck away to look at the gift shop which was packed with bourbon and bourbon related items. It was fun to look through. Cocktail hour was in a lounge that had great finger foods, cocktails and the setting was nice. The reception was held in a large ballroom and everything was set up well with ample space to move around, dance, socialize, etc. The drinks were great and the food was good. Overall, it was a great place for a wedding venue!

We enjoyed our visit to the Frazier so much today. I wish we would have come sooner. It was more kid-friendly and interactive than I would have expected. This is not a stuffy, boring museum, but visually appealing and full of interesting pieces of history. We had to drag our kids out after being there for 5 hours. We did a tour of the 1st floor with Simon. He was delightful. His love for Kentucky history was contagious, and we came away knowing interesting stories that we otherwise would have missed from just browsing. When a fellow patron gave more information to a story Simon told, I was particularly impressed that he said that he did not include that information that he could not find a source for it. My kids got to see a proper historian at work! Give this man a raise and a podcast!

A very interesting museum highlighting Kentucky history. You can probably spend an hour here if you go through everything. I do not like bourbon, but I wanted to try the ready, set, go bourbon tasting experience. You can get a combined museum admission and tasting experience ticket for $34. The tasting experience was rather short but informative and fun. I did it solo and I really enjoyed myself. There was probably only six or seven other participants so we were able to get a more Q&A time with the host. Highly recommended if you enjoy history and trying new things.

I've been to Frazier museum a few times over my lifespan in Louisville. I can vaguely remember going on class field trips as a youngster. And then again with a few of my kids in callas field trips over the years. My most recent visit was January of 2020 with my second oldest daughters class. Pretty neat place that is interactive for the kiddos. The Bourbon wall is what the adults and myself personally seem to enjoy the most. They have some neat interactive setups for the class field trips that makes it a cool place for schools and youngsters to visit all while learning a bit about the state they grew up in.

This weekend was my favorite visit to Frazier and I'm looking forward to returning. My family signed up for a free year's membership. A lot has changed since our last visit. The front entrance has changed and it's now a stop on the Bourbon Trail. There's several interesting and interactive items in the lobby, which is also connected to the gift shop. The gift shop sells bottles of various bourbon, big and mini, plus accessories. The first floor of the museum houses the Cool Kentucky exhibit. Love it!! I learned so many fun facts about food, companies, local celebrities, drinks, music, etc. There's so much to take in and plaques sharing details. It's crazy how many traditions I'm connected to simply because I'm from Kentucky / Louisville. This floor also plays a 35 minute film which is a motivator for coming back. Another exhibit I was excited to see featured the Women's Suffrage movement, from start to present. I'm fascinated by these women who gave up so much, including their safety, to move forward women's rights. I snapped a pic of the segment regarding red make up and how the color symbolized women who fought. My grandmama loved red - polish, lipstick, clothes and purses. She tells me that granddaddy hated when women wore red polish. I understand now - both sides - based on their natures. I will wear my red differently now. Lots to read here and appreciate. I'll come back another time to learn and memorize more of the women's names. I cannot imagine not having the right to vote, to work, to have my name on a credit card or checking account. I'm not sure I'd have been strong enough to fight like them. Pappy Van Winkle is on display along with the steps of creating bourbon. There's a super cool table with moving images to touch and learn. The Lewis and Clark area has been toned down, especially with Covid, but is interesting for younger kids. Look for the story about the one eyed fiddler. Don't forget to leave time for the gift shop. It's one of my favs and a great spot to buy gifts. Standard items will be joined by themed items inspired by current exhibits. This is a museum for younger kids. I'd recommend sticking to Ky Science Center or the Louisville Slugger - but my 15 year old enjoyed the visit this time and roamed on his own. We will be back to take advantage of our year here!

We had some time to kill before our next scheduled distillery tour so we decided to check out the Frazier Museum. For a quick overview of Kentucky history, economics, business, agriculture, sports and notable Kentuckians, it does a pretty good job of covering everything. But that is also it's weakness. The transitions from sports to bourbon to miniature soldiers to the history of Lewis & Clark to Kentuckians of note, etc. did not seem flow in a logical and coherent progression -- each seems stuck in it's own corner of the museum and when you finish one area it's on to the next -- what ever it may be. That said, the section dealing with bourbon and the agriculture that supports it was quite good and complements what you will learn about the industry on any of the distillery tours on Whiskey Row. And, if you are a fan of Kentucky sports, all the teams and athletes of note are well represented in in the sports department

Lots of Louisville history here at the Frazier along Museum Row in downtown. Founded in 2004 as a museum of just arms and armor, they've since expanded to include regional and national history. There is a tremendous exhibit on bourbon. Yep, welcome to Kentucky. History of it, how it's made, why it's so special in Kentucky and you'll be blown away by the Bottle Hall collection that has one bottle of each bourbon from every distillery in Kentucky. Look for the secret door to the speakeasy room. Sadly, no bourbon consuming on site. The museum also has one of the largest collections of toy soldiers and historic miniatures in the world. It's absolutely amazing. The walk-through exhibit on the Lewis and Clark Expedition is also very interesting, explaining the history and the journey that the team took. Lots of attention to Sacagawea and how critical her role was to the success of the expedition. As well, some history on Clark's slave, York. Yep, the early 1800's were a different time. While the museum is the official starting point of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, as of early July most of the distilleries remain closed to any tours. It's an easy two hours to explore the museum, longer if you spend more time in each exhibit. You'll absolutely find something interesting, as I did. [Review 13532 overall, 851 of 2020.]

I have not been to this museum since high school. Every time I thought of going after that, I always questioned, 'Would I even be interested in it now?' And boy, what a silly question that was! Ever since they've renovated the Frazier, it is absolutely gorgeous. And for $14 during the time of our visit, that was a heck of a deal for how much we were able to see. While some exhibits do change, you can learn A LOT about Kentucky's history; from Bourbon to famous musicians, and of course plenty to see from other places and points in time. They have a really cool Lewis and Clark exhibit that makes you feel like you are walking through their trails, or you may find yourself learning more about equal rights history in another room. The way that everything is set up is what takes the cake. It feels so realistic and with some areas as if you have transported through time. Even their gift shop is super cool! I would honestly come back in just to go there if I was ever walking around nearby. Whether you are a local or are visiting in need of something to do, you gotta check out the Frazier.

This was a neat walk through experiencing the museum. The exhibits were well put together with pretty interesting artifacts. I would recommend stopping in if you enjoy history or want to learn about Kentucky. The museum offers restrooms and seating options to rest along the way. They offer a neat gift shop on the first floor. There are three floors total and do have at least two elevators available. Friendly customer service. Plenty of parking behind museum for $8.

We did the ready, set, go bourbon tasting there. The host was excellent and presented a ton of bourbon knowledge. They did not limit to one brand and gave a good general introduction. Highly recommend as a start to your bourbon trail tour. You also receive a pass to the History museum part. The museum part is a plethora of Kentucky history and facts. A must stop for anyone visiting Louisville.

This is one of the biggest and most interactive museums I've been in in Louisville. It was amazing. I ended up being there for almost two hours. It would have been longer if I had thought to get a tour guide to show me around!

Recently hosted an event at Frazier through my work, and we had an absolutely wonderful experience working with Frazier Staff. Our event went off without a hitch and the whole planning process was easy! I wouldn't think twice to host another event here!

Since it was raining cats and dogs, I went to the Frazier museum to check out the White Christmas exhibit. Unlike some of the other special exhibits that they have had in the past, this was included in the museum price. I started on the 3rd floor as suggested. I love the expanded bourbon exhibit. It walks you through the bourbon process and there is an interactive display where you can learn about the different distilleries. I ventured toward the Lewis and Clark exhibit but entered the wrong way so I went through it backwards. It would be nice if there was signage pointing you to the start. The Olmsted hallway is new since my last visit. I enjoyed seeing the different renderings of the parks he did for Louisville. I didn't realize how many of our parks are Olmsted designs until seeing them all together. On the 2nd floor, there is a new to me exhibit about the sounds of Kentucky. I really enjoyed this walkthrough. The exhibit highlighted musicians from Kentucky as well as festivals such as Forecastle. The only thing that was a bit weird was there was no separation from the sounds exhibit to the civil war exhibit. One minute, you are reading about television in Louisville and the next, you are in a room with Civil War era items. It would be nice if there was an exit to one and then a new entrance somehow to the next exhibit. My main reason for visiting was the White Christmas exhibit. This is my favorite Christmas movie and I loved this exhibit. A lot of the items I had seen previously when visiting the Rosemary Clooney house. I really like how the Frazier had the items displayed. I actually learned some things I didn't know about the movie and production. The Frazier Museum has always gone above and beyond with special exhibits. I can't wait to see what they bring in next!

Beautiful venue, both inside and out! The exhibits are interesting and informative, the staff is phenomenal, and there is something for everyone here. Highly recommend!

This isn't the biggest or fanciest museum you've been been to, but it's not meant to be the Smithsonian or the Field Museum. The museum is built around the permanent collection carefully started and curated by Owsley Brown Frazier (who's buried in Cave Hill Cemetery, which I've also reviewed). Mr. Frazier collected pieces from all over the world--pieces of art, the arrest warrant for Mary Todd Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt's walking stick. There is also a extensive miniature collection. The Civil War exhibit is quite good. It focuses on Kentucky history, and much is poignant if you're from here. They also have rotating exhibitions. Bourbon lovers will be interested in their well-displayed and carefully curated bourbon exhibit. There is also a women's suffrage exhibit. While they did a great job of recognizing African American contributions to suffrage, they didn't really acknowledge the racism, and that white women of the movement often disparaged black women. They had a Louis and Clark exhibit, maybe more geared to kids, but I learned a lot, and it was worthwhile. The entrance fee is only 14 bucks, very reasonable, and worth a stop every so often to support a small local museum and check out new exhibits. I would say two hours to see it well, maybe a little longer if you read every single plaque.

Barrels are the first thing I see when I walk into the exhibits area! Everything Kentucky is under this roof! Louisville Slugger to Corvette and a great exhibit on Bourbon! Is this liquid gold? I spent some quality time here and turned into a sponge soaking up knowledge and learned so much about Bourbon that now I am drunk with it! The museum is extremely well done and exhibits are extremely easy on the eyes! Besides the Monster Mash, I now know what MASH is and every bourbon distillery has there own secret recipe! Stewarts Historic Miniatures Collection is phenomenal! I can see these soldiers coming alive in a Toy Story movie! The quality of these itty bitty metal soldiers is amazing! There was also the Lewis and Clark experience! So many other stories in this museum and a section on slavery. The decanters collection is really fun and a rifle under a George Washington portrait is a decanter too! So you can really get a shot! The Bourbon collection is grand! I skipped the bourbon tasting, which requires a separate paid ticket because I would be in such a drunken stupor that I would miss all these delightful exhibits! There are water filling stations throughout, so you can stay hydrated! The museum shop is fun and bourbon is sold here too just like soda! Get your mini or full sized bottles! Lots of museum inspired goods that are interesting! Love the Cardinal shaped puzzle! Employees are friendly and helpful, especially in the store! Adult tickets are $14. If you come often a membership of $20 might be a good deal. There are other fare types and even a discount for seniors!

This was the first time I have been to the Frazier Museum and I found myself asking why I waited so long. I really enjoyed the exhibits and the local feel of the Museum. The Cool Kentucky display was a great reminder of some of the people and products that have come for our state and city. I really enjoyed the video hallway on the 3rd floor was cool and added a new dimension to the the traditional exhibits. My favorite exhibit was the suffrage exhibit. The had clothes and memorabilia from the Women's Suffrage, Civil Rights Movement, and Women's marches. Again, I really appreciated how the exhibit also had a Louisville or Kentucky connection. They had displays of women's clothes and seeing how fashion has changed was fascinating. All the displays help to spark conversation about how far we have come, and what still needs to be accomplished. All the employees were wearing masks, as were the guests. Everyone visiting the museum were also wearing masks and socially distancing. There were some exhibits that were interactive (particularly the Lewis and Clark exhibit) but those were not out for guests. I would like to go back when those are out for guests. Be sure to bring $8 to park in the parking lot that is located behind the museum. It is about a block from the museum. This is a great place to visit to learn a little more about Louisville and Kentucky. This is great for a rainy or snowy day or even to get out of the heat for a few hours. I can't wait to go back and see new exhibits.

Now that the Frazier History Museum has been revamped as the official entrance of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, I wanted to update my review. I got to visit the Frazier Sunday with family that was visiting, and it provided an interesting, educational excursion. We started on the third floor in the new Lewis & Clark exhibit. And this exhibit was great for appealing both to children and adults. There were activities and info for all. My one critique, though: It was hard to see where the exhibit started. We got off the elevator, and it felt like we had perhaps walked into the middle of the exhibit. This was the case actually with a couple of the exhibits. And then after that, we ventured over to the America's Native Spirit exhibit, which is dedicated to bourbon. Highlights included expanded info on how bourbon is made and the tunnel that leads into this exhibit, which features footage of Cumberland Falls and Red River Gorge. There is also a speakeasy area and the Order of the Writ bar room. The speakeasy contained some items related to the Southern Exposition, I believe, but again, like with the beginning of the exhibits, I wish this was better labeled. As it is now, these items first come off as random and disconnected with the rest of the exhibit. The Frazier still contains the miniatures collection that most people will likely remember from previous visits. And the photography on the first floor, with quotes about Kentucky, is also a fave. Lastly, be sure to check out the new entrance that is part of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Welcome Center. It boasts a beautiful setting inside and out. And the gift shop is great. There were so many great Kentucky- and bourbon-themed gifts, as well as items made by local makers. I couldn't leave without buying a few things. The Frazier is a Louisville institution, and I'm happy to see it evolve with the times and stake its claim as a part of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.

This museum has everything! I recommend it. Adult and children will enjoy what the Frazier museum has to offer. We enjoyed all three floors!

I had visited the Frazier once before, many years ago when family was in town visiting. I primarily remember there being lots and LOTS of old guns. I thought of the Frazier as a *military* history museum. But in recent years, there have been more varied exhibits that have come through! On a recent rainy Saturday when we had nothing much to do, I convinced the Fella that we should play hometown tourist and embrace $5 February. Kentucky and Indiana residents can visit a few Louisville cultural spots for a steep discount at only five dollars. When we entered the museum, I was a little turned off because there were SO MANY kids running around. But most parents there did a pretty good job of wrangling them. As a pre-Valentine's event, they had some interactive booths set up on the first floor. This included Hound Dog Press letting you press your own valentine, historical tokens of affection (hair wreath, love letter, Romeo & Juliet woodcuts), and a candy quiz. Throughout the day, they also offered some live historical interpretation performances! We didn't get a chance to see any, but a couple sounded kind of cool! The main special exhibit during this most recent visit was the Stewart Collection of miniatures. The website made it sound like just toy soldiers, and I was like 'eh...I guess so...' BUT you know what?! It wasn't *just* soldiers, and it was actually way cooler than I thought it was going to be! They are incredibly detailed, and included other non-military historical figures and royalty! The top floor of the museum is all about Lewis and Clark's expedition. It is definitely aimed more at children, but I still enjoyed myself up there as well. I have to say I am definitely glad that I visited with a steep discount, as it looks like a good 50% or more of the museum is currently under construction and not open with any exhibits. Had I paid more than $5 for this visit, I think I would have been a little salty about it. But as it stands, $5 for a couple hours out of the rain, interactive holiday-adjacent activities, and a surprisingly interesting special exhibition absolutely made the visit worth it! There are some upcoming exhibits I am interested in, and I might have to look into what membership costs and what you get with it. But until the construction and renovation is done, I would say be on the lookout for admission deals!

My second visit to Frazier, my wife's first visit. My first visit was not long after it first opened I believe it was called the Frazier Arms Museum. We were taking advantage of the half price admissions for locals during February. The Frazier is a nice venue, not too big to see in a few hours, but not so small it's uninteresting. Today's display themes were Bourbon, Civil War, Famous Kentucky Musicians and Singers and a Miniature's Exhibit. Additionally, there are themed movies throughout the day which are included in your admission. There is a public parking lot right behind the museum which makes it very convenient. The parking is $8 flat and that's for all day. All things considered a very nice time for a reasonable price, particularly for locals in February!

I actually think this is one of the best history museums. I've been to in a while, and it was very informative about the general history of Kentucky.

Great museum with engaging exhibits. This is also the official starting point for the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. We visited in late December and the holiday decorations were beautiful! There was a special exhibit about the White Christmas film and we were able to join a short tour with a museum interpreter, which added a lot of depth to the exhibit for us. The Spirit of Kentucky exhibit is very cool, providing a brief overview of the history of bourbon in Kentucky with interactive components. I was super excited to learn about a woman who owned her own distillery in the early days of bourbon! The Lewis and Clark experience provides a fun overview of their journey. The museum is very clean and features nice views of the streets of Louisville. Bathrooms are well attended and wheelchair accessible. There is an elevator in addition to the main staircase. Parking is $8 or you can find street parking if available. The museum store has many unique items for purchase.

Excellent museum focusing on Kentucky's history, and on bourbon. Loved the opportunity to have a bourbon flight and enjoyed being taught about the liquor and how to properly experience it. Thankful the museum didn't gloss over Kentucky's dark side and found it did a good job explaining the injustices done to the enslaved and to Native Americans. We didn't have enough time to go to the film. Next time we're in town!

I'm a museum nerd so of course, I had the Frazier on my list when I was back in Louisville for work. I was able to score a discounted ticket on Groupon and parked right behind the museum for $8. It was rainy today so I didn't feel like looking for a street spot. It was easy to redeem my voucher and then I was on my way to three floors of exhibits. I think the highlight of the whole visit was the KentuckyShow movie! If you have a chance to see it while you are there do so! It had this Buffalo gal thinking about selling her house and moving down here! The Kentucky Cool exhibit is also well done and very contemporary. The other 2 floors left me wanting, though. I didn't think there was much else to really see and do here. I was out of the museum un under 2 hours. In particular, I thought the Lewis and Clark exhibit was boring (great for kids though!) and would have liked to see more representation of the Prohibition era (that mock speakeasy has so much potential). Overall, I'm glad that I went, but I don't think I would bother to come back. The gift shop and visitor center on the ground floor is also well appointed (first stop on the bourbon trail tours), but again, nothing extraordinary.

I ventured outside my comfort zone (meaning I have not been going inside any businesses since covid) and went to the museum today to see the new Cool Kentucky exhibition and it was a wonderful experience. There is only metered street parking but again due to covid we found a place right in front of the museum. Staff were polite and helpful. The museum has 3 floors and we only encountered 4 other parties in the entire museum consisting of 1-4 people in each gathering so it was pretty easy to social distance, all were wearing masks and there was hand sanitizer. I went specifically to see the rowboat that Tori Murden rowed solo across the Atlantic Ocean. It was both inspiring and terrifying. What a remarkable woman. There was a Pappy Van Winkle exhibit with numerous bottles of Pappy on display and hundreds of other bourbons. The multitude of KY artifacts, landmarks, and stories of individuals from KY, or those who made their mark on KY were fascinating. Folks from the Lewis and Clark expedition to George Clooney, to Jennifer Lawrence to Lamar Jackson made me proud to be a Louisville native. A must see for all Kentuckians and an educational experience for all visitors. I highly recommend.

I've been here three times. I personally prefer hands-on/interactive learning and because Frazier isn't that, its not that great for me. While its a good-sized building with a lot of artifacts and fair pricing, it just isn't that interesting to me. I DO like history. I love it when someone/someplace can bring history to life and take a seemingly boring sequence of events and turn them into a story that I can relate to. Think of distilleries, which often do a great job of this! Frazier is more so a lot of walking around and reading. When I've been there, it lacked any demonstrations or interactive exhibits. The new bourbon exhibit is the best part and a nice addition. It highlights historical bottles of bourbon and gives a brief intro into the history and making of bourbon. However, while the bottles are real, most of it are standalone displays of the farming process that is needed to create the product. While I normally find the process of making bourbon very interesting, this was very child-like and basic, with plastic-looking displays. They do apparently offer a tasting but it was not going on when we were there. Bummer. All in all, Frazier is ok but we really have better options in the area for learning about history.

This was my first visit to Frazier. I can't believe I've been missing out on this gem for the past 10+ years I've lived in Louisville. I spent most of my time in the new bourbon exhibit. Such a neat array of bourbon memorabilia and history. This makes Frazier the perfect starting place for bourbon trailers. The welcome desk has great information and tips for all those starting their bourbon experience. Stop by Frazier for bourbon history and much more!

A Frazier Museum down the block from the Ali Center? No, this isn't a monument to Joe Frazier. But it might be a better draw than the Ali Center. I've never been blown away by the Frazier, but as a regional history museum, I'm thrilled to say it seems to be improving. Recent exhibits on Lewis and Clark and the prohibition era were both well done, engaging enough for adults while still appealing to children. They frequently create exhibits that aim to appeal to local history, like a really good one a few years back about the Civil War in Kentucky. And they have brought in good touring exhibits like one about da Vinci last year and an upcoming look at the art of Julius Friedman. The big news is that plans are in the works to have the museum serve as the starting point for the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, with a bourbon-oriented visitor center and history exhibit. It's a natural for the museum, and a great tourist draw. Not too long ago the Frazier was exclusively a public showcase for historical arms and armor. No knock on the armaments, but the bourbon emphasis is a better fit for the region.

Spent an evening at The Frazier Museum for their special event on Maker's Mark Bourbon. A sold out event at $40 a ticket enabled us to hear from the grandson of the original owner of Maker's Mark, their head chef, gardener, glassworks man and iron gate fabricators. A fun way to learn the history of Maker's Mark while sampling bourbon and feasting on canapes. The museum has done a beautiful job with their new visitors center which will serve as the first stop on the Bourbon Trail. And if you are really curious, they have a display of every bourbon that was ever produced in KY!

Fun stop in Louisville, had a bit of everything history, bourbon history fun facts and plenty of interactive things for kids and adults.

You'll need some energy and time! What a great museum, it's everything local from the dinosaurs to African American history including very interesting history on the freedom trail, soldiers, inventors, athletes and more, Bourbon history, famous people, sports rivalries and so much more. We were there 3 hours? And didn't get to read everything... not enough

Great museum in downtown Louisville and just a short walk from the river. The museum was very clean and nicely organized. Didn't know what to expect but can definitely say I learned a great deal about Kentucky. The Lewis and Clark exhibit in particular was awesome. I'm not hugely interested in bourbon but if you are...this place is for you.