12 of the Most Interesting Museums in the Western Kentucky Region

Holiday breaks from school are on the horizon, so why not spend some of that free time with the kiddos and enjoy fun and educational outings? There are many museums within and around the tristate to check out. With kids in tow, or without. From science and art to planes, trains, and automobiles, and history there are so many things to discover in the museums in the Bluegrass state.

Paducah

The National Quilt Museum is open year-round except for Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve/Day, and New Years' Eve/Day. Hours are 10 am to 5 pm Monday- Saturday and Sundays from 1 pm to 5 pm. Starting from November 4th and running until January 10th, 2023 the quilt museum is hosting its The Quilter's Night Before Christmas Exhibit along with many other types of quilt exhibits.

Paducah Railroad Museum located at 200 Washington St. is open Wednesday through Friday from 12 pm until 4 pm and Saturdays from 10 am until 4 pm according to their social media. The Paducah Railroad Museum will be having a Polar Express party on Saturday, December 3rd starting at 10 am. Tickets are $3 for children and $6 for adults. There will be all kinds of fun activities including games, crafts, music, and photos with Santa! Reservations are required. There will be a registration form posted on their Facebook page soon.

William Clark Market House Museum at 121 Market House Square in Paducah is a history museum that will transport guests back in time to Paducah's historical past. Hours of operation are Tuesday-Saturday 10 am until 4 pm. However, this museum is closed from December 15th until the first Saturday in March to prepare new exhibits. There is still time left to visit before the close of the season. For information on the museum, visit their Facebook page or website at: https://markethousemuseum.com

Bowling Green

This is really where the planes, trains, and automobile part comes into play.

Aviation Heritage Park Located right off the main drag in Bowling green at 1825 Three Springs Road is the Aviation Heritage Park. While the planes are on display outdoors, it makes for a great stop if you are in town sightseeing for the day.

National Corvette Museum The name kind of speaks for itself, Bowling Green is known for being the home of these beautiful, fast cars. The 115,000 square foot museum is located at 350 Corvette Drive and is open seven days a week Monday- Friday from 10 am to 5 pm and Saturday and Sunday 9 am until 5 pm. Not only is this a great place to view an amazing assortment of corvettes the museum also has a great gift shop and café!

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Historic Railpark and Train Museum Come and explore the history of the L&N at the Historic Railpark and Train Museum located at 401 Kentucky Street in Bowling Green. For the last 20 years, the Historic Railpark and Train Museum in Bowling Green has had a yearly Christmas tradition of Polar Express Storytime. Start a tradition with your family this year, general public registration for the event starts on November the 8th. Tickets are a hot commodity and always sell out fast.

The Kentucky Museum

The Kentucky Museum is located on the campus of Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green. The exact address is 1444 Kentucky St. The museum houses artifacts about history, arts, and culture and has 8,000 square feet of exhibit space. Hours of operation are Wednesday through Saturday from 9 am until 4 pm. Like so many other museums in the region, The Kentucky Museum is hold a family-friendly Christmas event as well. This event is free, check out the link below for more information on how to attend.

Owensboro

Owensboro Museum of Science and History-The museum was established in 1966 and has been a great place of learning and exploration for children and adults alike for decades. The museum is located at 122 E. 2nd St. in Owensboro, close to the downtown area. The weekly hours are Tuesday- Saturday 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday from 1 pm to 5 pm. The museum has many various exhibits from the Owensboro Rotary PlayZeum, Ford Government Gallery, Natural History, and The Coal Mine Gallery. The museum has lots of fun to offer year-round and in the coming weeks will host the Reindeer Experience on December the 3rd. Admission is $5 for non-museum members. There will be several events taking place throughout the holiday season, contact the museum for further information by calling 270-687-2732

Owensboro Museum of Fine Art is Kentucky's second largest art museum and is conveniently located within the tristate for us all to enjoy. They are located at 901 Frederica Street. Museum hours are Tuesday- Friday 12 pm to 5 pm and Saturday-Sunday 1 pm to 4 pm. The 46th annual Holiday Forest Festival of Trees kicks off this Saturday at 6:30 pm. Normal museum hours admission is free to the public.

Henderson

John James Audubon State Park, Museum & Nature Center is located at 3100 HWY 41 N. in Henderson. The museum and nature center reside within the state park. The museum is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm. The museum has many enjoyable exhibits and has an upcoming craft event for children ages 3-6. Check out the link below for more information on registering for the turkey craft event.

Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, KY, is marketed as an "Equine Theme Park" you can literally spend all day "horsing around." Ha! Only in Kentucky, right?! You'll start off your day on a horse-drawn wagon ride, then you can meet and greet famous horses. Next, you'll go see the parade of breeds and be treated to some horse "dancing," if you will. The Big Barn houses some seriously BIG horses and you'll learn how the team tacks them up. The Kid Barn has lots of interactive exhibits for kids of all ages - even some sweet jumps to train on. And then you can relax and take your time in the museum. Don't forget to give Secretariat and Man-O-War a 'nay' as their memorials are both on property.