About the Kentucky Historical Society
Overview
The Kentucky Historical Society (KHS) was formed in 1836 by a group of prominent Kentuckians intent on preserving the history of the Commonwealth. We are a membership organization with members from Kentucky and around the world. We are part of the Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet; have full American Alliance of Museums accreditation; are a Smithsonian affiliate; and endorse the History Relevance statement.
Our Mission
We educate and engage the public through Kentucky’s history in order to meet the challenges of the future.
Our Vision
The Kentucky Historical Society is becoming the recognized leader in helping people understand, cherish and share Kentucky’s stories.
Our Values
Service
We value our role in serving the public and work to ensure those services are exemplary.
Discovery
We value dialogue, discussion, education and scholarship. We value an organizational culture of discovery that inspires, engages and motivates learners of all ages.
Excellence
We value continuous improvement with the goal of excellence. To that end, we place high value on adhering to and shaping professional standards.
Authenticity
We value integrity, legitimacy and the power of the authentic. We therefore value research, collections and programs backed by fact.
Stewardship
We understand that stewardship is all about what you do with your resources and how you do it. As a result we value the proper stewardship of Kentucky’s historical assets, of KHS’s financial and human resources and of the KHS mission.
Our Logo
The logo designs portray an aesthetic that incorporates both traditional and contemporary elements, with recognition for our past and our future. Radiating “tiles” represent the center of many stories shared widely, and also happen to be inspired by the interior dome of Kentucky’s Old State Capitol.