Youth Organization Experiences

History Center Experience 

Choose a guided or self-guided experience with a KHS staff introduction to the main exhibit, A Kentucky Journey.

A Kentucky Journey

Our main museum exhibition introduces students to 12,000 years of Kentucky history with walk-through environments and interactive displays. Students will examine primary sources from prehistory through the 20th century and learn how Kentucky has expanded and evolved. 

An updated museum scavenger hunt activity is included in the materials you will receive when we confirm your reservation.

• Length: 60 minutes
• Group Size: Up to 60

Kentucky Hall of Governors

The Kentucky Hall of Governors contains portraits of every Kentucky governor except the present one (there’s a reason for that, which you’ll see in the exhibit). Interactive touch screens prompt thought, and students will learn about each governor’s administration and the evolution of the governor’s office. This is a self-guided experience.

1792 Museum Store

You will see many treasures from the commonwealth during your visit to the Kentucky Historical Society. Commemorate your visit with a treasure of your own, purchased from the Stewart Home & School 1792 Museum Store. Gift store purchases support the Kentucky Historical Society's educational programs and exhibitions.

• Please reserve a time to shop.
• Anyone 18 and under must be accompanied by an adult.
• Because of limited capacity, groups should use the full hour assigned to the History Center galleries to stagger small groups in the store.

Learning Labs

Hands-on activities to enhance your group's experience. $2 per child.

Limit one lab per visit.

Digging up Kentucky History*: In this hands-on learning lab, children will explore how communities evolve over time and what it means for residents. Together, we will investigate artifacts children unearth using tools similar to those real archaeologists use. *Recommended ages 4-10.

Frontier Fortress: Explore Kentucky’s earliest communities, frontier forts, and indigenous earthworks. Learn why these enclosures were needed, how they operated, and who built them. Analyze historical maps and illustrations, and then design your own community blueprint!

Quills and Bills:  Examine the democratic process and why laws are made. Problem solve by writing your own bill proposal to improve your community or a letter to the Mayor about being a good citizen. Use a historic writing tool (a quill feather and liquid ink) to draft your idea to improve our future.

Vote for Me!:  Learn what it means to be an active citizen and discuss attributes that represent a good candidate for office. Draft your own platform to run for class president, mayor, or the next Kentucky governor! Design a campaign poster and button to promote your cause. Last, practice giving your election speech to persuade your peers to vote for you!

Innovative Inventors: Plan for the future by challenging yourself to design a new and improved gadget. Study the inventions of past Kentuckians and learn how they solved problems through innovative ideas. Create a patent sketch, build a model, and pitch your idea.

Time: 60 minutes. Minimum group size: 10 children. Max group size: Up to 30 children.

The Old State Capitol was Kentucky’s statehouse from 1830 to 1910. 

Government at Work Option:  

Step back in time and uncover the secrets of Kentucky’s government! Children will delve into the world of the legislative branch and explore artifacts from the time when the Old State Capitol was bustling in the 19th century. Along the way, they'll discover how the three branches of government work and explore the historic law library.  

Plaster Master Option*:  

This tour celebrates the architectural marvel of the Old State Capitol and the people who shaped its hallowed halls. Children will channel their inner plaster master by working with molds similar to those used by craftsman Harry Mordecai, who assisted with the intricate ceiling designs of the Old State Capitol. 

*Recommended for ages 4-12.

These are guided tours.  

• Traditional Tour Length: 45 minutes 
• Group Size: Up to 40 

The main museum exhibit Kentucky Military Treasures tells the stories of Kentuckians and their participation in nearly 200 years of conflicts. The building is itself a part of military history. Use this updated scavenger hunt with your group.  The former State Arsenal dates to 1850 and housed a cartridge factory that employed many women during the Civil War. Access additional educator packets that support field trips.

Your group can also visit a second exhibit George M. Chinn: Sights Set on Innovation.

These are self-guided experiences.

• Length: 45 minutes
• Group Size: Up to 60

$2 per participant

Visit Kentucky’s State Capitol and learn about the founding of the Commonwealth’s capital city, Frankfort. We will drive by the Old State Capitol, view the historic houses of legislators, and pass by the Old State Arsenal overlooking the Kentucky River. At the Kentucky State Capitol, students will walk around the building to learn about its architecture and history, concluding at the Governor’s Mansion.   

This is a guided tour: 

• This mobile experience will begin and end at the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History. 
• Must provide own bus.
• Capacity is one busload.  
• Tour Length: 60 minutes