Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Chelsea Compton
502-564-1792, ext. 4504
chelsea.compton@ky.gov
Kentucky Military History Museum Reopens March 9
FRANKFORT, Ky. (Feb. 28, 2013) – After extensive renovations, the Kentucky Military History Museum
will reopen to the public Saturday, March 9. The Kentucky Historical Society (KHS) and Kentucky
Department of Military Affairs (KDMA) will host a free open house reception from 10 a.m. to noon that
day, with representatives of each organization on hand to answer questions. The museum will be open
for free all day, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Kentucky Historical Society’s “Kentucky Military Treasures” exhibition returns to the museum,
including artifacts and stories of Kentuckians who fought in battles spanning nearly 200 years of conflicts
– from the War of 1812 to more recent engagements in Afghanistan and Iraq. A recently-restored piece
of the Fighting Falcon, the first American glider to land at Normandy on D-Day, will debut that day.
During this final phase of both interior and exterior renovations, the Old Wars Records (pre-1912),
managed by the Military Records and Research Branch of the Department of Military Affairs, returned to
the State Arsenal; a new main entrance was created; and accessibility features of the building, including
parking lot, stairs and sidewalks, were improved.
Funding has been provided by the Kentucky Department of Military Affairs, the Kentucky Historical
Society Foundation and the Kentucky Veterans Program Trust Fund. The goal of this multiphase, fiveyear project was to restore the building as nearly as possible to its original appearance.
Constructed in 1850, the State Arsenal is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Before
becoming the Kentucky Military History Museum in 1974, the building had been used as a storage
facility and as a warehouse for the Kentucky State Guard’s military equipment and munitions. During the
Civil War, it housed a cartridge factory that employed many women and was a point of defense for the
capital city. In 1933, a fire destroyed the roof and damaged the second floor.
The Kentucky Military History Museum is operated jointly by the Kentucky Historical Society and the
Department of Military Affairs. Beginning March 9, the museum will be open Wednesdays from 10 a.m.
to 4 p.m., Thursdays 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. All visitors
must check in at the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History, at 100 W. Broadway in downtown
Frankfort. Admission cost is $4 for adults, $3 for veterans and AAA members, and $2 for students.
Admission includes entrance to the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History and a tour of the Old
State Capitol.
For more information, visit www.history.ky.gov.