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Kentucky Historical Society
Kentucky Military History Museum Will Reopen Nov. 14
Frankfort, KY (Nov. 5, 2009)—The Kentucky Military History Museum (KMHM) at the Old State Arsenal in downtown Frankfort will reopen for public tours on a temporary basis beginning Saturday, Nov. 14.
Constructed in 1850, the Gothic-style building is located on Arsenal Hill and is part of the Kentucky Historical Society’s (KHS) history campus. The Arsenal is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and has been closed for the past two years while undergoing extensive renovations, including replacement of the heating and air conditioning system and repairs and restoration to the exterior.
Restoration work will continue well into 2010 and the building will likely be closed again at some point to make way for more extensive work. In the meantime, visitors can explore this historic structure and learn the history of the building and its grounds. The first floor of the KMHM will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Saturday. Drop-in tours of the facility are free and open the public.
“This will be a nuts and bolts type of tour,” said Bill Bright, curator of the KMHM. “We’re inviting people to a behind-the-scenes look at the renovation process. This building is really KHS’s largest military-related artifact. Every piece of it tells a story.”
The KMHM is Kentucky’s oldest National Guard facility. It once served as a warehouse for military equipment and munitions for the Kentucky State Guard. During the Civil War, it housed a cartridge factory that employed many women and became a point of defense for the Capitol. A fire in 1933 destroyed the roof of the building and damaged the second floor but left the first floor intact. The building was used as a storage facility until being tapped as the Kentucky Military History Museum in 1973. Today, the KMHM is operated by KHS in partnership with the Kentucky Department of Military Affairs.
Visitors to the KMHM will also be able to view a KHS Museums-to-Go panel exhibit that tells the story of the building and see a part of the old cartridge factory. Parking is located adjacent to the building at 125 East Main Street.
For more information, see the Kentucky Military History Museum page on the KHS Web site.
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An agency of the Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet, the Kentucky Historical Society, since 1836, has provided connections to the past, perspective on the present, and inspiration for the future. KHS operates the Old State Capitol, the Kentucky Military History Museum, and its headquarters, the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History. Since 1999, the thirty-million-dollar Center has welcomed more than one million visitors. For more information about the Kentucky Historical Society and its programs, visit the Web site at www.history.ky.gov.
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