Kentucky Historical Society
Old State Capitol Now Open Full-Time

Frankfort, KY - The Old State Capitol is now open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tours are available to visitors upon arrival.

Visitors can now obtain tour tickets directly at the Old State Capitol and they are given on a walk-in basis. This change makes the Old State Capitol available and convenient for visitors.

Tour tickets include entry to the Old State Capitol as well as the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History. The Kentucky Military History Museum is currently closed for renovation.  Visitors to the Old State Capitol can choose to do a self-guided tour of the first floor or participate in a guided tour of the first and second floors.

“We see the Old State Capitol as an integral part of not only the Kentucky Historical Society, but of historic downtown Frankfort,” said Kent Whitworth, executive director of KHS. “The Old Capitol has historically been a public square and a natural gathering place with a lot of life and vitality. Now, the public accessibility matches the level of activity of the grounds around it.”

Kentucky’s Old State Capitol was completed in 1830 and boasted some of the greatest architectural and artistic features found in the entire Midwest. The building served as the capitol of the Commonwealth of Kentucky from 1830 to 1910. Gideon Shryock, an early Kentucky architect, used architectural symbolism to connect the vigorous frontier state of Kentucky with the ideals of classical Greek democracy. The building is widely recognized as a beautiful masterpiece of nineteenth-century American architecture.

Tickets are $4 for adults, $2 for children ages 6-18, and free for children ages five and under. Veterans and AAA members receive a discount and admission is free for Kentucky Historical Society and Kentucky Junior Historical Society members.

Drop-ins are encouraged and group tours (10 or more) are welcome.  If you would like information about scheduling a group tour, contact Leslie McWhorter at 502-564-1792, ext. 4424.

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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.