Kentucky Derby Museum - General Admission and Guided Track Visit
Description
Experience Churchill Downs Racetrack, the most well-known racing venue in the world. Admission to Kentucky Derby Museum includes daily historic walking tours, two levels of family-friendly interactive permanent & temporary exhibits, “The Greatest Race,” a 360-degree immersive sound and visual experience that’ll get your heart racing and emotions soaring, and a chance to meet the Museum's resident Thoroughbred and companion pony. You will also have access to the Museum Store, Kentucky fare in the Derby Cafe, and much more!
Tour Options
Itinerary
Kentucky Derby Museum is the only place where every day is Derby Day! Two floors of exhibits showcase the history and pageantry of the Kentucky Derby - from stunning fashions to Derby legends like Hall of Fame trainers and Triple Crown Winners. The 360-degree movie experience, "The Greatest Race," will be sure to get your heart racing and emotions soaring as you are immersed in the excitement of Derby Day. Projected with state-of-the-art laser technology, "The Greatest Race" puts you at the center of the action. Complete your visit with a Guided Track Visit on the grounds of historic Churchill Downs. Your Tour Guide will lead you to the rail of the legendary dirt track where every Derby winner has raced, from Aristides to 2026 Derby Winner, Golden Tempo. *Please note, you are welcome to visit anytime during the Museum's open hours on the date of your ticket, and you will be scheduled on the next available Guided Track Visit after your arrival at Kentucky Derby Museum.*
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Approximately .3 miles of walking is involved in the Guided Track Visit of Churchill Downs.
- Wheelchair accessible: Free wheelchair rentals are available on a first-come, first-served basis upon request. You are welcome to bring your own manual wheelchair, motorized wheelchair or electric mobility scooter.
- An induction loop is available for hearing impaired.
- Tours are outdoors and will depart rain or shine. In the event of severe weather, the Museum will do its best to reschedule your tour experience.
- On non-live racing days at Churchill Downs: Free Museum visitor parking in Red, White, & Black lots off Taylor Boulevard and Central Avenue in front of the Museum. On live racing dates at Churchill Downs: Free Museum visitor parking in Black, Green, Orange, Yellow, & Turquoise lots off Taylor Boulevard and Central Avenue in front of the Museum. The Red Lot closest to the Museum is available only on non-racing days. You may drop off guests in the round-a-bout in front of the Museum before parking.
Reviews(954)
Great tour and easy to book with tripadvisor.
You will never watch the the Derby the same way after seeing Churchill Downs, all the exhibits and learning the rich history of America’s longest running sporting event. An absolutely “Must See” attraction when in Louisville!
We enjoyed seeing Church Hill Downs and hearing about its history
Thanks! As the exclusive public tour provider for the track at Churchill Downs, we love being able to share Derby history through these tours. We hope you also enjoyed the two floors of exhibits within the museum!
Honestly, this was way more interesting than I anticipated. Between the track tour, movie, and museum, I spent 3 hours there. The museum is outstanding. I find myself wanting to come back and see the Kentucky Derby in person.
Thank you! There's more than 150 years of incredible history and stories to share -- we totally understand wanting to spend more time here than anticipated! We hope you're able to come back for the Derby one day in person. It's truly a unforgettable experience every year, and we try to capture that feeling every day at the museum.
The museum and track tour is a great way to get a glimpse of the Kentucky Derby’s history and see everything up close. It’s a good tour if Louisville and want some of the history. Wish we would have come when there was race.
Thanks! With more than 150 years of incredible Derby history to share, there's something for everyone to enjoy. We love getting to tell these stories through our exhibits, tour options, Museum Stable, and 360° movie. You'll have to plan a return trip! The September Meet at the track next door begins soon!
We really enjoyed our time at the Kentucky Derby Museum. It's an interesting and informative place that is definitely worth visiting. The only downside was that many of the interactive exhibits weren't working, which was a bit disappointing.
Thanks for visiting! We're glad to hear you had a wonderful experience at the only place where every day is Derby Day! As a nonprofit museum, we are always working to ensure the guest experience is as great as possible. Occasionally, some of our exhibits will undergo updates or maintenance. We apologize if something wasn't working while you were here. Our team works to address any issue as quickly as possible. Please feel free to reach out to our Communications Department at khelmer@derbymuseum.org if there was a specific concern with an exhibit we could take a look at. Thanks!
Loved learning about the history of the Kentucky Derby and all the local traditions that make it such a spectacular yearly event.
Thanks for visiting! We love celebrating Derby Day, every day!
Guide was great. Enjoyed the museum
Thanks! We have such a fun time sharing Derby history!
Very poor guide. She should stick to the facts, cut out what she calls her sense of humor and maybe it would have allowed her to show us everything. Several others felt the same.
Mary, thank you for taking time to write a review. We hope you enjoyed your visit exploring two floors of exhibits within the museum. If you'd like to talk with us further about your tour, please feel free to reach out to our Communications Director at khelmer@derbymuseum.org. We have passed along your comments to our Visitor Services team. We strive to give guests 5-star tour experiences on all of our various tours, including the Guided Track Visit that is complimentary with General Admission. If you are ever back in Louisville and looking for an in-depth tour experience, we'd be happy to help you at the desk or over the phone to choose the tour that best works with your schedule and with what you're hoping to learn about Derby history. Tours and tour times may occasionally be adjusted depending on operational or weather factors. Thank you.
Arrive at the earliest time and you could see horses on the track. They practice early. The museum was excellent! It is bigger than you think and takes time to go through it.
Nancy, thanks for this review! General Admission includes a track tour, 360° movie, and two floors of exhibits inside the museum, so we also recommend blocking out time to make sure to get to experience it all! We're glad you had such a great visit. Thanks!
