06.20.2024

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91º | 7% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 6:15 a.m. | Sunset 9:04 p.m.

🖼️ The story of us

13 museums in Lexington

A person in a green hat stands next to a blue penguin and stares at a painting of a grassy hill in a gold frame on a white wall.

Check the 21c Lexington calendar to explore events at the museum. | Photo by @asiseetheworld

Museums are the cultural hubs of Lexington. Whether you’re looking to learn something new about LEX or plotting a way to spend your Saturday afternoon, here are 12 museums to visit in our city.

The facade of Henry Clay's mansion — Ashland, the Henry Clay Estate, is located off Richmond Road on Sycamore Lane. | Photo courtesy of VisitLEX

History

Henry Clay, The Ashland Estate, 120 Sycamore Rd. | $0-$25
Located in the scenic Ashland Park, you can take a self-guided tour of the grounds or schedule an educational tour of the Ashland estate + learn more about the Founding Father.

Lexington History Museum, 210 N. Broadway | $0-$10
Get a crash course on the industries that built Lexington, read stories about our historic citizens (including con artist Augustus Donfred H. Build), and see real-life historic technology.

Waveland State Historic Site, 225 Waveland Museum Ln. | $6-$15
Observe and educate yourself about the history of the enslaved peoples of Waveland and explore its 10 acres featuring curated gardens. Don’t miss: Attending a vintage baseball game, where players abide by rules from the 1860s.

Arts

21c Museum Hotel, 167 W. Main St. | Free
Stay the night at this boutique hotel or stop by for dinner and a self-guided tour of the museum’s contemporary pieces. Upon entry, you’ll be greeted with 7,000 sqft of exhibits from different mediums, including photography, paintings, and sculptures.

Headley-Whitney Museum of Art, 4435 Old Frankfort Pike | $0-$10
Discover trinkets and bibelots (French for “small, ornate, decorative object of beauty”), as well as vintage dollhouses + its rotation of touring exhibits. Don’t miss: Enjoying a picnic in the surrounding gardens.

Two women looking up at a planetarium. — The LASC mobile planetarium is out of this world. | Photo courtesy of The Living Arts & Science Center

Science

The Living Arts & Science Center, 362 N. Martin Luther King Blvd. | $0-$8
This living, breathing museum features rotating exhibits in the Marksbury Discovery Room, art galleries commemorating Lexington’s vibrant history, opportunities to meet animals, and the city’s only public planetarium. Don’t miss: The Kinkead Gallery — which is dedicated to abolitionist + lawyer George Kinkead, whose family inhabited the original house that is now the museum.

City Guides are presented by VisitLEX.

5 more museums

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Events

Thursday, June 20

Burn The Mic | Thursday, June 20 | 7 p.m. | Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning, 251 W. Second St., Lexington | Free | The third annual Juneteenth Poetry Slam features creatives using their most powerful tool to share their truths: words.

Friday, June 21

“Next to Normal” | Friday, June 21-Sunday, June 30 | Times vary | Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center, 141 E. Main St., Lexington | $18-$25 | This rock musical tells the story of a family whose relationship to bipolar disorder challenges + brings them closer together.
Jim Norton | Friday, June 21 | 8 p.m. | Lexington Opera House, 401 W. Short St., Lexington | $25-$55 | See this standup comedian and radio host as he takes the stage for his “Now You Know” tour.

Saturday, June 22

Lavender Festival | Saturday, June 22 | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | The Kentucky Castle, 230 Pisgah Pike, Versailles | $0-$35 | Handpick your own lavender bundle, browse market vendors, snack on themed foods, and try one of the many activities happening on the Castle’s grounds — tickets available at the door.
Kindred Valley | Saturday, June 22 | 8 p.m. | The Burl, 375 Thompson Rd., Lexington | $15-$18 | Stomp and clap along to this indie folk band from Huntington, West Virginia.

Sunday, June 23

The Weird Sisters’ Art Market | Sunday, June 23 | 3 p.m. | Al’s Bar, 601 N. Limestone, Lexington | $10+ | Get weird with this market featuring vendors selling books, folk art, prints, and zines + stick around for live music.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

Finance

The local team helping Lexingtonians finance their dream homes

a man and a woman sit on the steps of a front porch

Whether you’re buying for the first time, relocating for work, or just looking for something different, buying a home doesn’t have to be difficult — especially with help from Central Bank. | Photo courtesy of Central Bank

On average, homes in Lexington sold in 30 days or less throughout May. So, what does that mean for Lexingtonians who are ready to buy? They need to be ready to make an offer — and Central Bank can make the process easier.

With experienced teams located in Lexington, Louisville, Central KY, and Northern KY, Central Bank’s personalized mortgage services can help find the home loan that fits your life. Bonus: You’ll always speak to a real person.^†

Connect with a local mortgage officer

†Member FDIC. Loans subject to credit approval. NMLS: 440304. Equal Housing Lender

News Notes

Sports

Yesterday, the UK baseball team was defeated in the NCAA Men’s College World Series. The Cats fell to the Florida Gators during the Round of 8, 15-4. This was the first time in program history the Cats made it to the World Series. (WKYT)

Opening

Carson’s Andover will open its doors tomorrow, 10 a.m. The restaurant’s second location at 3450 Todds Rd. will offer the same menu and cocktails, plus one of the longest bars in Lexington. In September, an adjacent event venue called The Hudson will open, accommodating up to 140 people. (Lexington Herald-Leader)

Biz

LEX Studios, a brand new entertainment and production facility, is now open at 425 Codell Dr. The 50,000-sqft space, located in the former Woodhill Cinemas, features three sound stages with adaptable sets, green rooms, production support, rentable equipment, an editing + post-production suite, and a dining area. (The Lane Report)

Plan Ahead

This one’s for the Jim Henson and David Bowie fans. The Lexington Opera House will host a live screening and musical accompaniment for the 1986 cult classic “Labyrinth” on Oct. 10. Tickets go on sale tomorrow, June 21, at 10 a.m.

Eat

Dinner and a tour? Count us in. Holly Hill Inn is hosting a Garden Happy Hour Tour starting today at 6 p.m. The ticketed event on will take place on Thursdays and Fridays throughout the summer will feature seasonal cocktails, treats, and a guided stroll through the property’s redesigned gardens.

Job

Common Good, the after-school nonprofit that supports children in North Lexington, is hiring for two positions. Applications for a Youth Program Coordinator and the Path Program Manager are being accepted until Sunday, June 30.

Learn

Did you know there are animals that live at the LASC? These animal ambassadors help educate the public about the incredible diversity of nature. Children and adults can better understand why these animals are so important in environmental conservation through hands-on experiences. Meet them on your next visit.*

Edu

🏫 Class is in session

Meet the new Henry Clay High School

An exterior shot of Henry Clay High School

Henry Clay High School is the oldest public high school in town, originally built on Main Street in 1928. | Photo by LEXtoday

Staff and students now have a better visual of what the future Henry Clay High School could look like. The school, which is anticipated to be completed by winter 2028, addresses environmental concerns and aims to offer better support for employees and students.

The $151.6-million building is being funded through a bond issue and led by Tate Hill Jacobs Architects, who recently led Tates Creek High School’s redesign.

Here’s an overview of what the new campus is anticipated to feature:

A three-story, 322,569-sqft main building
Relocating the baseball and softball fields
An additional 70 parking spaces
Outdoor learning spaces
An amphitheater

According to principal architect Katrina Littrell, the old school will remain operational throughout the construction, and a better look at the renovated school will be available by this fall.

The Buy

The Buy 6.20.24 (Affiliate + Six & Main)

A dependable, comfortable running short — like Lululemon’s Hotty Hot High-Rised Lined Shorts (are those fun summer colors we see?).

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Aayat

From the editor

It is I, one of your friendly city editors, reminding you to drink water if you step outside longer than five minutes.

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