Stroll the grounds of the picturesque Ashland, the Henry Clay Estate or book a guided tour of the mansion. | Photo by Richie Wireman
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 13 museums to visit in our city.
History
Ashland, The Henry Clay 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 to learn more about the Founding Father + the history of the site. Be sure to check out the new H. Clay & Co. Museum Store located downtown at Henry Clay’s former Law Office.
Lyric Theatre & Cultural Arts Center, 300 E. Third St. | Free
This Lexington institution hosts an array of events that celebrate diversity in the city. Try a self-guided tour to learn about the history of Black jockeys in the area, or schedule a group tour to get an in-depth lesson of each exhibit.
Getting a picture with the blue penguins is a 21c rite of passage. | Photo courtesy of VisitLEX
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.
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.
An Evening With David Sedaris | Monday, Oct. 21 | 7:30 p.m. | Lexington Opera House | $45+ | The best-selling author + comedian will have you laughing at his satirical commentary on current events.
Tuesday, Oct. 22
Night of Frights | Tuesday, Oct. 22 | 8-10 p.m. | Burl Brew | Free | The brewery will turn into a mini movie theater showing classic horror movies — tonight it’s “Halloween” — plus, enjoy special cocktails, $15 Burl Lite pitchers, popcorn, and candy.
Wednesday, Oct. 23
Spooky Spirits: Halloween Cocktail Workshop | Wednesday, Oct. 23-Thursday, Oct. 24 | Times vary | Wick + Mortar Studio at Poppy & Pomelo | $68 | Join a mixologist to craft your own Halloween-themed cocktails complete with a tasting journal + your choice of spirits.
Thursday, Oct. 24
Chevy Chase Halloween Pub Crawl | Thursday, Oct. 24 | 4 p.m. | Euclid Avenue Businesses | Free, price of purchase | Stop by Euclid Avenue bars for food + drink specials and Halloween-themed fun including costume contests, scary movies, karaoke, and live music.
The Alchemist Series | Thursday, Oct. 24-Thursday, Nov. 21 | Times vary | Bespoken Spirits | Experience a new, innovative spirit flavor each Thursday, exclusively at The Greyline Station tasting room — a limited number of bottles will be available for purchase.*
Friday, Oct. 25
Music at The Mansion | Friday, Oct. 25 | 6-10 p.m. | Marriott Lexington Griffin Gate Golf Resort & Spa | Free | Bring your own chairs and blankets for a family-friendly evening of live music with food trucks, lawn games + local vendors.
Did you know? Personal trainers can help with fitness goals like stability and mobility, not just strength and endurance. | Photo provided by LiveWell Training
Personal trainers are only for professional athletes or celebrities — true or false?
Calling all cookie monsters.Leon Buford-Kelly, known as “the cookie man” by his Leestown Middle School students, opened BK’s Cookies & More behind Critchfield’s on Southland Drive. Satisfy your sweet tooth with flavors like classic chocolate chip, snickerdoodle + peach cobbler, Friday-Monday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. (Lexington Herald-Leader)
Traffic
Drivers be mindful as one lane of traffic will be closed near the Richmond Road exit on the inner loop of New Circle Road. Bridge deck repairs will bring traffic down to one lane, think: coming from Winchester Road, from 8:30 a.m to 3 p.m. tomorrow, Oct. 22.
Arts
Next time you’re cruising along the Town Branch Trail in the Distillery District, keep your eyes peeled for a new addition. Kiptoo Tarus’s “2020 Blues” sculpture has made Manchester Street its new home. See it for yourself across the road from the Pepper Distillery Warehouse.
Cause
The 13th annual Common Good Fundraising Breakfast is coming up on Thursday, Oct. 24 from 7:45 to 9 a.m. at The Foundry at Centenary Church. Here you can learn more about the nonprofit’s mission, connect with fellow community members, and offer support. RSVP.
Travel
Pumpkin patches, and trick-or-treating, and haunted corn mazes, oh my. Fall fun in Mercer County is just an hour’s drive away. Plan your visit.*
Tech
Scammers’ tactics are increasingly sophisticated — OmniWatch offers a groundbreaking layer of identity protection (think: 24/7 monitoring, full-scale identity restoration, and up to $25,000 in scam insurance).*
Sports
Sports
Serving up some dill-lightful fun
Pickleball Paddock is located off Alexandria drive + open Monday-Saturday, 8 a.m.-10 p.m. and Sunday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. | Photo by LEXtoday
Now serving open. That’s right, the long-awaited arrival of Lexington’s first pickleball-specific venue is officially here.
Say hello to Pickleball Paddock, featuring nine bookable courts for players of all levels. “You will not find a more top-of-the-line facility for the pickleball player experience,” said part-owner Travis Redmon. “We have cushioned courts, so they are a little bit easier on the joints. Top-of-the-line lighting, the [Big Ass] fans, and the site lines — you can’t really beat it as far as visibility.”
Members + non-members are welcome to join the pickleball craze by reserving courts, joining clinics, or taking lessons. Membership perks include:
Booking up to seven days in advance
$6 half-off court rentals + open play
Access to members-only leagues, tournaments, and events
Discounted private lessons + clinics and 10% off in the prop shop
The fun doesn’t have to end here. After reading the newsletter, head over to our games page. Games refresh with new challenges every day at 6 a.m. from crossword puzzle to Sudoku to themed word search.
If you haven’t checked out the new PRHBTN gallery at the Loudoun House, it’s got a wide variety of pieces. One of my personal faves is “Paper Quill Kiss” by Michelle Newby Armstrong.
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