Historic house museum and state park

My Old Kentucky Home State Park

About 0.9 mile straight-line from My Old Kentucky Dinner Train

Add Federal Hill's guided mansion, original collections, formal grounds, song history, and fuller Rowan-family story to a My Old Kentucky Dinner Train visit less than a mile away.

The place

About My Old Kentucky Home State Park

My Old Kentucky Home State Park centers on Federal Hill, the Rowan family house associated with Stephen Foster's song and later preserved by Kentucky as a historic shrine. Current guided tours move through the mansion's architecture, antiques, paintings, gardens, and outbuildings and end with a guide performing the song.

The site's own research also identifies the enslaved people who lived and labored at Federal Hill and the Rowan family's Louisville townhouse. It documents 39 people held in bondage in 1830 and at least 54 people enslaved by Judge John Rowan over his lifetime. A trustworthy visit should treat that history as core context rather than presenting the house only as décor or nostalgia.

The current homepage lists the mansion, visitor center, and gift shop as open Wednesday through Sunday. Ordinary tours run hourly, are capped at 25, and have a current last tour at 4 p.m. Admission at review is $18 adults, $15 seniors 62+, $12 ages 6-17, free age 5 and under, with military and group rates.

After Aug. 15, the official 2026 calendar lists A House Divided in September, Weep No More throughout October, Shadows of Federal Hill Oct. 23-24, and An Old Kentucky Christmas Carol Dec. 4-19. Named events can carry different hours, stairs, walking, and ticket rules, so their pages control over the ordinary tour baseline.

What stands out

Understand the train's name in place

Federal Hill, the song, and Bardstown's public memory make this the strongest independent context stop for the dinner train.

Tour a substantially intact collection

The house interprets architecture, fine art, antiques, gardens, and outbuildings with many objects original to the property.

Include the people held in bondage

Use the site's documented enslaved-person research to understand who lived and labored at Federal Hill, not only the Rowan family.

Choose a seasonal interpretation

September, October, ghost-tour, and December programs change the lens and may change access, time, and ticket rules.

Pair it with the train

Why it belongs in a My Old KY Dinner Train trip

Federal Hill is about 0.9 straight-line mile from the dinner-train depot and provides the clearest explanation for the train's name and Bardstown setting. Schedule a mansion tour well before check-in; the train requires arrival one hour before departure and does not wait for late guests.

Before you go

Plan your visit

  • Regular openingMansion, visitor center, and gift shop currently list Wednesday-Sunday; named seasonal events may add or change operating days
  • Tour cadenceOrdinary guided tours begin hourly, fill first-come-first-served, cap at 25 people, and list a final tour at 4 p.m.
  • Current admission$18 adults, $15 seniors 62+, $12 ages 6-17, free age 5 and under; military, veteran, school, and group rates vary
  • What the tour coversFederal Hill interiors, original antiques and art, architecture, formal grounds, outbuildings, Rowan-family history, enslaved people, and the song association
  • 2026 programsA House Divided in September; Weep No More in October; Shadows Oct. 23-24; Old Kentucky Christmas Carol Dec. 4-19
  • AccessibilityThe public pages do not publish a complete step-free route through every level and outbuilding; call about the exact tour, historic stairs, seating, restrooms, and alternate interpretation
  • Campground cautionThe current Kentucky State Parks improvements page says the campground reopening date is TBD; do not make an overnight plan from older reopening text
  • Image contextThe parlor and cabin images are historical postcards, not a promise of the current arrangement or open interior route

Continue through Bardstown history

Add Oscar Getz Museum of Bourbon History

Add a free accessible indoor museum for bourbon history and a companion Bardstown historical collection in Spalding Hall.

View the guide →

Useful answers

Frequently asked questions

When is the mansion open?

The current homepage lists the mansion, visitor center, and gift shop Wednesday through Sunday. Seasonal event pages can add different days or hours.

How much is an ordinary tour?

At review: $18 adult, $15 senior age 62+, $12 age 6-17, free age 5 and under, with separate military, veteran, school, and group rates.

Do I need a reservation?

Ordinary tours are first-come-first-served, capped at 25, and begin hourly. The site encourages early arrival and offers advance online purchasing; group reservations follow separate rules.

Does the tour discuss slavery?

The site's research documents the people enslaved by the Rowan family, including 39 people held in bondage in 1830. Ask the visitor center how that material appears on the tour or in current displays.

Is every part wheelchair-accessible?

The public pages do not publish a complete step-free route through all mansion levels, grounds, and outbuildings. Call before purchase for the exact tour and alternatives.

What special programs remain in 2026?

The official calendar lists September's A House Divided, October's Weep No More, Shadows of Federal Hill Oct. 23-24, and An Old Kentucky Christmas Carol Dec. 4-19.

Can I camp at the park?

Do not rely on older reopening language. The current Kentucky State Parks improvements page lists the campground opening date as TBD.

Trust and accuracy

Sources

Source checked 2026-08-15. This free guide has not yet been confirmed by the venue. Current hours, prices, services, and accessibility can change; confirm time-sensitive details directly.