Bourbon and Bardstown history museums

Oscar Getz Museum of Bourbon History

About 0.5 mile straight-line from My Old Kentucky Dinner Train

Use historic Spalding Hall for a free, accessible indoor stop covering bourbon's material history and a companion Bardstown local-history collection before a dinner-train departure.

The place

About Oscar Getz Museum of Bourbon History

The Oscar Getz Museum of Bourbon History occupies the main floor of historic Spalding Hall with the Bardstown Historical Museum. The Getz collection grew from Oscar Getz's bottles, advertising, equipment, documents, and other whiskey material and interprets bourbon from its early American history through modern industry.

Current Bardstown tourism guidance describes more than 1,500 rare or one-of-a-kind bottles and identifies admission as free. Collection highlights cited by the regional bourbon directory include George Washington's millstone, Prohibition prescriptions, medicinal bottles, stills, advertising art, and temperance material. The companion local-history museum broadens the stop beyond spirits.

The museum's current contact page lists May-October hours of Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m., and Sunday noon-4 p.m. November-April hours are Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sunday noon-4 p.m., closed Monday. Guided and group tours are available by arrangement.

The official museum page says the museums are on the main floor and the site is handicapped-accessible with elevator access. It does not publish a complete parking, restroom, sensory, or gallery-seating chain, so visitors with specific needs should confirm those details directly.

What stands out

Read bourbon as material history

Bottles, labels, tools, prescriptions, advertising, and temperance objects move the subject beyond a modern tasting-room visit.

Add Bardstown's wider story

The companion historical museum makes the building useful even for visitors less interested in spirits.

Use a dependable indoor stop

Seasonal hours are published and the main-floor/elevator statement makes this a practical weather backup before the train.

Keep museum and tasting separate

The current source set describes collections and tours, not included samples; book a 21+ dinner-train product separately if tasting is the goal.

Pair it with the train

Why it belongs in a My Old KY Dinner Train trip

Spalding Hall is about 0.5 straight-line mile from the dinner-train depot. It is the closer local stop and a strong before-train choice, but My Old Kentucky Home ranks first in the package because it explains the train's name and place identity more directly.

Before you go

Plan your visit

  • May-OctoberMonday-Friday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sunday noon-4 p.m.
  • November-AprilTuesday-Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sunday noon-4 p.m.; closed Monday
  • AdmissionBardstown's official tourism bureau currently lists free admission; donations and guided arrangements should be confirmed with the museum
  • Two collectionsOscar Getz bourbon history and Bardstown Historical Museum share Spalding Hall; allow time based on the galleries you want rather than assuming a fixed visit duration
  • What to expectHistoric bottles, distilling and advertising material, Prohibition and temperance objects, and broader Bardstown-area artifacts; no current source promises a tasting
  • Guided groupsGuided and group tours are available; contact the museum for timing, size, and any fee or donation expectation
  • AccessibilityOfficial page says the museums are on the main floor and handicapped-accessible with elevator access; confirm parking, restrooms, seating, and sensory needs
  • Train timingLeave enough time to reach the depot and complete dinner-train check-in one hour before departure

Return to the train's namesake

Add My Old Kentucky Home State Park

Add Federal Hill's guided house tour, formal grounds, song history, and documented enslaved-person history.

View the guide →

Useful answers

Frequently asked questions

When is the Oscar Getz Museum open?

May-October: Monday-Friday 10-5, Saturday 10-4, Sunday noon-4. November-April: Tuesday-Saturday 10-4, Sunday noon-4, closed Monday.

Is admission free?

Bardstown's official tourism bureau currently lists free admission. Confirm any guided-tour arrangement or donation expectation directly.

What is in the collection?

The museum interprets bourbon history through more than 1,500 bottles plus distilling, advertising, medicinal, Prohibition, and temperance artifacts. A companion museum covers Bardstown history.

Does the museum include a bourbon tasting?

No current source used here promises a tasting. Treat it as a history museum and book any 21+ tasting experience separately.

Is the museum accessible?

The official contact page says the museums are on the main floor and the building is handicapped-accessible with elevator access. Call for parking, restroom, seating, or sensory specifics.

Can I arrange a guided tour?

Yes. The museum lists guided and group tours; call or email for the current schedule, group size, and terms.

How far is it from the dinner train?

About 0.5 mile straight-line. Driving and walking routes differ; leave enough time for the train's required one-hour-early check-in.

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.