Louisville Champions Park – Historical Attractions
Louisville, Kentucky, is a lively city with destinations like the Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Derby to breweries and distilleries. Even though Louisville is nicknamed Bourbon City, there’s more to it than just nightlife and sports.
There’s also a lot of history to be learned, and many historic sites are near Louisville Champions Park. Whether you want to learn more about the history of the city, technological innovation, or sports, this list of historical attractions will help you plan out a trip that’s as fun as it is educational.
Thomas Edison House
The Historic Homes Foundation, Inc., works to preserve historic sites in Kentucky, and the Thomas Edison House is one of those sites. This attraction is a seven-minute drive from Louisville Champions Park.
At the Thomas Edison House, the mission is to present guests with information about Edison’s achievements in science and technology. Edison was believed to have lived at this location just after the Civil War for about a year and a half. Visitors can tour the area where he resided and view exhibits of his inventions and other artifacts. There is a nominal admission fee, and guests can receive a guided tour from volunteer docents.
Muhammad Ali Center
The Muhammad Ali Center is a museum dedicated to the life and legacy of pro boxer Muhammad Ali. The center provides visitors a window into his life and the six core principles that motivated him. Getting to the Muhammad Ali Center from Louisville Champions Park takes a five-minute drive.
Throughout the year, temporary exhibits are presented, but there are also many permanent galleries and exhibits for guests to explore. Permanent displays include multimedia presentations, interactive exhibits, videos and images, and artifacts.
As you move through the museum, you will learn about the principles that guided Ali’s life. These concepts were confidence, conviction, dedication, giving, respect, and spirituality. As an extremely influential figure throughout history, his legacy continues to inspire those who visit the center.
Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory
If you’re a baseball fan, the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory, or LSMF, is a must-visit. At this museum, you can learn about the role of the Louisville Slugger in baseball’s history. These baseball bats began being produced in 1884, so there’s a lot to learn! The drive from Louisville Champions Park to the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory takes about six minutes, and you can’t miss this building with The Big Bat leaning against it.
Visitors have the opportunity to tour the factory and see exactly how Louisville Sluggers are made through videos, hands-on exhibits, and commentary from tour guides. At the end of the factory tour, you receive a souvenir mini bat. There’s also an option to get your own baseball bat customized at the LSMF. Throughout the museum exhibits, guests can view a wall of signatures from some of baseball’s greats, bats from the past 100 years, and other neat artifacts. End your visit with a stop at the museum store.
Portland Museum
There’s a small riverside neighborhood in Louisville known as Portland. In 1978, elementary school teachers founded the Portland Museum because this area was home to so much history. For those interested in learning more about the history, community, and art of Louisville, this is a great place to start. And it’s only a seven-minute drive from the Louisville Champions Park.
This isn’t a large museum by any means, but it is packed with a lot of history. When you visit, you’ll see vivid dioramas, life-sized characters, documentaries, art galleries, and rotating exhibits. A few of the permanent exhibits include Captain Mary Miller, who was the first “lady steamboat man;” Portland: Land, the River, and the People; Architecture Gallery; and Sports Gallery, which contains extensive information about Paul Hornung, a former football player for the Green Bay Packers.
Frazier History Museum
Founded in 2004, Frazier History Museum was originally an arms museum but now expanded to focus on Kentucky, U.S., and world history. This 7,500-square-foot museum is located about four miles from Louisville Champions Park.
On the first floor of Frazier History Museum is the welcome center for the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, which is free to visit. In fact, one of the permanent collections in the museum is The Spirit of Kentucky, which discusses the history, craft, and culture of bourbon. There are many permanent exhibits about war and weaponry as well. In these collections, you can view artifacts and weapons of American, American-Indian, Asian, and European origin. This is also home to the largest collection in the world of toy soldiers and historical miniatures.
Heigold House
Just steps away from Louisville Champions Park is the Heigold House. The facade of the Heigold House mansion is the only piece still standing and is a marker of immigrant patriotism. It is also one of the few structures to have survived the Great Flood of 1937.
When you arrive at the Heigold House, a plaque gives a brief description of the history. The Heigold House was constructed by German immigrant Christian Heigold in a popular area of Louisville known as The Point in 1857. This was a time when many were attacking German and Irish immigrants, so to avoid violence and prove his patriotism, Heigold put inscriptions and busts of prominent American figures into the facade. The remaining facade is free to visit and is a great spot for photography.
Howard Steamboat Museum
With the Ohio River running through the city, many steamboats produced in both Kentucky and Indiana, and now you can experience what the Steamboat Era was like by touring the Howard Steamboat Museum. The museum is a 10-minute drive across the river from Louisville Champions Park in Jeffersonville, Indiana.
The museum is actually a mansion that was built by the Howards of Jeffersonville. They were the premier steamboat builders in the area. Inside you will find the original furnishing, decor, and stained glass windows. In fact, much the decor in the house was built by the Howards. Additionally, the museum includes models, photographs, and artifacts.
When you visit, you can opt for either a self-guided tour or a tour led by a docent. This makes no difference in price. Admission for adults is $10. Tickets for children over the age of six and students in college are $6. Seniors, military, AAA, and AARP members pay $8.
George Rogers Clark Homesite
Also situated along the Ohio River is the George Rogers Clark Homesite. Sometimes referred to as Clark’s Point, this site was once home to the American Revolutionary War hero Geroge Rogers Clark. You can view where Clark lived during his retirement by taking a 10-minute drive from Louisville Champions Park to Clarksville, Indiana.
Clark’s original home was destroyed in 1854, but a cabin with the same dimensions was constructed in 2001. Guests can also see the McGee Cabin there, which is modeled after a typical lodging for slaves in the 19th century. It depicts the conditions that Venus and Ben McGee would have lived in as Clark’s slaves.
Additionally, the homesite is also where Meriwether Lewis met William Clark, George Rogers Clark’s younger brother. After meeting, the two began recruiting the nine men who embarked on the famed Lewis and Clark Expedition.
Kentucky Derby Museum
It’s hard to think of Kentucky and not mention the extravagant Kentucky Derby. If you ever wanted to learn about the history of this racing event, head to the Kentucky Derby Museum. It’s about eight miles from Louisville Champions Park.
This museum is well-suited for families as it contains two floors of interactive exhibits that children will enjoy. Through these exhibits, you learn about all the stages of a Thoroughbred’s life, the origins of the race, how jockeys prepare, and the traditions that have formed throughout the years. There are also options for various historic walking tours, some of which will actually take you out onto the track.