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Kentucky Derby Museum General Admission Ticket

Overview
Get ready to mark this off your bucket-list! Experience Churchill Downs Racetrack, the most well-known racing venue in the world. Kentucky Derby Museum includes daily historic walking tours, two levels of family-friendly interactive permanent & temporary exhibits, “The Greatest Race,” a 360-degree immersive sound and visual experience that’ll get your heart racing and emotions soaring, and a chance to meet the Museum's resident Thoroughbred and companion pony. You will also have access to the Gift Shop, Kentucky fare in the Derby Cafe Express, and much more!
City: Louisville
Sat 21 Sep
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You can choose the date already on the booking website
Starting at $18.50
Sat 21 Sep
Starting at $18.50
Make a reservation
What's Included
Professional guide
Route and map
Meeting point
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Louisville
704 Central Ave,
Departure Point: Kentucky Derby Museum
Address: 704 Central Avenue, Louisville, KY 40208
Dates: Daily

We recommend you arrive at least 90 minutes before we close to enjoy the full experience. The last historic walking tour of the day begins 30 minutes before we close.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.
Additional Info
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
  • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • A small amount of walking is involved if you choose to enjoy the historic walking tour of Churchill Downs
  • Wheelchair accessible: Free wheelchair rentals are available on a first-come, first-served basis upon request. You are welcome to bring your own manual wheelchair, motorized wheelchair or electric mobility scooter.
  • An induction loop is available for hearing impaired.
  • Subject to favorable weather conditions. If canceled due to poor weather, you will be given the option of an alternative date or full refund.
  • Parking is available in front of the Museum. On race days during the Churchill Downs Racetrack events, there will be a charge for parking in this lot.
  • Social distancing enforced throughout experience
  • Due to COVID-19 and for the safety of our guests & staff, the Museum is restricted to smaller tour sizes. You must reserve your spot by booking your tour time in advance.
What To Expect
1
Kentucky Derby Museum
Located in Louisville, the Kentucky Derby is one of America’s most exciting horse racing events in the world and takes place at Churchill Downs Racetrack. It is the first leg of the American Triple Crown and is known as "The Most Exciting Two Minutes In Sports" because of the actual duration of the race.  Some like to call the race "The Run for the Roses" for the blanket of roses draped over the Derby winner. When you visit, you will enjoy a self-guided tour of the Kentucky Derby Museum, which includes two levels of family-friendly interactive permanent & temporary exhibits.  Ten minutes past each hour, you will have the opportunity to see "The Greatest Race," an 18-minute movie about the Kentucky Derby and its history, a story that puts you right in the heart of the first Saturday of May.  Immediately following "The Greatest Race" and at 30-minutes past every hour, you will experience an exhilarating 30-minute guided walking tour of historic Churchill Downs Racetrack and witness where some of the most famous teams of jockeys and Thoroughbreds competed such as Secretariat, Barbaro, Big Brown, California Chrome and the most recent Triple Crown winner in 2015- American Pharoah. 
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Traveler Photos
Reviews (355)
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akat411
Oct 2022
Had a nice time at the museum looking around before heading over to the racetrack to watch a couple races. I bought our timed tickets of the general tour a couple days ahead of time. The video to start off was a nice overview of the Derby. Since there were races going on and the timing was just right, our tour guide took us out to the side of the track and we got to see the start of a race up close. Then she took us to another area where horses were being brought out and shown (it was for some purpose but I didn’t catch what) I can’t say if this is all the normal set up of a tour, and I can’t say I walked away knowing a ton about the derby or the grounds from the tour specifically, but to me seeing the start of the race and horses up close was even better! Afterwards we spent some time looking at the exhibits. The museum has a small gift shop (Churchill Downs has a separate gift shop) and a cafe. I had also bought general admission tickets for the the track so you do have to walk over to the actual entrance for Churchill Downs. Not sure if our experience was unique, but it was fun and I learned more about horse racing than I ever knew!
Response from Host
Oct 2022
It sounds like you hit the jackpot on your tour! What a wonderful experience, we're so glad you shared details of your visit with us. Come back and visit soon, and take one of our more in-depth tours for more Derby history!
X5791VVtarag
Oct 2022
This museum is very informative and great to see. I am really glad we made this part of our itinerary.
Response from Host
Oct 2022
We're glad you made it part of your itinerary, too! Thanks so much for leaving a review.
DMR53
Oct 2022
Enjoyed our visit. Bought general admission tickets, $16 for seniors, which is just a couple of dollars less than full price. Interesting movie on large oval 360 screen; seats are bar stools that swivel so you can rotate to watch the screen. After the movie, a tour guide leads the group outside giving info about the beginnings of Churchill Downs. Then the group is lead to a section of the track where facts about the track are shared. After this, you’re free to go through the museum, which has LOTS of information about horse racing: the history of Churchill Downs, derby winners, the jockeys, the trainers, horses, fashion, etc. Tour guide was knowledgeable. Cool to see the track but would have been nice if the tour would have taken us to an area closer to the spires instead of at the far end. No races during October and construction around the tracks. Did not visit the cafe. Gift shop clothes were pricey but other items available to purchase.
Response from Host
Oct 2022
We're so glad you enjoyed your visit. Thank you so much for leaving helpful feedback, we'll pass along the details of your visit to the team!

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