LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Kentucky is home to plenty of Cool Cats — and Cardinals. The Frazier History Museum seeks to highlight that fact in its new exhibit, Cool Kentucky.
What You Need To Know
- New Cool Kentucky exhibit opening at the Frazier History Museum
- Boasts objects and stories exhibiting Kentucky's unique culture
- Paul Hornung's 1956 Heisman Trophy is on display
- Exhibit opens December 3
Opening Dec. 3, Cool Kentucky features objects and stories from across the commonwealth. The exhibit is arranged by themes — here are some of the most interesting objects on display:
- George Clooney's overalls from O Brother, Where Art Thou?
- One horseshoe worn by Secretariat
- Large replica of the Louisville Water Tower
- A section of the Belle of Louisville's paddlewheel
- Box of rapper Jack Harlow's What's Poppin Louisville Popcorn
- A First Model 1851 Colt Revolver owned by Owsley Brown Frazier
The centerpiece of the exhibit is KentuckyShow!, a high-definition multimedia experience narrated by Kentucky’s own Ashley Judd.
Frazier Museum President and CEO Andy Treinen said in a statement Kentucky is home to some of the country's most talented people and the source of some of its greatest ideas. He said Kentucky's cool, unique culture has helped change the world.
“From Mammoth Cave to Muhammad Ali, Kentucky is home to some of the coolest people, places, and things on earth,” Treinen said. “In this exhibit, we’re putting a spotlight on both the hidden histories and famous figures of the Commonwealth: folks like Willa Brown Chappell, the first African American woman to obtain a pilot’s license in the U.S.; and the Hill sisters, who wrote and composed 'Happy Birthday to You.'"
One of the more notable objects visitors will see in Cool Kentucky is a re-issue of the 1956 Heisman Trophy awarded to the late Louisville native Paul Hornung. Museum visitors can strike the "Heisman pose" beside the trophy, which is on loan from the Green Bay Packers.
From a Chevrolet Corvette on loan from the Corvette Museum and Factory in Bowling Green to a disco ball from Louisville’s Omega National, Cool Kentucky tells stories spanning the Bluegrass.
Bryce Shreve is a digital producer with Spectrum News 1 KY. He is a recent graduate of Indiana University Southeast and joined the staff in November, 2020.