Explore Nearby Museums
 Updated: 5/30/2012 
The Speed Art Museum
Louisville, Kentucky
Description

Since completing a major $12 million renovation and expansion in 1997, the Speed has brought major exhibitions of photography, painting, design, and sculpture to the region to help fulfill its ambitious mission: bringing great art and people together. Located next to the University of Louisville’s Belknap Campus, the museum serves more than 180,000 visitors annually.

The next year of exhibitions will bring to Louisville Medieval and Renaissance Treasures From the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the brilliant, bold quilts created in the twentieth century by a group of women who live in the small, isolated African-American community of Gee's Bend in southwestern Alabama and it will be the first to present almost 200 paintings, drawings, prints, photographs, furniture, silver, and ceramics from Yale University’s renowned collection of 18th- and 19th-century American fine and decorative arts, considered to be one of the finest American collections in the world.

African Art (drop a line)

Late 19th and 20th century objects from West and Central Africa form the museum's collection of African art. The collection features objects from the Yoruba, Benin, Kuba, and Dan people, and highlights include three magnificent carved Yoruba panels and a splendid Fang reliquary figure.

History

Established in 1927, the Speed Art Museum is Kentucky’s oldest and largest art museum with over 12,000 pieces in its permanent collection. Its extensive collection spans 6,000 years, ranging from ancient Egyptian to contemporary art.

The museum has distinguished collections of 17th century Dutch and Flemish painting, 18th century French art, Renaissance and Baroque tapestries, and significant holdings of contemporary American painting and sculpture. African and Native American works also represent a growing segment of the museum's collection.

The Speed also houses paintings, sculpture, furniture, and decorative arts by Kentucky artists and created for Kentuckians.

Artifact Collections

African Art Late 19th and 20th century objects from West and Central Africa form the museum's collection of African art. The collection features objects from the Yoruba, Benin, Kuba, and Dan people, and highlights include three magnificent carved Yoruba panels and a splendid Fang reliquary figure.

Art of the Ancient World

Assorted Greek, Roman, Etruscan, and Egyptian objects from 4000 BC to 400 AD comprise this collection. Included are a rare collection of carved and inscribed marble ash urns from a Roman burial chamber, painted Greek vases, and items from daily life, such as Roman oil lamps, an Etruscan razor, and Egyptian pottery.

Native American Gallery

The Native American collection showcases ceremonial objects and items of daily life created by members of the Sioux, Cheyenne, Arapaho, Kiowa, and Crow tribes that occupied the central region of North America known as the Great Plains. The objects on view offer splendid examples of beadwork, quillwork, and painting. The decorative, artistic designs of these objects were utilized to evoke the spiritual powers of nature, to denote status and honor in Native American society, as well as to provide aesthetic enjoyment.

Programs

Adult Group Tours

Adult Group Tours are pre-arranged, docent-led or unguided tours (often combined with a luncheon on the sculpture court) designed for church groups, Elderhostel, senior residence facilities, women's clubs, and convention groups.

Lectures and Classes

Each year, the Speed presents a variety of lectures and classes covering special topics and special exhibitions.

Docent Tour Guides

Our volunteer tour guides receive four months of initial training from the Education Department and continue their education once they begin giving tours. Annually, over 100 docents give tours to school and adult groups.

For more information about Adult Programs, please call (502) 634-2700 or e-mail info@speedmuseum.org

Library

Access: General Public

Appointment required: True

Services
Public Tours

Best of the Collection tours are available EVERY weekend and latenite Friday. Saturday & Sunday at 1p and 3p – meet at the front desk. Friday at 7p – meet at the front desk.

Museum Store

Featuring one-of-a-kind gifts, exquisite jewelry, designer notecards, custom tees, an extensive catalog of fine art books and a newly expanded fun-filled children’s section. The broad range of unique and stylish merchandise will please any art-novice to those with discerning taste. 502.634.2713

Speakers Bureau

Want to hear more about the Speed? We can come to you! Request a speaker from our speakers bureau to present at your next meeting or gathering by calling 637.6363

Event Rental

From wedding ceremonies and receptions to cocktail parties and elegant banquets with dinner and dancing, The Speed Art Museum offers one of Louisville’s most unique and beautiful venues for your private event. The museum is well suited for small celebrations or full-fledged affairs with dancing in the Sculpture Court Gallery. We invite you to utilize the entire museum as a beautiful backdrop for your event! Explore the galleries of Kentucky’s oldest and largest art museum, tour one of our special exhibitions, and take your younger guests to our Art Sparks Interactive Children’s Gallery.

Private event space is available for rental on the following evenings: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Events may be scheduled no earlier than 6:00pm to assure privacy. Otherwise, the Museum will be open to the public. Please contact the Special Events department at 502.634.2701 or email specialevents@speedmuseum.org for rates or to tour the facilities.

Gift Shop
Event Rental
Group Tours
Address
2035 S. Third St.
Louisville, KY 40208
phone: 502-634-2700
e-mail: info@speedmuseum.org
home page: www.speedmuseum.org
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Hours of Operation
Wednesday - Thursday, Saturday10 AM - 5 PM
Friday10 AM - 9 PM
Sunday12 PM - 5 PM
Monday - Tuesdayclosed

The Museum Will be Closed on the Following Days: Iron Man Competition (August 26, 2012), Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day, First Saturday of March for the Speed Museum Ball

Admission

Adults: $10
Seniors (over 65): $8
Members: free
Youth (3-17): $5
Children under 3: Free
UofL students & faculty: Free
Bellarmine students & faculty: Free

Museum Type(s)
Art
Children's
Culture
History
Library
Staff
DISCLAIMER
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MUSEUM CONFERENCES

Virginia Association of Museum's 2025 Annual Conference!

March 15 - 18, 2025

Blacksburg, Virginia

Virginia Association of Museum's 2025 Annual Conference!

Saturday, March 15 - Tuesday, March 18, 2025

The Inn at Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, Virginia

Hosted by: Virginia Association of Museums

2025 Conference Theme: Looking Back to the Future For the past several years, many museums have been deeply involved in planning programs and events to observe the 250th birthday of the United States of America. While this is certainly an occasion to celebrate, this anniversary also forces us as a society to reckon with ongoing inequities and challenges within the US that go back to its inception. As museums ask their audiences to look to the past to understand the present and shape a better future, perhaps now is a good moment in time for Virginia’s museum community to take pause and look back at its own history. We are excited to see you in Blacksburg in March 2025 as we take a moment in our hectic schedules to take pause and visit our diverse pasts. Let’s uncover and share our histories to build a more resilient Virginia museum community.

Ohio Museum Asociation 2025 Annual Conference - Athens

March 29 - 31, 2025

Athens, Ohio

Ohio Museum Asociation 2025 Annual Conference - Athens

Saturday, March 29 - Monday, March 31, 2025

TBA

Athens, Ohio

Hosted by: Ohio Museums Association

"Innovation: Museums and Reaching our Potential

The heart of innovation is transformation – shaking up our established way of doing things by introducing new methods, new ideas, and new approaches to both obstacles and opportunities

Museums across Ohio are not just adapting, but innovating to reach their full potential and better serve their communities. No matter their role, museum professionals are introducing forward-thinking perspectives and initiating creative solutions to launch the field into a future where museums can remain trusted and relevant community cornerstones

How can your museum stay true to mission and serve your community in new and meaningful ways? How can we as museum professionals meet the challenges of the future with reinvigorated enthusiasm

Join us in Athens, March 29-31 as we explore these topics and more at the 2025 Ohio Museums Association’s Annual Conference: Innovation: Museums and Reaching our Potential.

For more information, please email oma@ohiohistory.org.

North Carolina Museums Council 2025 Annual Conference

March 30 - 31, 2025

Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina Museums Council 2025 Annual Conference

Sunday, March 30 - Monday, March 31, 2025

TBA

Raleigh, North Carolina

Hosted by: North Carolina Museums Council

Museums Unwalled: Expanding Horizon

This theme highlights the importance of museums as dynamic entities that engage with communities, foster education, drive cultural change and often go beyond the building itself. By focusing on areas such as community engagement, digital and virtual presence, interdisciplinary collaborations, sustainability, accessibility, and cultural diversity, we aim to provide a comprehensive and enriching experience for all attendees

The primary objective is to provide a platform for museum professionals and others working in the industry to share ideas, best practices, resources and innovative approaches that demonstrate how museums can reach audiences in and beyond our physical spaces. We aim to inspire attendees to think broadly about the potential of their institutions and to foster a spirit of innovation and community engagement.

By facilitating discussions, workshops, and networking opportunities, the conference will empower current and future museum professionals and to expand their impact, embrace new challenges, and create meaningful connections with their audiences and communities.

Arkansas Museums Association 2025 Conference

March 31 - April 3, 2025

Washington, Arkansas

Arkansas Museums Association 2025 Conference

Monday, March 31 - Thursday, April 3, 2025

Historic Washington State Park

Washington, Arkansas

Hosted by: Arkansas Museums Association

"From the Ground Up: Cultivating Essential Skills in Museums

This year, the AMA conference theme is "From the Ground Up: Cultivating Essential Skills in Museums" As museum professionals we learn and use a wide variety of tools and skills every day

The Arkansas Museums Association is planning its 2025 Annual Conference, which will be hosted by Historic Washington State Park on March 31-April 3, 2025.

The goal of the conference is to support and foster the museum community through a mix of speakers as well as workshops, practical and informative presentations, in-depth discussions, and examples of projects and initiatives that are relevant to museums in Arkansas. Arkansas Museum Association members take ownership in the conference experience as presenters, speakers, panelists, facilitators, and workshop leaders.

For more information, please email arkansasmuseums@gmail.com.

New York Museum Association 2025 Conference in Ithaca, NY

April 5 - 8, 2025

Ithaca, New York

New York Museum Association 2025 Conference in Ithaca, NY

Saturday, April 5 - Tuesday, April 8, 2025

Ithaca Downtown Conference Center

Ithaca, New York

Hosted by: Museum Association of New York

Cultivating Community: Looking In, Reaching Ou

Who are the members of our communities? How can we evaluate our internal structures to help us better understand our organization, define our audiences, and serve our communities? How do we bring all communities together to support our field? How can we support and develop our internal community of staff, volunteers, and board members? How can we advocate for funding that meets operational capacity needs and includes equitable staff support? What changes do we need to make to prioritize the health and well-being of our museum workforce that will support the longevity and sustainability of our institutions and strengthen our ability to build meaningful community relationships

MANY presents conference sessions, workshops, panel discussions, facilitated discussions, and peer-to-peer learning experiences focusing on our 2025 conference theme, Cultivating Community: Looking In, Reaching Out. We will be gathering in Ithaca, in the Southern Tier Region of our state, located on the traditional homelands of the Gayogo̱hó:nǫɁ (the Cayuga Nation)

MANY’s annual conference helps museum professionals build a network to share perspectives, tools, and skills that develop excellence across the field. Our goal is to nurture a community of practice, advance institutional change, and create an inclusive and expansive New York team of collaborators who learn together.

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