The Kentucky Derby Museum, where every day is Derby day, is the official tour provider of historic Churchill Downs. When you visit the Museum, you …
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Jul 2, 2024
The Derby Museum is worth checking out for some good history on the derby. In addition to checking out all the exhibits, you can place fake bets on races and play an arcade like horse racing game. Wi… Full review by Garfieldluvr
Jun 22, 2024
What an experience! One we will never forget! We reserved a tour of the backside and special areas of the track/complex. There were only 7 people on the tour plus our tour guide, Stan. You can Dtan r… Full review by Janice C
Jun 1, 2024
The Kentucky Derby Musuem was both educational and fun! Took my niece and nephew who enjoyed it learning about the horses and going into Churchill Downs. Plenty to do inside with the wrap around movi… Full review by T3137CGlindab
How much walking for the Churchill Downs tour? Are there scooters or wheelchairs available?
A:
Don't know about scooters or wheelchairs, we did not see anybody in them during our visit. The tour is only one-half hour and you see very little of the track and the facilities. You …
Don't know about scooters or wheelchairs, we did not see anybody in them during our visit. The tour is only one-half hour and you see very little of the track and the facilities. You essentially walk along the "Wall of Fame" of part Derby winners with a few stories of some of the more notable horses. Then you go into the grandstand and walk down to the trackside rail. After that, you are done and led back into the museum which is not very large. The best part of the whole experience is the movie in 360-degree surround, where you stand, that covers the history of the derby and the breeding of derby horses. It is about a half-hour long and worth the price of admission alone. All told, we spent about two hours at Churchill Downs. The parking lots are huge as can be expected and they have golf carts running around ferrying guests, at least on the way back to our car. I guess they certainly would have adequate handicap parking and transport if needed. One last thought, we did not know there would be racing on the day of our visit. We had an itinerary set to do other things in the Louisville area but we would have loved to stay and watch a few races, take in the aura of CD and maybe even make a couple of $2 bets. Our planning mistake.
If I have a General Walking tour ticket for 10:30 AM, can I tour the museum and/or view the movie prior to that time? Or is 10:30 AM my admission to the whole venue?
A:
You can arrive as soon as the venue opens and tour the museum until your tour starts. They will direct you when and where to meet prior to your tour. You can then visit the …
You can arrive as soon as the venue opens and tour the museum until your tour starts. They will direct you when and where to meet prior to your tour. You can then visit the venue following your tour as well. Have Fun!
On the website I see there are many different types of tours. I have a family of 5 (3 kids 10,10,7). Would the general admission & historic waking tour be good or should I go for a more specific tour? Will we miss a lot? We’re not big into horse racing, but I’d love to visit to learn more and see this iconic place.
A:
The general admission and historic walking tour is a great start and is fairly economical. Be sure to watch the Greatest Race movie. It is one of the my favorite parts of my visit. I took …
The general admission and historic walking tour is a great start and is fairly economical. Be sure to watch the Greatest Race movie. It is one of the my favorite parts of my visit. I took the behind the scenes tour and really enjoyed seeing Millionaires Row and Mansion areas. The training and backside tours were not offered on my visit because it was offseason. I would think the horse-involved tours would be really interesting. Like you, I am not a big horse racing enthusiast. I stopped in because I was in town and looking for something to do. After my tour I have started to tentatively plan for attending the Derby. I feel like I have to be part of it at some point. I hope you have a great experience here.
On days when there is racing, does the historic walking tour (included in the Kentucky Derby Museum ticket price) still occur?
A:
Yes, even on race days, our historic walking tour still goes out to the track! If you're lucky, you might be able to catch a race, but you do have to stay with the tour group while on Churchill …
Yes, even on race days, our historic walking tour still goes out to the track! If you're lucky, you might be able to catch a race, but you do have to stay with the tour group while on Churchill Downs' property. We are closed on Thurby, Oaks and Derby, and no tours go out those days.
How far in advance should I book tickets for the 4 hour golf cart tour of Churchill Downs? Planning a trip to Louisville the first week of October 2020.
A:
DeeDee, we are excited for your trip! Tickets are available for purchase now for our Golf Cart Tours in 2020, but you certainly can wait a bit to book. Thank you for planning a trip to our …
DeeDee, we are excited for your trip! Tickets are available for purchase now for our Golf Cart Tours in 2020, but you certainly can wait a bit to book. Thank you for planning a trip to our Museum!
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Frequently asked questions
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Where can I park?
A:
Guests of the Kentucky Derby Museum may generally park free of charge at Churchill Downs. However, race days may affect which lots Museum guests can use. For the...
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