A few attractions around town:
Ann Tower Gallery
The gallery is centrally located in the heart of downtown Lexington. Housed in the beautifully renovated Downtown Arts Center, the gallery faces Main Street and is comprised of two exhibition spaces. The Main Floor Gallery features group exhibitions, showcasing various media and also displays our varied selection of regional folk art. The Second Floor Gallery showcases one person exhibitions.http://www.anntowergallery.com/
The Arboretum began in 1991 and is continuing to boast 100 acres of year-round color and plants. Stresses melt away among the 100 acres of marvelous sights and sounds of our gardens. In the heart of Lexington, The Arboretum is easily accessable from any location in town. Once you are there, you feel like you have escaped to a paradise. It is a delightful surprise to visitors from around the world and even in our own city. Young and older alike enjoy year-round activities for the entire family.http://www.ca.uky.edu/arboretum/
Ashland, The Henry Clay Estate
The magnificent two-story brick house is the centerpiece of the Henry Clay estate. Its status as a National Historic Landmark reflects the prominence of the great statesman who developed this beautiful property and resided here for more than forty years. The museum is open to the public for tours every March thru December, and is closed January and February. For more information, contact the Henry Clay Estate at 859-266-8581 or visit www.henryclay.org.
Buster's Billiards and Backroom
Buster's is finding new life in the Lexington Distillery District – an area of former bourbon distilleries and warehouses that is being revitalized and transformed into an entertainment destination. Buster's has given the owners the opportunity to combine their favorite billiards hall with something Lexington has needed for a long time – a mid-sized music venue. The space is divided between a billiards lounge, which seeks to carry-on the Buster's vibe, and the Backroom, a state-of-the-art concert hall. The ability to host regional and national musical acts, and to provide a venue for art and performances of all types, adds dimension and excitement to Lexington's thriving arts scene, and gives Lexingtonians the opportunity to keep their entertainment dollars local. Buster's Billiards & Backroom is proud to be a part of the Lexington Distillery District, which celebrates Kentucky's heritage and culture, and hopes to contribute to the fabric of that culture for years to come. http://www.bustersbb.com/
Central Public Library Gallery
Located on the first floor of the Central Library on Main Street, the Central Library Gallery includes exhibits ranging from fine art to educational subject matter. Six to seven exhibits are scheduled each year, typically lasting six to eight weeks in length. Exhibits have included local, national and international artists. Central Library Gallery hours are Sunday, 1pm to 5pm, Monday through Thursday, 9am to 9pm and Friday and Saturday, 9am to 5pm. For more information, call 859-231-5559 or visit www.lexpublib.org
Guided Walking Tour of Historic Downtown Lexington
Learn about the history of Downtown Lexington as reflected in its historic commercial buildings, churches and homes. Tour includes Victorian Square, Lexington Opera House, Lexington History Museum, Henry Clay's Law Office, Cheapside Park, Carnegie Center for Literacy & Learning, Patterson Cabin, Transylvania University and the Homes of Gratz Park. Walk with history! Tours are offered on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings at 10am, and by appointment, year round (weather permitting), and last approximately 90 minutes. $15 per adult and $8 per child. Reservations are required for all tours. Tour begins and ends at Starbucks cafe, on the corner of Broadway Ave. and Main St. A portion of the tour fee will be donated to the Blue Grass Trust for Historic Preservation, an organization that promotes education and advocacy of preservation of the historic build environment in Lexington and surrounding counties. For more information or to make reservations, call 859-321-5897 or visit www.lexwalkingtour.com
Keeneland is a Thoroughbred horse racing facility and sales complex in Lexington. Operated by the Keeneland Association, Inc., it is also known for its reference library on the sport, which contains more than 10,000 volumes, an extensive videocassette collection, and a substantial assemblage of photo negatives and newspaper clippings.
In 2009, the Horseplayers Association of North America introduced a rating system for 65 Thoroughbred racetracks in North America. Keeneland was ranked #1 of the top ten tracks. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and designated a national historic landmark in 1986. http://www.keeneland.com/default.aspx
The Kentucky Horse Park is a working horse farm and an educational theme park opened in 1978. The equestrian facility is a 1,224-acre (4.95 km2) park dedicated to "man's relationship with the horse." Open to the public, the Park has a twice daily Parade of Breeds, showcasing both common and rare horses from across the globe. The horses are ridden in authentic costume. Each year the park is host to a number of special events and horse shows. http://kyhorsepark.com/
The Kentucky Theatre
The oldest and only operating movie theatre in Downtown Lexington, The Kentucky Theatre is a familiar Landmark to generations of Lexingtonians. It's richly ornamented walls and glowing stained glass fixtures have hosted gala events and entertained overflowing crowds since the 1920's. They have also endured hard times and disasters, both natural and manmade. And so it stands today, a true palace of memories, a hall full of comedy, tragedy, drama, adventure, and just plain fun. The Kentucky Theatre is popular not only for it's convenient location but for it's magnificent architectural significance. Multiple movie titles are shown weekly, along with midnight showings on the weekends of the Rocky Horror Picture Show and other classics. During the summer, the Kentucky Theatre hosts a series of classic movies shown weekly at discount prices. For a complete history and photo gallery, show listings and ticket prices, contact the Kentucky theatre at 859-231-7924 or visit www.kentuckytheatre.com.
Lexington History Museum
The Lexington History Museum is a 501 (c)3 Not for Profit orgainization. The Lexington History Museum engages all people in the discovery and interpretation of the history of Lexington, Ky., and the Bluegrass Region. Incorporated in 2000, the Lexington History Museum, Inc. opened in the former Fayette County Courthouse in October 2003 in a partnership with the Lexington Fayette Urban County Government. http://lexhistory.org/
Lexington Opera House
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Lexington Opera House is known as one of the premiere performing arts centers in the region. Programming at the Opera House offers something for everyone: ballet, opera, children's productions, family shows, comedy, music and professional national Broadway tours! http://www.lexingtonoperahouse.com/
University of Kentucky Art Museum
The Art Museum at the University of Kentucky is Lexington's premier art museum with a collection of over 4000 objects including European and American paintings, drawings, prints, photographs, sculpture, and decorative arts by artists ranging from Old Masters to Contemporary, as well as a selection of non-Western art. Featured artists include Alexander Calder, Thomas Gainsborough, Louise Nevelson, and Louis Comfort Tiffany, among others. The Museum also offers a full schedule of outstanding traveling exhibitions. The UK Art Museum is located on the UK Campus at the corner of Rose Street & Euclid Avenue, and is open to the public Tue - Sun: 12pm - 5pm & Fri: 12pm - 8pm. For more information, contact the UK Art Museum at 859-257-5716 or visit www.uky.edu/ArtMuseum
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