Kentucky Derby Museum

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Holds ceremonies and receptions

4.9

Praised by couples for:

Amenities

Quality catering

Helpful staff

The Kentucky Derby Museum was the absolute perfect venue for our daughter's wedding! The venue itself has so much to offer ranging from special curated spaces to spacious reception opportunities, and the most delicious caterer. What makes choosing the Kentucky Derby Museum even more perfect is the staff members they appoint to assisting with all of the planning and details - couldn't have been happier!!

Amy H.

5.0

We recently had our wedding at the Kentucky Derby Museum, and I can't say enough good things about it! I knew ahead of time the venue itself was absolutely gorgeous, but I realized after the ceremony that the staff’s adaptability really made things work. Like every wedding, it seemed ours had a few hiccups, but they handled every detail with care and made the day completely stress-free for us. They handled everything with all the vendors and I wasn’t stressed at all! One of the highlights was during the cocktail hour, when our guests were able to interact with the exhibits. I love horse racing, and I wanted to give our out of town guests something to remember. It really added something unique and fun to the event and gave everyone (young and old) an opportunity to get to know one another. A special shoutout to Morgan, who was especially helpful throughout the entire process. She was exceptional. She is the perfect person every bride wants to have on their team! Shes so so kind, easy to get along with, managed every detail and made sure it went perfectly! If I could hire her to manage my life, I totally would. From planning to execution to meeting unique challenges, they were always there to answer our questions and ensure everything went smoothly. Also wanted to give a shout out to the lovely staff there. We ended up having to leave later than expected, and they made time to meet me the next morning to grab my stuff, AND give me the left over ice cream my guests didn’t eat! I cannot overstate how kind everyone was to us, how helpful, easy to talk to, and amazing everyone was!! If you’re considering a wedding venue that offers elegance, a touch of history, and a great team then you have hit a trifect with the Kentucky Derby Museum!

Taylor D.

5.0

Deals

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Microwedding Package

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Located near the heart of Louisville, KY, the Kentucky Derby Museum is a unique wedding venue that blends classic elegance with contemporary charm. Invite us to your big day, and we'll make your wedding dreams a reality. Our on-site wedding host is ready to guide you effortlessly through the entire process for up to 2,000 guests. From an elegant ceremony complete with 360° movie screens to project your story in The Great Hall to our 2nd-floor event space or our climate-controlled, open-air Oaks Garden Terrace, we have several great spaces to match your needs. You can even create a fun and memorable reception throughout the entire museum. What You'll Love About Kentucky Derby Museum With Kentucky Derby Museum, you choose from a range of comprehensive services. The team can help you plan all your sparkling milestones, including your proposal, wedding rehearsal, ceremony, and pre-wedding festivity. They'll be by your side every step of the way!

41+ years in business

Speaks English

Small team (2-10 members)

Amenities + details

Amenities

Ceremony Area

Covered Outdoors Space

Dressing Room

Handicap Accessible

Indoor Event Space

Liability Insurance

On-Site Accommodations

Outdoor Event Space

Reception Area

Wireless Internet

Ceremony Types

Civil Union

Commitment Ceremony

Elopement

Interfaith Ceremony

Non-Religious Ceremony

Religious Ceremony

Second Wedding

Vow Renewal Ceremony

Settings

Ballroom

Barn

Farm & Ranch

Historic Venue

Museum

Tented

Venue Service Offerings

Bar & Drinks

Food & Catering

Service Staff

Any questions?

Meet the team

Maddy Riley

Events Manager

Born and raised in the small town of Elizabeth, Indiana, a proud Indiana University alum, and currently pursuing my MBA at the University of Louisville. I’ve always had a passion for creating meaningful, joy-filled experiences, and there’s nothing I love more than helping couples bring their dream wedding day to life. In my free time, I enjoy baking, traveling, attending baseball games, and staying active. There’s just something magical about being part of a love story and I’m here to help make sure yours is unforgettable from start to finish.

4.9

out of 5.0

10 reviews

Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.

Search reviews

Taylor D

Highlighted review.

10/30/2024

We recently had our wedding at the Kentucky Derby Museum, and I can't say enough good things about it! I knew ahead of time the venue itself was absolutely gorgeous, but I realized...

after the ceremony that the staff’s adaptability really made things work. Like every wedding, it seemed ours had a few hiccups, but they handled every detail with care and made the day completely stress-free for us. They handled everything with all the vendors and I wasn’t stressed at all! One of the highlights was during the cocktail hour, when our guests were able to interact with the exhibits. I love horse racing, and I wanted to give our out of town guests something to remember. It really added something unique and fun to the event and gave everyone (young and old) an opportunity to get to know one another. A special shoutout to Morgan, who was especially helpful throughout the entire process. She was exceptional. She is the perfect person every bride wants to have on their team! Shes so so kind, easy to get along with, managed every detail and made sure it went perfectly! If I could hire her to manage my life, I totally would. From planning to execution to meeting unique challenges, they were always there to answer our questions and ensure everything went smoothly. Also wanted to give a shout out to the lovely staff there. We ended up having to leave later than expected, and they made time to meet me the next morning to grab my stuff, AND give me the left over ice cream my guests didn’t eat! I cannot overstate how kind everyone was to us, how helpful, easy to talk to, and amazing everyone was!! If you’re considering a wedding venue that offers elegance, a touch of history, and a great team then you have hit a trifect with the Kentucky Derby Museum!

Response from Kentucky Derby Museum on 10/03/2025

Thank you so much for this review! We love hearing your perfect day was everything you'd ...

hoped for!

Amy H

8/11/2026

The Kentucky Derby Museum was the absolute perfect venue for our daughter's wedding! The venue itself has so much to offer ranging from special curated spaces to spacious receptio...

n opportunities, and the most delicious caterer. What makes choosing the Kentucky Derby Museum even more perfect is the staff members they appoint to assisting with all of the planning and details - couldn't have been happier!!

Response from Kentucky Derby Museum on 08/14/2026

Thank you so much! We are thrilled to hear you had a wonderful experience while celebratin...

g your daughter's special day. Our team is happy to help throughout the process. We are wishing your daughter a lifetime of wonderful memories!

Any questions?

Devin O

10/18/2024

Our wedding reception was held at Kentucky Derby Museum in July and I can't say enough great things about it. From planning, to load in/load out, and day-of coordination - the KDM ...

team was amazing! They were responsive, professional, organized, and thoughtful. They had thought about things that I hadn't even considered. Our cocktail hour was held in the Great Hall and guests were able to tour the museum exhibits while enjoying drinks. We had a large number of guests from out of town and they loved being able to see the museum. Our reception was held in the newly renovated Oaks Terrace Garden and it was a dream! Our guests are still raving about it. The museum has a very close partnership with Rosemary's Catering and the food and service was INCREDIBLE. I have had several people tell me it was the best meal they have ever had at a wedding. My husband and I were all over the place and still managed to clear our plates. The museum and caterers work so closely that you don't have to worry about anything. I would highly recommend Kentucky Derby Museum for any event! The KDM team made everything feel effortless!

Allison F

11/19/2023

The Derby Museum went above and beyond what we asked for. The staff is so professional, timely, and kind. All questions were answered within one day, and it's clear they are very o...

rganized. I would highly recommend this venue to anyone getting married in Louisville. Our out of town guests loved it too!

Amia F

2/12/2021

My husband and I could not have asked for a better experience than what the Kentucky Derby Museum provided for us. The entire staff were beyond amazing, making sure every detail of...

our vision was brought to life. The venue was stunning, the food was delicious and the setup was absolutely beautiful! Everything from the beginning to the end was done so effortlessly and we cannot thank each and every one of you enough for providing such exceptional service. We look forward to working with the KDM again in the future and highly recommend anyone looking for a venue for all occasions to consider the Kentucky Derby Museum!

Morgan H

10/26/2016

I got married 10-1-16 at the Derby muesum. They were very accommodating to a bride that was freaking out the whole time and very accommodating to the weather. Every guest has said ...

what an awesome venue it was and how great the food was! Definitely the most magically day of my life.

Cindy F

7/07/2015

A lot of our guest were from out of town so we wanted to show off Kentucky and our beautiful Museum. We did the ceremony outside and the reception inside. During our cocktail hour ...

our guest enjoyed drinks and appetizers while they toured the museum, opened only to our guest. Then the reception hall opened up and later we entered to the bugler, call to the post. It was beautifully set up. We played the 15 min movie on the 360* screen the circles the room and then froze the screen at the end to display red roses for the whole reception. The servers were wonderful and Carrie and Tori were very helpful and so nice. Food was wonderful! Highly recommend!

Heather H

6/17/2015

We recently held our wedding reception at the Kentucky Derby Museum! The event went off without a hitch. The event coordinators with the museum were super helpful! They let us get ...

things done far in advance so that we would not have to worry close to the day! It is clear they are professionals and know what they are doing. Sometimes it took a day or two to get ahold of them, but for us that was not a problem! We sent our guests to Churchill Downs in between the wedding and the reception, so it was very convenient. After the track guests were able to make their way to the museum. Our out of town guest loved being able to wonder around the track and the museum. They found the exhibits to be a great way to help pass the time during cocktail hour. We have only received amazing feedback from all of our guests! If you are looking for a local feel and a great place for out of town guests, we would highly recommend using the Derby Museum for ant event!

Krista P

5/14/2014

We had our wedding here and the venue was absolutely beautiful. I even got a few notes in the mail telling me what a great time they had at our wedding and how fabulous the food/ve...

nue was. The staff was so helpful leading up to the wedding, and they never made me feel like an inconvenience. Trust me, I bugged these lovely people alot. They did an excellent job helping coordinate and help with my set-up. I brought stuff there two days early, they helped me pack it into the museum and stored it for me (not that this was in a contract anywhere, but this is just a testament to how above and beyond their staff is). We did not use any type of a wedding planner. They provided me with a site coordinator and a door greater to watch the presents and make sure we didnt have any wedding crashers. During the event everything went perfectly smooth. A few notes on price. We paid basically admission cost per person to rent the museum. Note that our wedding was 3-15 which is NOT when the track is open, so I can't speak for how this would change during season. Also, there is ample free parking! They have all the tables and either the white wood chairs or the black cushioned ones you can use for free. The dance floor and screen are both an additional 500$ each, unfortunately. At this point you must use their caterer for food and alc, The Silver Spoon. That's where things get expensive. But my gosh, the food is great. We got alot of complements on the food too, especially those bacon mango chutney apps, yum. They coordinate the rentals for you through reliable rentals for whatever else you might need. Basically just forward you the bill, but you can go to the shop and pick out tablecloths, plates etc if you want.

Amanda Belle M

10/12/2011

I was so grateful my husband's parents chose this for our rehearsal dinner. The space was lovely. The food was tasty. Our out of town guests loved experiencing a local landmark!

Service area & Contact info

704 Central Ave, Louisville, KY

Open map

(502) 814-3023

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Kentucky Derby Museum

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