oscar getz museum of whiskey history

This is a tiny, local museum packed with information on whiskey and its history. It's very nicely laid out and a nice way to spend an hour in between bourbon tastings.

The Whiskey Museum is an eclectic collection of whiskey-related memorabilia (posters, bottles, shot glasses), and Bardstown Civil War era artifacts. You won't learn about whiskey making -- for this, visit a distillery -- but you will spend a worthwhile and enjoyable hour or two.

The Oscar Getz Museum is located in Spalding Hall within walking distance from downtown Bardstown. Spalding Hall in itself is steeped in history having been constructed around 1819. It has served as a college, a seminary, a hospital during the Civil War, an orphanage, and a boys prep school. The Getz Museum contains an extensive collection of artifacts and documents covering all aspects of the whisky industry from pre-Colonial days, Prohibition years, up to the present day. Everything you ever wanted to learn about whisky making can be found in this museum. If you took time to read all the materials displayed on the walls and in the various rooms, it would take a couple of hours. We spent about an hour and were well educated by the time we left. This is a neat museum in a great old, historic building, and well worth your time.

If one is doing the Bourbon Trail, this museum is a must-see. Lots of information about the history of whiskey making, displays showing the process and a great collection of ads, bottles and stories behind the history. Take your time – there is a lot to see.

There is so much information about the history of bourbon here! It's free! Allow yourself sufficient time to learn about the history of Kentucky bourbon.

The museum is a delightful and amazing collection of the history of whiskey making. Just strolling through each room with the wealth of memorabilia brings one closer to understanding the distillery process, the fascination with making bourbon and all the history associated with it. While it started from a large collection of Oscar Getz, it continues to grow with new donations. A great place to stop and learn more about whiskey making. Plus it is free!

We visited the museum during the kickoff of the Bourbon Festival. It is jam-packed with whisky history - pictures, bottles, and artifacts of all kinds. They didn't offer a guided tour (not sure if they have any), but we preferred going at our own pace anyway. It's a hidden treasure in the heart of Bardstown.

I have been through the Getz museum several times and will enjoy going through it again. Lots of rooms with interesting history and artifacts. Admission is free.

The Bourbon Heritage Center at Heaven Hill is worth a visit, but this little museum houses a collection that they must envy. One wing includes priceless artifacts from the early days of whiskey distilling in Kentucky, while the other consists of rooms filled with memorabilia from each of the major distilleries. Even a devoted teetotaler would probably be fascinated by the display of Prohibition-era material. The curator on duty was knowledgeable and happy to answer questions. My wife, who once worked for a distillery, was also impressed. It would be a shame to travel the Bourbon Trail without including what we regarded as one of the highlights of our days in Kentucky. It should be noted that the museum is NOT in Loretto, but rather on Stephen Foster Blvd. in Bardstown, near My Old Kentucky Home. Admission is free, but donations are accepted.

The artifacts in this museum were really interesting. One section of the museum showed different things related to making bourbon; distilling, making the barrels, bottling and selling. The other section had space for the many different distilleries in Kentucky. Amazing history of a big part of Kentucky culture.

Nice historical perspective on how Bourbon came to be ......what it takes to make bourbon, why bourbon is unique as a whisky vs a whiskey

The museum is free, first of all, so why not stop in? Tons of history, whether bourbon is your thing or not. Glass cases and shelves full of old bottles, tools, labels, and facts about whiskey and bourbon throughout the small museum. 45 minutes will get you through the entire hall. A special focus on prohibition and repeal in one of the hallways was quite interesting. Neat old building and cool little museum. Check it out if you are in Bardstown!

Stroll around Bardstown and venture over for a piece of whiskey history.

Great museum on the lovely campus of the former St. Joseph College and Seminary. The grounds are lovely and the museum has some great displays and is full of information about bourbon. If you are on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail this is a must see to get a little history about Bourbon in Kentucky. There is also a small section for the Bardstown History Museum which has some interesting exhibits. Definitely worth a look!