Corporate Buyout for Thunder Over Louisville, Pursuit of Happiness Family Day, American Patriot Mary Katharine Goddard, and More
Treat your employees and clients to a unique and unforgettable Thunder Over Louisville party!
Planes, pyrotechnics, and the best view in Lou!
Despite the weather teasing us lately, Derby season is officially racing towards us. There is no better way to kick off the festivities than with the Kentucky Derby Festival and its most electrifying tradition, Thunder Over Louisville. This year, you’ve got the unique opportunity to celebrate “Thunder in the USA” in your private party at the Frazier Kentucky History Museum—the Best Museum in Kentucky.
So picture this:
It’s Saturday, April 18—the day of 2026 Thunder Over Louisville. You’ve booked the entire Frazier Museum to host your private Thunder watch party.
You pull into one of our 100 reserved parking spaces. Within minutes, you and your family are entering the Frazier—Kentucky’s largest history museum. Seating is plentiful. Food, ice cold beer, and clean restrooms are readily available.
The kids stay entertained with interactive exhibitions, hands-on activities, and a built-in movie theater featuring their favorite cartoons. If the booms get a little loud, or there is any fear of sunburn (or frostbite!), they can watch the show comfortably from indoors.
The Frazier’s Merkley Kendrick Rooftop Garden.
The Frazier offers not only a scenic rooftop view of the Ohio River, but instant access to the I-64 East on-ramp. Credit: Jesse Hurt.
From the Merkley Kendrick Jewelers Rooftop Garden, with the perfect view of the Ohio River, you have a front-row seat to the aviation acrobatics and military flyovers. When the sun sets, you are perfectly positioned for the largest annual fireworks display in the nation, lighting up the Louisville skyline right in front of you.
Then the grand finale. Fireworks burst across the sky. The crowd cheers. It’s late, you’re happily exhausted, and the kids are past bedtime. Normally, this is when the real challenge begins: an hour of standstill traffic for a 10-mile drive.
But not this time.
You leave the Frazier parking lot, immediately turn onto the bypass, and glide past the gridlock and road closures that once defined your Thunder experience. As you head home, you glance at the passenger seat and say: “I hope they do this for us again next year.”
Let us help you make this Thunder your most comfortable, elevated, and unforgettable yet. Reach out to reserve your museum and rooftop garden buyout and claim the best view in Lou! Learn more online or contact us to book a site visit at events@fraziermuseum.org or (502) 587-0941.
I look forward to hearing from you!
In today’s Frazier Weekly, Andy hits the road with the Louisville Orchestra, Tori announces our March 14 Pursuit of Happiness Family Day, and Mick spotlights an American Patriot for Women’s History Month. Plus, we’ve finalized the tastings and pairings for Thursday’s program with Four Roses. And find out how two Kentuckians featured in our Cool Kentucky exhibition are taking the world by storm—from Chicago to Milano Cortina!
Samantha Wilcox
Event Sales Manager
Frazier Kentucky History Museum
This Week in the Museum
Frazier Joins Louisville Orchestra on In Harmony Tour Stops in Berea, Frankfort, and Danville
The Frazier’s Casey Harden shares the museum’s 120: Cool KY Counties exhibit at the Berea Branch of the Madison County Public Library, February 25, 2026.
Louisville Orchestra performs at Madison Southern High School in Berea, Kentucky, February 25, 2026.
Hey all, late last week the Frazier Kentucky History Museum began traveling around the Commonwealth with the Louisville Orchestra as it continues on its transformational In Harmony tour.
We are grateful to be included, and we had the most incredible time meeting Kentuckians in Berea (Madison County), Frankfort (Franklin County), and Danville (Boyle County). Watching conductor Teddy Abrahms and the world-class musicians of the Louisville Orchestra perform was a gift.
Like our friends at the Orchestra, our team at the Frazier believes that through songs, stories, and human connection, we can narrow the urban-rural divide. The Frazier’s mission is to engage, educate, and inspire by connecting Kentucky’s past with its present. It was very gratifying to see that mission accomplished at every library, every school, every gymnasium, and every concert hall that hosted our 120: Cool KY Counties traveling exhibit.
But if I had to select one word to describe the people of Kentucky, that word would be proud! These folks are incredibly proud of the communities that shape them, the stories and songs that represent them, and the connections they have with their hometowns—all hometowns in this great Commonwealth of Kentucky.
Thanks again to the Louisville Orchestra and Kentucky’s General Assembly for doing the work, supporting the work, and allowing us to partner in it.
Our team heard time and time again from folks that there is a lot more that unites us than divides us. As Kentuckians, pride in our heritage is right at the heart of it.
Andy Treinen
President & CEO
Join Us March 14 for Pursuit of Happiness Family Day!
Pursuit of Happiness Family Day flyer.
Make sure to mark your calendars, as I am pleased to announce our first Family Day at the Frazier Museum in 2026!
Join us for a Family Day celebrating happiness and what happiness means to us personally, inspired by the Frazier’s America250 exhibition Pursuit of Happiness! On Saturday, March 14, experience the Pursuit of Happiness exhibition firsthand, as you and your families explore and discover the stories of thirteen historical figures who lived during 1776 when the Declaration of Independence was signed. With admission to the event, you and your family can engage in a series of hands-on crafts and activities provided by the Frazier’s Education team. You can participate in museum-wide scavenger hunts, take guided tours, and meet various local partners. You can witness the many wonders of Kentucky and the happiness it brings to both residents and travelers during a screening of KentuckyShow! in our Brown-Forman Theatre. Plus, you can explore all three floors of museum exhibitions, including Aflora and Davis Jewelers’ Love & Marriage! The Frazier Kentucky History Museum’s Pursuit of Happiness Family Day will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. We’ll see you there!
Keep an eye out for next week’s Open Letter, where I will share the details of Family Day—including the various organizations we have partnered with to be there!
Tori Kennedy
Manager of Youth & Family Programs
How Printer Mary Katharine Goddard Risked her Life for the America Revolution
Detail of Goddard broadside of the Declaration of Independence, 1777. Note the appearance of printer Mary Katharine Goddard’s full name at the bottom.
Detail of section about Mary Katharine Goddard in the Frazier’s Pursuit of Happiness exhibition, January 16, 2026.
One my favorite things about our Pursuit of Happiness exhibition is that visitors will encounter people from the time of America’s Revolution from all walks of life. One of my favorites is Mary Katherine Goodard. She was a printer and business owner who put her own life at great risk. In 1777, she was commissioned by Congress to print the first copy of the Declaration of Independence to include the names of all the signers.
In the event that the Revolution failed, the men knew that their names on the document would amount to treason.
Typically, broadsides printed at Goddard’s business carried the name “M.K. Goddard.” However, for this one, Goddard used her full name, making it clear both who she was—and that she was a woman. It put her life on the line as it did for the men who signed the Declaration.
When you visit the Frazier, you can test your thinking skills and try to spell words in printmaking typeset, much as Goddard would have done. You’ll be surprised how hard it is to think backwards!
This is just one example of the many incredible stories we’ll share on each and every tour during March’s celebration of Women’s History Month. Each tour will include remarkable stories of women who left their marks on history, the country, and Kentucky.
Mick Sullivan
Curator of Guest Experience
Curator’s Corner: Oksana Masters to Compete at 2026 Winter Paralympics in Milano Cortina
A case of items on loan from Oksana Masters on display in the Competitive Kentucky gallery in Cool Kentucky, 2026.
A bronze medal won by Oksana Masters in rowing in the 2012 Paralympic Summer Games in London, 2026.
If you are anything like me, you have spent the past few weeks enthralled, watching random sports where men and women hurl themselves down varying heights of snow and ice. Whether it’s snowboarding, skeleton, ski mountaineering, or curling, I love watching the many winter sports that are so foreign to someone who has lived their entire life in Kentucky. Though the Winter Olympics have ended, never fear—the Paralympic Winter Games begin on March 6! I would argue that the Paralympic Games are even more impressive to watch, as athletes with disabilities of all kinds perform athletic feats that I am nowhere near capable of.
Another reason why I love the Paralympics is because I get to root for Louisvillian Oksana Masters. You have probably already seen her recently, starring in commercials that aired during the Super Bowl and the Winter Olympics. Oksana was born in the Ukraine with birth defects related to the Chernobyl disaster and later adopted by Gay Masters, a single mother who moved with Oksana to Louisville in 2001. She began her athletic career in rowing and mastered multiple sports to compete in events in both the winter and summer Paralympics. She has won medals at both the winter and summer Paralympic Games and is the most decorated winter Paralympic athlete of all time. Her medal count includes ten golds, seven silvers, and three bronzes.
This year, Oksana will compete at the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games in Milano Cortina. She will compete in para cross-country skiing beginning on Tuesday, March 10, and para biathlon beginning on Saturday, March 7.
Once you have watched Oksana ski, be sure to stop by the Frazier to see some amazing items from some of Oksana’s previous Paralympic Games, including uniforms, a custom rowing seat, and her bronze medal in rowing from the 2012 Paralympic Games in London. We’re so thankful to Oksana and her mom Gay for always letting us borrow such cool things to have on display in Cool Kentucky.
Amanda Briede
Sr. Curator of Exhibitions
Four Roses Tasting Lineup & Cultured Food Pairings Announced for March 5 Program!
Bottles of Four Roses OBSO Frazier Barrel Selection will be available for purchase (while supplies last)!
We’re excited announce the tasting lineup and food pairings guests can enjoy at our March 5 program Behind the Roses!
The Four Roses Bourbon tasting lineup includes: Four Roses Yellow Label, Four Roses Small Batch, Four Roses Small Batch Select, and Four Roses Single Barrel.
Cultured Cheese & Charcuterie Bar will pair small bites specifically curated to compliment every offering in the Four Roses lineup. The Cultured pairings include: white cheddar cheese, Norwood (alpine style cheese), Manchego (aged sheep cheese), dried cherries, dates, chocolate-covered blueberries, Genoa salami, and fennel salami.
Spots are limited, so snag your ticket today! We’ll see you Thursday.
Simon Meiners
Communications & Research Specialist
Reap the Benefits with Family Contributor and Traveler Memberships!
A visitor reads at the book nook in the Frazier’s Cool Kentucky exhibition.
“Easy access to a world-class museum,” as one of our members said, is what membership at the Frazier is all about. Not only does membership provide more in-depth experiences at the museum, it provides more access at a greater value. Membership extends beyond admission, providing meaningful experiences and significant savings.
With our Family Contributor and Traveler memberships, the value adds up quickly, and you could see savings in as little as two visits. With free admission and parking, select programs, and discounts in the Museum Shop, memberships are a cost-effective solution to explore Kentucky's history.
The value of these memberships extends beyond the Frazier. With the North American Reciprocal Museum (NARM) Membership benefit our Family Contributors and Travelers receive, discounted or free admission is available at more than 1,000 museums across North America.
Become a member and start seeing savings today!
To learn more about our membership levels, visit fraziermuseum.org/membership or call (502) 753-1031.
Gwendolyn Gray
Membership Coordinator
On the Trail with Abby: Limestone Branch Distillery in Marion County
On the Trail with Abby graphic.
Bourbon tourism is booming—and the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® is growing faster than ever! Each week, the Frazier’s Abby Flanders takes readers on a digital stop-by-stop tour of this expanding adventure, spotlighting the distilleries, stories, and expressions behind America’s native spirit. Ready to hit the trail in real life? Start your journey at the Frazier Kentucky History Museum, home of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® Welcome Center.
Exterior of Limestone Branch Distillery in Lebanon, Marion County, Kentucky.
If you find yourself in Lebanon, Kentucky, make time for Limestone Branch Distillery. It’s run by brothers Steve and Paul Beam—yes, those Beams—who are direct descendants of James Beam and Joseph Washington Dant, known for creating the log still distillation technique. Creating just two barrels of Bourbon per day, the beautiful distillery focuses on a craft experience.
They’re the folks behind Yellowstone, a brand originally released in 1872 and named for the National Park, which was established that same year. Limestone Branch also produces Minor Case, named for Minor Case Beam, a pre-Prohibition distiller whose chapter of the family story nearly faded away. On the Trail®, Limestone Branch is a charming stop. Bottle your own Yellowstone or try a guided whiskey and cigar pairing. Cheers!
Abby Flanders
Administrative Chief of Engagement
History All Around Us
Louisville Quilt Artist Sunshine Joe Mallard Storms Chicago!
Joe Mallard poses with his Obama Tie Quilt, 2024.
He is one of my all-time favorite people, and I am over the moon to tell you the rest of the country is discovering what we already know in Louisville: Sunshine Joe Mallard is an extraordinary quilt artist, and an even better human being.
Joe has a quilt called Hey You on display in the Cool Kentucky exhibition here at the Frazier Kentucky History Museum. A few years ago, when Joe served on a panel at a quilting program here at the museum, he said his dream was to have another one of his pieces—Obama Tie Quilt—accepted into the Obama Presidential Center still under construction in Chicago.
With a little help from his friends and admirers, including the Frazier, it happened a few months later. Since that publicity, doors have been opening for him.
Joe’s talent, his optimism, and the depth of his story resonate with everyone he meets.
He learned to stitch from his great-great-grandmother who had been enslaved and taught him not to hate and basically to spread his sunshine.
And he has been ever since. Sunshine Joe was a nickname he got years later from a student who said he lit up the classroom on his visit.
Sunshine Joe Mallard meets with students at University of Chicago Laboratory School, 2026.
Sunshine Joe Mallard meets with students at University of Chicago Laboratory School, 2026.
His most recent gig was in Chicago, where two quilting guilds brought him in for workshops and to be the keynote speaker for a public gathering.
He also visited the University of Chicago Laboratory School where President Obama’s children attended.
He shared his art with students from grades one through eight.
One of the local TV stations did a story on his visit.
Joe tells me he felt like a rock star with people lining up for autographs and to get their picture taken with him.
He’ll soon head to Nebraska as the featured speaker at the International Quilting Museum where his quilts will be displayed.
Joe no longer has to seek out speaking engagements—the requests now come to him.
Keep on shining, Sunshine Joe. You deserve every bit of it!
Rachel Platt
VP of Mission
