Getting in touch with local history and culture is one of the best ways to build a meaningful connection to a new city or town. Our real estate agents have spent plenty of time over the years in Bowling Green's many museums and historic sites, learning everything they can about the area's fascinating origins.

Think you might like to do the same? Get started with a visit to these five institutions near our Bowling Green homes for sale.

5 Museums and Historic Places to Visit Near Bowling Green, KY 

Kentucky Museum 

Address: 1906 College Heights Blvd., Bowling Green, KY 42101 

The Kentucky Museum sits on the northeastern edge of Bowling Green's Western Kentucky University campus. Known for their commitment to preserving Kentucky's unique regional history and culture, their permanent collection includes:  

• More than 1,000 works of art, including prints, paintings, miniatures, and folk art 
• Ceramics and glassware 
• Quilts, clothing, and textiles 
• Furniture, including everything from Gothic and Rococo styles to Mid-Century Modern pieces 
• Toys and games, including the 1,350-piece William H. McLean Toy Soldier Collection 

You can visit the museum from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday. Admission is always free, even during special events. Check their website to learn more about what they have planned for the next few months.  

Baker Arboretum and Downing Museum 

Address: 4801 Morgantown Road, Bowling Green, KY 42101 

The Baker Arboretum and Downing Museum are both run by the Jerry E. Baker Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to improving the lives of Bowling Green residents through art and education.

The museum's halls hold more than 100 works of abstract and impressionist art, including the largest surviving collection of works by Kentucky artist Joseph Dudley Downing. The arboretum, located just outside the museum, features an assortment of abstract, neoclassical, and contemporary sculptures by local artists, nestled among the trees.  

Both the museum and the arboretum are open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Admission is free, but donations are encouraged if you have some spare cash.  

South Union Shaker Village 

Address: 896 Shaker Museum Road, Auburn, KY 42206 

South Union Shaker Village was built more than two centuries ago by local Shakers, followers of a 19th-century Christian sect known for their egalitarianism and communal lifestyle. Once boasting more than 200 buildings across almost 500 acres of land near our Logan County homes for sale, the village now has just nine structures left standing.

You can tour many of these buildings during your visit, including: 

• The Centre House, a massive four-story stone structure with bedrooms, a kitchen, a communal dining room, and many examples of the peg rails the Shakers used to store things like clothing and utensils 
• The Wash House, a large communal laundry facility used by both men and women 
• The Ministry Shop, a place where the Shakers could buy items they couldn't make themselves  

The village is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Most visitors spend around an hour and a half exploring the location. Tickets cost $15 for adults, $5 for students of all ages, $10 for veterans and active-duty military, and $12 for seniors.  

Riverview at Hobson Grove Historic House Museum 

Address: 1100 W. Main Ave., Bowling Green, KY 42101 

The Riverview at Hobson Grove Historic House and Museum is one of the oldest and grandest buildings still standing in Bowling Green. The house took nearly 15 years to build, finally reaching completion in 1871. Since then, it has survived a stint as a tenant farmhouse, a major fire, and a planned demolition before being converted into a museum.  

The home has been carefully restored to its Victorian roots and filled with period-accurate artifacts that illustrate the way upper-class Bowling Green residents once lived. Visit to see things like:  

• Antique furniture and household items 
• Gorgeous crown molding and wooden fixtures 
• Ornate cornices and plasterwork on the ceilings 
• Original wood floors, paneling, and finishes   

The museum is closed to the public each year during the winter season, but it reopens for regular tours on March 3rd. After this date, you can visit from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday or from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sundays.

Tickets cost $12 for adults or $8 for kids aged 6 to 17. Students of the Warren County or Bowling Green School Districts get in for free! 

Simpson County Archives and Museum 

Address: 206 N. College St., Franklin, KY 42134 

Amateur historians and true crime fans alike will love visiting the Simpson County Archives and Museum. Housed inside an old jail near our Franklin homes for sale, this facility holds a treasure trove of historical records, such as:  

• Circuit and county court documents 
• Wills and marriage records 
• Deeds for local properties 
• Tax records for local individuals and businesses 
• Census, birth, and death records 
• Microfilm versions of old newspapers 
• Photos and maps 
• Manuscripts, scrapbooks, and family Bibles 

The museum is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. It's free to visit, and you can stay as long as you like. 

Make Bowling Green Your Home Today 

Bowling Green has a fascinating past, but its future is still being written. You and your family could be part of that story. Contact us today to get expert help navigating the Bowling Green real estate market. We'll help you find the perfect local home for your next chapter.