Portland Museum (Louisville) facts for kids
Portland Museum in 2008
|
|
| Established | 1978 |
|---|---|
| Location | 2308 Portland Avenue Louisville, Kentucky 40212 |
| Type | History, Art |
The Portland Museum is a cool place in Louisville, Kentucky, where you can learn about history and art from the local neighborhood. It tells the story of the Portland area. This area was once its own town in the early 1800s. Later, it became part of Louisville after the Louisville and Portland Canal was built.
The museum is made up of three main buildings. One is Beech Grove, a large house built in the 1800s with a special Italianate style. Another is the old Portland Bridge Baptist Mission Building, which is connected to Beech Grove. The third is the AHOY House, a Victorian home next to the museum that has been updated. The museum is also working to fix up the old 1812 Squire Earick House.
Contents
Museum History
How the Museum Started
The Portland Museum was first started by seven teachers. They worked at the old Roosevelt Elementary School. They received a special grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to help them begin.
The museum's first collection was made up of scrapbooks. These scrapbooks came from different families in the local area. Over time, the collection grew much bigger. It now includes many different items, paintings, and other cool things donated by people who live nearby.
Moving to a New Home
When Roosevelt Elementary School closed in 1980, the museum had to move. It went to the Brown School for a short time. Then, in 1983, the museum found its permanent home. This is where it is located today.
What You Can See
Famous People and Art
The museum has special displays about famous people from the Portland neighborhood. One exhibit shows paintings by the well-known artist John James Audubon. He was famous for painting birds.
In 2014, the museum opened a new permanent collection. This collection features items donated by Paul Hornung. He was a famous football star. You can also find a special room where students can learn about printing books.
The AHOY Project
The Portland neighborhood has been working to make things better. As part of this effort, the museum bought another Victorian home in 2020. This house is right next to the museum.
They have been turning this house into a fun and interactive space for kids. It is called AHOY. Danny Seim, who is part of the indie rock group Menomena, became a co-director of the museum in 2019. He is now in charge of the AHOY project.
More to Explore
