Speed Art Museum

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Southwest entry view of the Museum

The Speed Art Museum is the oldest and largest museum of art in Kentucky. It is located in Louisville, Kentucky next to the University of Louisville Belknap campus.

The museum, built in Neo-Classical style, houses over 1,200 pieces of art in its permanent collection. It contains ancient, classical, and modern art from around the world.

The museum opened its doors in 1927 and was named after James Breckenridge Speed, whose wife Hattie Speed set up the endowment that funded the museum. She specified that the museum must never charge admission. There were over 200,000 visitors in its first two weeks of operation. In 1997, the museum underwent a $12 million renovation and expansion.

Admission is still free, although a $4 donation is recommended. The museum receives around 180,000 visitors per year.