Here are 7 places to visit for free in Louisville this winter
This winter is the perfect time to be a hometown tourist. And with the seemingly high cost of everything, who doesn't love when those activities are free?
You can visit the 21c Museum Hotel gallery, which is known for its collection of 21st-century art; take a walk or bike across the Big Four Bridge; visit Cave Hill Cemetery and see the resting place of Muhammad Ali, among other famous Kentuckians and more.
Here are seven free activities you can do around Louisville this winter.
21c Museum Hotel Gallery
WHAT: The contemporary art gallery with colorful penguin sculptures is known for its collection of 21st-century art, rotating exhibitions, site-specific installations, a dedicated video lounge, with a commitment to making contemporary art accessible to everyone. Located on Main Street’s historic Museum Row, 21c Museum Hotel Louisville is the world’s first museum hotel. The museum showcases the work of living artists from around the world. Features solo exhibition, permanent and commissioned installations. Guided tours are available.
WHERE: 700 W. Main St., Louisville
WHEN: Daily
Big Four Bridge
WHAT: The Big Four Bridge connects Louisville Waterfront Park to Jeffersonville, Indiana via a pedestrian bridge over the Ohio River. It was built as a railroad bridge in 1895, and decommissioned in the 1960s, when the ramps to the bridge on both sides of the river were removed. Now you can walk or ride your bike the entire bridge and take in the scenic views. There are restrooms on both side.
WHERE: Louisville Waterfront Park, on Louisville side; Jeffersonville downtown on Indiana side
WHEN: Daily
Cave Hill Cemetery
WHAT: This cemetery is known for its beauty and rich history and is the final resting place of Muhammad Ali, world renowned boxer and Colonel Sanders, of the KFC empire, and more. The 300-acre site is filled with unique headstones and monuments, tree lined hills, ponds and small gardens with beautiful foliage. Get a detailed map of the cemetery at the office to navigate the gardens, locate notable graves including a large Civil War section.
WHERE: 701 Baxter Ave.
WHEN: Daily, 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.
Flame Run Gallery
WHAT: Flame Run is the only gallery dedicated to glass art in the state of Kentucky. It features the work of Brook Forrest White, Jr. and acclaimed artists from all over the globe. Take a tour of the gallery and watch the artists at work. Exhibits rotate every two months. It also offers glassblowing lesson designed to teach you how to craft your own glass creations (for a charge).
WHERE: Glassworks Building, 815 W. Market St.
WHEN: Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 4 p.m.
Louisville Free Public Library
WHAT: The library system has plenty of free activities for all ages, from toddlers to adults. Most are free including story time, yoga, teen lounge, game night, computer classes, readings and more. Find the library in your neighborhood and check the calendar.
Officials announced the reopening of the Portland Library on Dec. 2, 2025, following nearly $10 million in renovations. The library, located at 3305 Northwestern Parkway, includes a 5,400-square-foot addition, a larger collection of books and materials, additional computers, dedicated spaces for children and teens, new meeting spaces and a makerspace.
WHERE: Louisville Free Public Library locations
WHEN: Daily
Tour Old Louisville
WHAT: Walk or drive through the Old Louisville neighborhood and admire the Victorian architecture. Most of the historic architecture in these 45 square blocks was built between 1880-1910. There is an array of styles, including Beaux Arts, Chateauesque, Italianate, Neoclassical, Queen Anne, Renaissance Revival, Richardsonian-Romanesque, Second Empire, Tudor Revival, and Venetian Gothic. Get a map of the tree-lined streets, Victorian houses, and gardens from the Old Louisville Visitor Center, 1340 S. 4th St.
WHERE: Old Louisville
WHEN: The Historic Old Louisville Visitors Center is open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., closed Wednesdays
Seelbach Hotel Historic Tour
WHAT: Take a tour of the 120-year-old Seelbach Hotel, with historian Larry Johnson. Hear stories of the people that have visited the property over the last century including Al Capone, the legendary mobster, United States presidents and rock stars. Explore the spaces that make the Seelbach one of the most unique and historic hotels in the country, elaborate escape tunnels. Learn about the famed “Lady in Blue” and other supernatural spirits.
From presidents to mobsters to a wedding in "The Great Gatsby,' this hour-long tour will take you back to the roaring 20s, showcasing the hotel's unique history and architectural beauty.
After the tour, purchase a meal and drinks at the Old Seelbach Bar. Experience the heart and soul of Kentucky in this authentically restored, early 1900s bar featuring an expansive bourbon collection. Lunch and dinner: Sunday through Thursday, noon to 11 p.m. (last call 10:30 p.m., food available until 10 p.m.); Friday and Saturday, noon to midnight (last call 11:30 p.m., food available until 10 p.m.).
WHERE: The Seelbach Hilton Hotel, 500 S. Fourth St. Meet in the lobby
WHEN: Thursdays-Saturday, call for times
Reach features news clerk Gege Reed at [email protected].
