Effective Dec. 12, 2010, the Kentucky Historical Society (KHS) history campus in downtown Frankfort will adopt a seasonal public schedule.

The KHS history campus, which includes the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History, the Old State Capitol and the Kentucky Military History Museum at the Old State Arsenal, will close to the public from Dec. 12, 2010, through March 11, 2011. This seasonal schedule was recently adopted by the KHS Executive Committee (governing board).

Budget cuts brought about by the state’s economic crisis and the critical need for an up-to-date inventory of the society’s 500,000 museum and special collections prompted the change in schedule. KHS staff will be devoting all their time during this period to cataloging the Society’s collection.

The revised schedule will allow the collections staff to focus on this responsibility during the off-peak season when visitation is low, ensuring significant headway in cataloging these collections and in making them available online. Ultimately, this decision to focus on collections during the off-peak season will ensure that Kentucky’s treasures receive the attention they deserve.

The new schedule is expected to be in effect through 2013. However, the following public services will continue year-round:

  • KHS will be available to schedule visits for groups of 10 or more people with at least seven days notice of the visit during the Dec. 12, 2010-March 11, 2011 period.
  • KHS will be open to the public for second Saturday programming on Jan. 8 and Feb. 12, 2011. On these dates, KHS will offer genealogy workshops in partnership with the Kentucky Genealogical Society, as well as scout programs and teacher training workshops. The Martin F. Schmidt Research Library at the Center for Kentucky History, KHS exhibitions and the 1792 Store will also be open, along with tours of the Old State Capitol and the Old State Arsenal.
  • Outreach programming including the KHS HistoryMobile, Kentucky Junior Historical Society/National History Day program, KHS Museum Theatre, oral history technical services, KHS Museums-To-Go exhibits, Kentucky Folklife Program traveling exhibits and field research, historical markers and work with the Civil War and War of 1812 related sites and museums will also be ongoing.
  • Reference services will continue to be available through the library by mail, email and by telephone.
  • Rental services will continue to be available at KHS year-round.

Beginning Saturday, March 12, 2011, KHS will resume regular public hours (Wednesday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.; Thursday 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.).