Discover Owensboro: Museums, Greenbelt and Music

When searching for a hotel in Owensboro, the reason for your stay can make the difference: museum exhibits, activity on a route that circles the city, or a summer concert date appeal to different interests. These highlights can be explored through specific places and offerings in the city.

Museums and Music

The Owensboro Museum of Science and History has a gallery for temporary exhibitions and seven permanent exhibition galleries. This means rotating exhibition themes sit alongside permanent galleries. If you would rather focus on a theme than a single attraction during your stay, this layout offers a range of exhibition highlights.

The Coal Mine Gallery recreates the Rudy Mine, a pony mine in Daviess County that operated from the late 19th century until 1954. The recreation thus connects a specific mine with a clearly defined period of operation. The Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame & Museum is located on the riverfront in downtown Owensboro. It offers a distinct cultural focus: here the subject is bluegrass, while the Coal Mine Gallery focuses on a historic mine.

The Greenbelt as a citywide route

Adkisson Greenbelt Park, also known as “The Greenbelt,” is a 16.5-mile path for walking, running and cycling. It circles the entire city of Owensboro and connects neighborhoods, business districts, parks and schools. Unlike a single loop around a park, it is designed as a citywide connection. Its total length gives you an idea of the scale of the route if physical activity is an important part of your trip.

Multiple entrances and exits offer different starting points for using the route. Many access points have parking. The Greenbelt's asphalt surface meets Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. These features help you consider the route in terms of its course, access points and surface, rather than just its length.

Play and Park Options

Owensboro Rotary PlayZeum is an indoor playground for children up to and including age ten. The age limit provides a specific guideline if you're looking for an activity for children in this age group during your trip. Smothers Park offers different features: it has three fountains and a cascading waterfall.

Lazy Dayz Children's Playground and Spray Park is fully accessible. Together with the indoor playground and the water features at Smothers Park, these offer different highlights to help you explore Owensboro's recreational options.

Friday After 5 in Summer

Friday After 5 is a free concert series held every Friday throughout the summer on the riverfront in downtown Owensboro. The event features six venues offering free entertainment throughout Smothers Park. The series combines a recurring day of the week with a seasonal timeframe and several venues. If this program is relevant to your trip, check the event dates before planning your travel.

For the broader travel overview: Daviess County.