Ten Louisville Tourist Attractions I’ve Been To: Louisville Slugger Museum (#1)

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Sometimes I’m full of surprises, and sometimes you know exactly what’s up my sleeve (other than my arm, of course). With the unveiling of the top spot of tourist stops in Louisville that I’ve visited, I’m sure everybody would only be surprised if I hadn’t been there. Here’s my favorite tourist attraction in my hometown. #1: Louisville Slugger Museum Oh, sure, I’m not going to visit this. The museum “tour” starts a few blocks before you reach that massive baseball bat leaning against the side of the Hillerich and Bradsby Company’s factory and Louisville Slugger Museum. There are bronze “home plates” along Main Street honoring different baseball players in different eras. (Obviously, hometown boy Pee Wee Reese has his own “plate.”) At the museum, you step into the world of baseball. Even though you’re in the spot where hockey sticks are made (ever noticed those sticks with “Louisville” on them? [Quick aside: when I worked at the post office we’d get hockey sticks from all the teams in, being sent to H&B to be repaired!]), you won’t see the greatest game on skates referenced (hence, no 120-foot tall hockey stick sitting across the walkway from the bat). No, this is all scoreboards, batting cages, baselines, dugouts, and — surprise, surprise — baseball bats! The tour shows how baseball bats are made. At the end of the tour you get a miniature souvenir bat. You can also get one customized. Additionally, there are temporary exhibits in addition to the permanent displays. I went there when the Peanuts exhibit (honoring the importance of baseball in the classic comic strip) was there. Tour admission is $15 for adults, with discounts for seniors, youth, AAA members, and others (always ask for a discount you may qualify for, no matter where you’re traveling!). The gift shop, just inside the entrance, is accessible without the tour. This is a must for every baseball fan. I’m glad I live so close to this treasure. Thanks for reading. A quick overview (from the, yuck, Yankees network) of the museum: