The bardstown historic development corporation (bhdc) will collaborate with a consulting interpretive planner to develop the first master interpretive plan in the 40-year history of the oscar getz…

The Bardstown Historical Development Corporation (BHDC) received a $270,014 Project Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) under the Museums for America program (CFDA 45.301), awarded October 1, 2025, with completion targeted for September 30, 2027. The award supports the development of the Oscar Getz Museum of Bourbon History's first comprehensive master interpretive plan in the institution's 40-year history. Working with a consulting interpretive planner, BHDC will create updated museum displays, develop new engaging interpretive content and programming, and implement an improved visitor experience design that more effectively communicates the bourbon industry's significance to regional and national history and culture.

The project deliverables include a finalized master interpretive plan document, redesigned exhibits, new interpretive materials and visitor programming, and a performance measurement framework. BHDC will evaluate project success through comparative visitor feedback analysis collected before and after plan implementation, thereby establishing measurable outcomes tied to the museum's institutional needs. This initiative aligns with the Museums for America program's core objectives of lifelong learning, community engagement, and cultural stewardship through project-based funding to strengthen museum capacity to serve the public.

The bardstown historic development corporation (bhdc) will collaborate with a consulting interpretive planner to develop the first master interpretive plan in the 40-year history of the oscar getz museum of bourbon history. This project will result in a more effective design, updated displays, new and engaging interpretive content, and programming for visitors and community members that helps history come alive. The project will help the museum tell a more compelling story of the importance of the bourbon industry to regional and national history and culture. Bhdc will measure the outcomes of the project by tracking visitor feedback before and after the implementation of the master interpretive plan.