STEAD recently travelled to Bardstown, Kentucky—the undeniable heart of Bourbon Country—to immerse ourselves in the context of the Getz Museum project. This multi-day site visit was a critical step in aligning our design narrative with the rich heritage and future aspirations of the museum.
Our approach to museum design always begins with deep observation. We conducted a comprehensive walkthrough of the existing facilities, studying visitor flow, current display methodologies, and the storytelling opportunities that exist within the historic Spalding Hall. To ensure absolute precision in our future design development, we executed a multi-day LiDAR scan of the interior spaces. This rigorous reality-capture process provides us with the accurate as-built data necessary to seamlessly integrate modern experiential elements into the historic fabric.
Beyond the museum walls, we explored the broader bourbon heritage landscape. Visiting comparative institutions like the Frazier Kentucky History Museum in Louisville and the Civil War Museum in Bardstown provided invaluable insights into regional storytelling, heritage interpretation, and visitor experience strategy. We also toured local distilleries, including Woodford Reserve and Lux Row, to understand the intersection of hospitality, production, and cultural programming.
These contextual studies are essential as we collaborate on a design strategy that respects the past while strategically appealing to a wider, more diverse audience. The visit also included attendance at the Bourbon and Cigars 2026 opening event at Spalding Hall, marking the 200th anniversary of the building and providing a valuable opportunity to observe community engagement with the project.
The journey from concept to built reality is rooted in this kind of rigorous, on-site intelligence. We look forward to sharing more as the design narrative for the Getz Museum evolves.
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