We are honored to announce that STEAD Architecture and Design has been commissioned to redesign the interior of the Oscar Getz Museum of Bourbon History in Bardstown, Kentucky — the Bourbon Capital of the World.
Housed within the historic Spalding Hall, which celebrates its 200th anniversary this year, the museum holds a significant place in the regions cultural heritage. For STEAD founder Sean Ellis, who grew up in Bardstown just across the street from the Spalding Hall lawn, this project is a deeply meaningful homecoming.
“This particular block, and this building, is my home. When I walked up the courtyard the other day, it just kind of hit me like a wave. I could feel my teenage years and my youth being back here.”
Sean Ellis, Founder — STEAD Architecture and Design
The announcement was made at the Bourbon and Cigars event at Spalding Hall, which kicked off National Bourbon Week. Museum director Jack Rein introduced Ellis to the gathered crowd, noting that the project is both a celebration of the bicentennial and a significant investment in the museums future.
Our vision for the redesign is to restore the building as closely as possible to its original 1826 state while introducing modern elements that make the museum richer, more vibrant, and more reactive to seasonal events happening around town. The goal is to create a “walk through time” — a narrative experience that tells the full story of bourbon, Bardstown, Kentucky, and America.
Bardstown native and filmmaker Collin Bishop, a digital content expert who attended school with Ellis, will also play a key role in the redesign of the museums digital experience.
“Its kind of a really nice thing to be able to come back and contribute something that is so important, I think, for the city and the industry,” Ellis said. “To be a part of that, I feel very gracious and fortunate that they asked me to do that.”
Read the full feature in The Kentucky Standard. More details about the project will be released as the design develops — follow along at ste-ad.com.
