You're Invited to the 148th Charter Reception!

The 148th Charter Reception is scheduled to take place March 31st at 5:30. In 1878 James Wormald, made a generous donation that became the foundation this incredible organization was built upon. Every March we like to take a moment to reflect on the legacy that has been curated from that donation. The tradition of the Charter Reception creates space for us to reflect on the past year and celebrate our successes. We will enjoy light refreshment and mingling among our peers, patrons, and board and we’ll congratulate each other on another wonderful year at the Kentucky Gateway Museum Center. At the core of everything we do is our mission of education and preservation. The Charter Reception is one way we preserve our past by taking the time to reminisce. We preserve the past by sharing our plans for the future.

 

We invite you to the 2026 Charter Reception to celebrate with us and to learn more about what we have planned for the upcoming year! We have exciting plans for the future and would love for you to be a part of them.

 

Check out photos from last year’s Charter Reception below!

Center of the Universe Apparel 🌌

Available now, exclusively at Armstrong Mercantile at the Kentucky Gateway Museum Center, are the popular “Center of the Universe” shirts and sweaters. 

 

The inspiration behind the Center of the Universe design by, John Breslin, came to be because so many people, from various parts of the world, somehow having connections to Maysville. With global travelers making their way to our little river town and stopping by KYGMC it seems only fitting to partner with John and offer our guests the opportunity to be part of something big! 

 

We experience all four seasons here in the Center of the Universe, so we plan on expanding our offering! We’ll release a variety of colors and styles for every season. While online shopping isn’t currently available, we do offer shipping! To learn more about our current stock and to place an order for shipping call us at 606-564-5865. Or stop by Armstrong Mercantile, located in the Kentucky Gateway Museum Center to grab your Center of the Universe shirt today. 

 

We would like to thank John for his creativity, and allowing us at the Kentucky Gateway Museum Center to be a part of something that brings our community together and recognizes Maysville as a wonderful place in the universe!

Baseball and Brains ⚾️💡

Popcorn was served with a side of nostalgia!

Baseball season came early this year at the Kentucky Gateway Museum Center. The National Baseball Hall of Fame exhibit, “Picturing America’s Pastime” was a perfect backdrop for our special trivia event. Baseball and Brains Trivia took place in the Calvert Gallery February 26th 2026, and was a perfect way to bring KYGMC’s mission to America’s favorite game. Our all-star trivia hosts Danny Weddle and Ron Bailey pitched an excellent game for our players. With many questions having local connections.

 Upon arrival, guests were offered traditional game day refreshments including popcorn and cold cokes! Four teams played four innings of trivia, with Team Four sliding into to home and taking the win. During intermission, players enjoyed looking through a generous stack of local baseball team photos from McKay’s Studio and identifying friends among the players.

Guests dressed in their best baseball gear!

Guests enjoyed looking through team photos

To enhance our players experience, each guest received a Kentucky Gateway Museum Center miniature Louisville Slugger and a raffle ticket for the grand prize. Chris Bryan won the raffled prize of Two Cincinnati Reds tickets, two all you can eat passes and a parking pass sponsored by STOBER Drives! For those unable to attend Baseball and Brains Trivia the Kentucky Gateway Museum Center Louisville Sluggers were also available on BAT DAY! On February 28th, with the purchase of a general admission ticket, guests received a KYGMC Slugger bat after enjoying the baseball exhibit.

Trivia attendees identifying players from games past!

Thank you to everyone that made it to Baseball and Brains and Bat Day! Every guest, donation, and ticket purchased allows us at KYGMC to keep our mission going. The National Baseball Hall of Fame “Picturing America’s Pastime” will be on display in the Calvert Gallery until the middle of March.

For updates on our next exhibit be sure to follow us on Facebook and stay up to date on everything happening at the Kentucky Gateway Museum Center!

⚾️ HOME RUN HITTERS OF THE NIGHT! 🎟️

Winning Team 4!

Reds Ticket Winner Chris Bryan with co-host Ron Bailey

My Dear Valentine ❤️

Mass produced Valentines were first made in the United States in the mid-1800s under the direction of Esther Howland, the daughter of a Massachusetts printer, who had encountered Valentines from Great Britain. Her assembly-line approach allowed middle-class Americans to participate in the tradition of sending cards, which helped establish Valentine’s Day as a widely recognized holiday.

The Kentucky Gateway Museum Center has many beautiful Valentines from the 1800s in their collection.  Many of that time incorporate printed or hand painted pictures with cut out dollies or paper.  One of the favorites is a fan “from Papa to Momma” with a silk purse attached.

It is the thought that someone took time to express their feelings that make Valentines so special. If you ran out of time to get that special card for your love, don’t fret. If your love is one for the history books, send them a historic valentine from our selection! View some beautiful Valentines from our archives and some new digital ones from our Facebook page below.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Check out a few antique valentines from our archives!

❤️ Save a digital valentine to send to your love! ❤️

Introducing "Billy Says"

As part of our mission of education and preservation, KYGMC is introducing a bimonthly blog to enhance your KYGMC experience!

Billy Says… is inspired by none other than, Billy Hixon. Billy was the first librarian and curator for the Maysville-Mason County Library, Historical, and Scientific Association, now known as the Kentucky Gateway Museum Center. We would like to carry on Billy’s passion for community and for education through this blog!

Billy’s love for Maysville and dedication to the preservation of its history are the cornerstones of your favorite local museum. Before becoming our legendary librarian, Billy was a teacher, soldier, reporter, and editor. All these life adventures established Billy on firm footing to kick off a legendary organization—like the Kentucky Gateway Museum Center! We are thankful for the role Billy played in our history and appreciate all of YOU for supporting us for nearly 150 years!