Object Lessons: Triptych

Object Lessons: Triptych

Behind the grand presentation, Prudence waiting patiently by the queen’s side, and the king – Henry IV of France – gracefully granting his wife, Marie, the regency of France as their son (also pictured) was quite young, this painting hides a tale of murder.

Adopt a Doc Coffey Mask

Adopt a Doc Coffey Mask

Thanks to the wonderful response by alumni, colleagues, and friends of Dr. David “Doc” Coffey, the Kentucky Museum is thrilled the announce that we have opened his collection of 140 masks for adoption. We wish to extend special thanks to the late Pamela...
Remembering Doc Coffey – and Preserving His Legacy

Remembering Doc Coffey – and Preserving His Legacy

As the Art Department recalled on their website dedicated to the collection, “Dr. Coffey was an expert at creating community – and many within his broad community of family, colleagues, former students and friends are part of the story of this collection, or ‘faces behind the masks.’” 

Love music? Thank Thomas Edison

Love music? Thank Thomas Edison

On a cold winter day in 1877, in a workshop at Menlo Park, New Jersey, a thirty-year-old inventor sat fretting about his machines. He was trying to perfect the telephone. While working on it, an idea struck: Was it possible to record the sound of a human voice? And, if so, could that recording be put on a device that would enable it to be played back repeatedly?

Close Study Sessions Bring History Alive

Each semester, we provide a variety of Close Study of Collections sessions for WKU students. These sessions directly integrate primary sources – documents, photographs, art, and artifacts – with each course’s unique needs.