Interpretations
Find the schedule of upcoming interpretations.
15th Century Armored Foot Combat: Hand and a Half Sword - (15 minutes)
Wearing late medieval "plate" armor, our Interpreters demonstrate techniques with the Hand and a Half sword using 15th century German and Italian fight manuals.
18th Century Small Sword - (10 minutes)
Our Interpreters demonstrate small sword techniques from the fight manual of Domenico Angelo.
2nd Floor Highlights tour - (30 minutes)
Join us for a brief walk through The Frazier Collection.
3rd Floor Highlights Tour - (30 minutes)
Join us for a brief walk through the Royal Armouries galleries.
A Tour of Plate Armor - (30 minutes)
Join us for a brief tour highlighting the development and decline of plate armor in Europe, from the Medieval period through the Stuart Period, as illustrated by specific pieces in The Royal Armouries, U.S.A.
Agincourt Archer: 1415 - (10 minutes)
An archer in the army of Henry V of England gives his perspective of the campaign that led to the battle of Agincourt in France during the Hundred Years War.
Anne Bonney - (15 minutes)
The story of one of the most infamous female pirates to sail during the “Golden Age of Piracy” in the 18th century.
Annie Oakley - (10 minutes)
In her own words, the life and times of the world's most famous female sharpshooter.
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Arming the Knight & Armored Foot Combat - (30 minutes)
Two of our Interpreters are armed in 15th century-style plate armor. Our knights then engage in a demonstration of techniques with the hand and a half sword.
Arming the Knight: 1460-1480 - (20 minutes)
One of our knights is armed in 15th century-style plate armor.
Bartitsu - (15 minutes)
Victorian self-defense techniques with the gentlemen's cane and stick are demonstrated by none other than Dr. Watson and Sherlock Holmes.
Bite of History: Lunchtime Lecture Series - (1 hour)
Our series of noon-time lectures are free and open to the public on the third Thursday of each month at the Frazier Museum. Programs will feature prominent local and regional scholars, archivists, researchers, and writers offering a wide range of interesting views into historical culture. Although much of the museum's educational efforts are geared toward children and students, this particular series is designed specifically to engage Louisville's downtown professional population and other adults interested in lifelong learning.
Border War: 1862 - (15 minutes)
A Kansas woman tells of the tense and bloody times on the Kansas-Missouri border that led to Quantrell’s Raid.*****
Boudica and the Legionary - (15 minutes)
The story of the tribal queen who led a rebellion against the Romans in Britain in 60 AD.
Brother Against Brother - (45 min)
An interactive program in which one of our Historic Interpreters portrays two Kentucky brothers on opposite sides of the American Civil War.
Buffalo Bill - (10 minutes)
Taken directly from Colonel William F. Cody’s autobiography, this tale tells of the first visit to England by "Buffalo Bill’s Wild West".
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Catherine the Great - (20 minutes)
The life, loves, and rise to power of one of Russia's greatest monarchs, who led her country into the "Age of Enlightenment."
Clara Barton - (15 minutes)
A battlefield nurse, she was referred to as “The Angel of the Battlefield” during the American Civil War and went on to establish the American Red Cross.*****
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CLOSED FOR CHRISTMAS DAY - (ALL DAY LONG)
CLOSED FOR CHRISTMAS EVE - (ALL DAY LONG)
CLOSED FOR EASTER - (ALL DAY LONG)
CLOSED FOR THANKSGIVING - (ALL DAY LONG)
Colonel Robert Gould Shaw - (15 minutes)
This story is taken from the letters of the young man who led the first combat regiment of African-American soldiers, the 54th Massachusetts, during the American Civil War.
Company Aytch - (15 minutes)
This account of the Battle of Perryville in Kentucky, as written by Confederate veteran Sam Watkins of the 1st Tennessee, is taken from his memoirs about the American Civil War.
CSS Alabama vs. USS Kearsarge - (15 minutes)
During the American Civil War, these two ships battled each other off the coast of Cherbourg, France. An amazing story of Captain Raphael Semmes, who commanded the confederate raider Alabama.
Day in the Life: Homefront - (25 minutes)
A Civil Defense Warden relates what life was like in Louisville during WWII. An interactive presentation for kids 5th grade and up.
Day in the Life: The Civil War Soldier - (30 minutes)
A Union soldier describes camp life during our nation's greatest conflict. An interactive presentation geared toward children up to age twelve.
Day in the Life: The Cowboy - (20 minutes)
A cowboy describes life in the 19th century American West. An interactive presentation geared toward children up to age twelve.
Day in the Life: The Frontier Woman - (20 minutes)
A pioneer woman describes life on the "western" frontier in
Day in the Life: The Middle Ages - (20 minutes)
A medieval archer describes life in the 15th century. An interactive presentation geared toward children 12 and younger.
Day in the Life: The Norman Knight - (20 minutes)
A knight in the army of William the Conqueror describes what life was like for a knight in the year 1066. An interactive presentation geared toward children 12 and younger.
Dolley Madison - (20 minutes)
One of the most dynamic First Ladies in American history recounts the attack on Washington by British troops during the War of 1812.
Elizabethan Sword Master - (20 minutes)
Our Interpreters demonstrate sword and buckler, rapier and dagger techniques taken directly from the 16th century manuals.
Free Frank - (20 minutes)
Former slave Frank McWhorter talks about coming to Kentucky in the 1790s, his establishment of a saltpetre business, and his efforts to free himself and his family from slavery.
George Rogers Clark - (15 minutes)
The man responsible for clearing the "west" of the British during the Revolutionary War tells of the pivotal fall of Fort Sackville at Vincennes, Indiana.
Holt Collier - (15 minutes)
The story of an ex-slave whose life as a hunter and guide in the Mississippi Delta eventually found him leading President Theodore Roosevelt on what became known as the “Teddy Bear Hunt” in 1902.
In Rehearsal: Bartholomew Roberts - (15 minutes)
The story of one of history's most ruthless and successful pirates, who was later known as "Black Bart".
In Rehearsal: La Maupin, Mistress of the Sword - (15 minutes)
The story of Julie D'Aubigny, the 17th century opera singer and swordswoman, who was a legend in her own time.***** (contains mature themes)
In Rehearsal: Mary Chesnut - (20 minutes)
This interpretation is taken from the diary that one of the South's most articulate women kept during the "War of Northern Aggression." An interesting look at how the Southern people viewed Abraham Lincoln.
In Rehearsal: Oregon Trail: 1848 - (15 minutes)
A pioneer woman heading west tells the story of what it was like to cross America in a covered wagon.
In Rehearsal: Texas Ranger Captain Jack Hays, 1843 - (15 minutes)
Captain Hays tells how 15 Rangers defeated 80 Comanches with the help of the Colt Patterson Revolver at the Battle of Walker Creek.
Joan of Arc - (15 minutes)
The story of “The Maid” in her own words, taken from various accounts of her trial in 1431.
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John Floyd, Kentucky Surveyor - (15 minutes)
The year 1781 was a turbulent and dangerous time for settlers in Kentucky. Colonel Floyd tells of the difficulties and dangers that existed in what is now Jefferson County.
Juliette Gordon Low - (20 minutes)
The story of the Savannah woman who founded the Girl Scouts of America.
La Maupin, Mistress of the Sword - (20 minutes)
The story of Julie D'Aubigny, the 17th century opera singer and swordswoman, who was a legend in her own time.*****(contains mature themes)
Little Bighorn: 1876 - (10 minutes)
Sergeant Windolph's account of the battle of "Greasy Grass," which came to be known as "Custer's Last Stand."
Mary Miller - (15 minutes)
The story of the Louisville woman who became the first licensed female steamboat master in the United States.
Mastery of Arms: 15th Century Hand and a Half Sword Combat - (15 minutes)
Our armored Interpreters rehearse with the Hand and a Half sword using 15th century Italian and German fight manuals.
Mastery of Arms: 15th Century Pollaxe Combat - (15 minutes)
Our armored Interpreters rehearse 15th century pollaxe techniques using German and Italian manuals.
Mastery of Arms: Elizabethan Sword Master - (20 minutes)
Our Interpreters practice sword and buckler, rapier and dagger techniques taken directly from the 16th century manuals.
Mastery of Arms: The 18th Century Small Sword - (10 minutes)
Our Interpreters rehearse small sword techniques from the fight manual of the 18th century fight master Domenico Angelo.
Mastery of Arms: The Transition Rapier - (20 minutes)
Our Interpreters practice techniques with the 17th century Transition Rapier.
Mastery of Arms: The Two Handed Sword - (20 minutes)
Our Interpreters rehearse techniques of the long sword from 15th century German manuals.
Medieval Sword and Buckler - (15 minutes)
Our Interpreters demonstrate techniques with one-handed sword and buckler, using the 13th century German fight manual known as the I.33.
Molly Pitcher - (15 Minutes)
The heroine of the Battle of Monmouth during the American Revolution wasn’t as lady-like as you might think.
Mr. Lincoln Looks Back - (15 minutes)
Abe Lincoln reflects on his life up until his election as an Illinois State Representative.
MUSEUM CLOSES FOR DERBY - (Afternoon)
The Frazier Museum will close at 3:00pm in observance of Derby Day.
MUSEUM CLOSES FOR THUNDER - (after 2:00)
The Frazier Museum will close at 2:00pm due to Thunder Over Louisville.
NO INTERPRETATIONS TODAY - (All Day)
All historic interpretations are canceled for this day.
Olaudah Equiano - (20 min)
The first ex-slave to publish his memoirs describes his trials and travails as a ten-year-old boy sold into slavery in the mid-18th century.
Patriots or Traitors? - (15 minutes)
Using contemporary speeches, this debate shows both sides of the argument that led to the American Revolution.
Pirates: Fact & Fiction - (25 minutes)
A lively presentation on the myths and realities of piracy and how pirates have been portrayed in literature, film, and art.
Rifleman Harris: 95th Rifles - (15 minutes)
In his own words, this is the story of a soldier in an elite unit of the British Army during the Peninsula Wars against the French Army of Napoleon I.
Roseanna McCoy - (20 minutes)
The "Juliet of the Mountains" tells the story of the infamous Hatfield-McCoy feud that took place along the border between Kentucky and West Virginia.
Sarah Winchester: A Reluctant Heiress - (15 minutes)
The story of the eccentric heiress to the Winchester arms fortune and the owner of one of the most mysterious homes ever built.
Seminole Wars: 1835 - (15 minutes)
An account of Dade's Massacre, which led to the 2nd Seminole War in Florida. Told by Ransom Clark, one of only two survivors of the massacre.
Sic Semper Tyrannis: The Life of John Wilkes Booth - (45 minutes)
Three Interpreters portray multiple characters in this compelling look at the assassin of Abraham Lincoln. 40-45 minutes.
Storytelling: Brave Martha and the Dragon - (15 minutes)
A fair damsel tells the legend of a young girl who saves a village from a horrible dragon. A wonderful story for the whole family.
Storytelling: Tales from the Sea - (15 minutes)
One of our Historic Interpreters reads a modern pirate tale. Fun for the whole family!
Storytelling: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow - (20 minutes)
An interactive adaptation of Washington Irving's famous tale of New England schoolmaster Ichabod Crane and his encounter with the ghostly Headless Horseman.
The Art of the Duel - (20 minutes)
Our Interpreters demonstrate the codes and etiquette of dueling in the late 18th and early 19th centuries using the small sword and the flintlock pistol, culminating in a recreation of the 1804 duel between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton. To access the Museum's rooftop garden, please use the elevators near the restrooms on any floor. **Please note that this interpretation includes the use of live black powder and firearms. In case of bad weather, a combat demonstration will be performed in the 3rd Floor Tournament Ring.**
The Battle of Buena Vista: 1846 - (20 minutes)
An account of one of the bloodiest battles during the Mexican-American War, given by a soldier in the U.S. Army under the command of General Zachary Taylor in Mexico.
The Battle of Trenton - (15 minutes)
A Continental Army soldier recounts the first significant victory for General Washington and his rag-tag army in the bitter cold of a New Jersey Christmas night.
The Buffalo Soldier: Cuba, 1898 - (20 minutes)
A buffalo soldier tells of the taking of San Juan Hill in Cuba during the Spanish-American War, and the role played by black soldiers.
The Charge of the Light Brigade: 1854 - (20 minutes)
An 11th Hussar tells of the "charge" at the Battle of Balaclava during the Crimean War.*****
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The Execution of Anne Boleyn - (15 minutes)
Taken from contemporary accounts, a lady-in-waiting to Henry VIII's second wife and queen, Anne Boleyn, describes the first execution of a member of England's royal family.
The Flight Nurse - (20 minutes)
Second Lieutenant Reba Z. Whittle, the only American nurse captured and imprisoned by the Germans during WWII, tells of her experiences in a German POW camp.
The Geste of Robin Hood - (10 minutes)
Using an original ballad, a 14th century yeoman tells the story of this legendary outlaw.
The Great Debate: Lincoln and Douglas, 1858 - (30 min)
Two of our Interpreters recreate the "Ottawa" debate, the first of seven to be held by these two great, but very different, statesmen. (Supported in part by a grant from the Kentucky Humanites Council, Inc., and the Kentucky Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission.) Approx. 30 minutes.
The Hastings Knight: 1066 - (15 minutes)
A Norman knight recounts the events at the Battle of Hastings when England fell to William the Conqueror.
The Hellship - (15 minutes)
An account by Louisville native Estel Myers taken directly from his experiences aboard a Japanese POW ship during WWII. *****
The Reno Gang - (15 minutes)
A citizen of Seymour, Indiana, tells the story of the first train robbery, which took place there in 1866, and of the Reno Gang who pulled it off.
The Spy of the Cumberland - (15 minutes)
Pauline Cushman, one of the boldest spies of the American Civil War, describes her exploits behind enemy lines.
The Suffragette - (15 minutes)
A member of the movement describes the harsh realities of the fight for the 19th Amendment, and tells the stories of those who fought for the rights of women.
The Sword Through the Ages - (15 minutes)
Our Interpreters talk about the evolution of the sword from the 14th century to the 18th century.
The Towton Bowman: 1461 - (15 minutes)
A Lancastrian archer tells of his part in the bloodiest battle ever fought on English soil.*****
The Uncrowned Queen of Iraq: 1921 - (15 minutes)
Gertrude Bell, "the female Lawrence of Arabia," talks about the creation of a new country in the Middle East out of the ruins of the Ottoman Empire after World War I.
The Whitechapel Murders - (35 minutes)
In the late summer and fall of 1888, London was terrorized by an unidentified killer, who came to be known as Jack the Ripper. The chilling story is recounted by an inspector, a streetwalker, a police surgeon, and various residents of London's Whitechapel district.***** (Runs 35-40 minutes.)
The Witchery of Archery - (10 minutes)
An exciting tale from the pages of Maurice Thompson's classic 1878 book on hunting with bow and arrow.
Trafalgar - (15 minutes)
An English Tar tells of the action of one of the greatest naval battles in history.
Treasure Island - (35 minutes)
This adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's famous novel features swashbuckling swordfights and live black powder firearms. Join Jim Hawkins, Long John Silver, and the crew of the Hispaniola as they search for hidden treasure. To access the Museum's rooftop garden, please use the elevator or stairwell near the restrooms on any floor. In case of bad weather, another interpretation will be presented in its place.
Two Handed Sword Combat - (15 minutes)
Our Interpreters demonstrate techniques for the long sword from 15th century German manuals.
Vlad Tepic - (15 minutes)
The story of the real "Count Dracula."
Wilhelm Tell - (10 minutes)
An account of the Swiss farmer-turned-national hero.
