Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory

In sports, it’s best to go big or go home and that is no problem at the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory. Visitors are greeted at the entrance by the world’s largest bat — a replica of Babe Ruth’s own Louisville Slugger — that stands 121 feet tall and weighs in at 68,000 pounds. The real thing, used by Ruth to hit 21 of his record-setting 60 home runs in 1927, is on display inside.

The museum collection honors legends of America’s pastime and chronicles lesser-known stories of baseball history. See Joe DiMaggio’s bat from when he broke the all-time, hit-streak record and the one Pete Rose used while swatting his 2,000th hit in 1973. Exhibits also showcase the trials and triumphs of pioneering Black ballplayers like Jackie Robinson and Willie Mays. 

The Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory experience also allows visitors to get in the game. Hold a piece of history as you grip your hands around a bat used in Major League play and pose for a photo at home plate. You can also see, hear and smell the bat-making process during a factory tour. 

Then, look for the names of your favorite players on the Signature Wall and climb into a massive baseball glove carved from Kentucky limestone. Afterward, follow the 1-mile Walk of Fame down Louisville’s Main Street that features the names of legendary players like Ty Cobb, Hank Aaron, Johnny Bench and Rod Carew alongside replicas of their custom Louisville Slugger bats.

Reserve the museum’s All-Star Experience for a deeper tour of areas and artifacts not on public view — like the 3,000 bats in the museum’s Bat Vault — and leave with a full-size, personalized Louisville Slugger bat. The experience also offers an in-depth tour of the manufacturing process that is so close to the action it requires safety glasses. 800 W. Main St., Louisville, Kentucky 40202, 877/775-8443, sluggermuseum.com