In 2000 there were 13 public library systems, and 93 bookmobiles in Kentucky, with a total of 7,856,000 volumes and a circulation of over 20 million. The regional library system included university libraries and the state library at Frankfort, as well as city and county libraries. The Kentucky Historical Society in Frankfort also maintains a research library of more than 85,000 volumes. Total library income came to $72,818,000 in 2000, including $582,554 in federal grants. Libraries spent 55.7% of income on staff members, and 16.9% on collections.
The state has more than 107 museums. Art museums include the University of Kentucky Art Museum and the Headley-Whitney Museum in Lexington, the Allen R. Hite Art Institute at the University of Louisville, and the J. B. Speed Art Museum, also in Louisville. Among Kentucky's equine museums are the International Museum of the Horse and the American Horse Museum, both in Lexington, and the Kentucky Derby Museum in Louisville. The John James Audubon Museum is located in Audubon State Park at Henderson.
Leading historical sites include Abraham Lincoln's birthplace at Hodgenville and the Mary Todd Lincoln and Henry Clay homes in Lexington. The Kentucky Historical Society in Frankfort operates three museums and supports a mobile museum system that brings exhibits on Kentucky history to schools, parks, and local gatherings, and aids over 400 local historical organizations.