Homeschool benefits and savings in Kentucky Historical Society in Frankfort

For 2026, the Kentucky Historical Society in Frankfort offers free field trips through its Elizabeth Lloyd "Libby" Jones Student Scholarship Fund, and homeschool groups of 10 or more with a reservation get free admission. Regular admission is $8 for adults and $6 for youth ages 6-18, so a group of 10 students saves at least $60.

By Andrew Garber, founder of TheHomeschoolingCompany. Reviewed August 25, 2026.

Who qualifies

1. Homeschool group of 10 or more

   The fund names Title I schools and homeschool groups of 10 or more as eligible. A single family visiting on its own pays regular admission.

2. Has a field trip reservation

   Free admission applies to groups with a reservation. Submit the field trip request form for the program you want, along with the scholarship application.

3. Brings enough chaperones

   The Kentucky Historical Society requires one chaperone for every 10 people in a group.

4. Applies three weeks ahead

   The scholarship application is due three weeks before your requested date, and field trips are booked first come, first served.

What the free trip saves

Regular admission prices come from the Kentucky Historical Society hours and admission page, and one admission covers the History Center, the Old State Capitol, and the Kentucky Military History Museum.

Youth admission, ages 6-18

$6 each

Adult admission

$8 each

Group of 10 students

$60

Group of 30 students

$180

Your balance with an approved scholarship

$0

The page does not say whether adult chaperones are admitted free under the scholarship, so ask the education staff when you book.

How to book a free field trip

1. Before you apply

   Pick a program and date

   Choose a self-guided exhibit, a 60-minute Learning Lab for 10 to 30 students, or a guided Old State Capitol tour for up to 40. Tours run Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

2. 3 weeks before your visit

   Submit both forms

   Send the field trip scholarship application and the request form for the program you want the scholarship applied to.

3. After approval

   Check your invoice

   An approved group's confirmation invoice shows a $0 balance.

4. Visit day

   Arrive with your chaperones

   The earliest arrival is 9 a.m., and you need one chaperone for every 10 people.

What it includes

Included

• Kentucky Historical Society admission
• Self-guided exhibits at the History Center
• Learning Labs and guided tours booked as a field trip

Not included

• Visits by a single family outside a group
• Bus for the Capitol Bus Tour, which your group provides

The fund pays Kentucky Historical Society admission and educational resources; shopping at the 1792 Museum Store and getting to Frankfort are on you.

Good to know

• Field trips are for groups of 10 or more

  A single family does not qualify. Field trips are for groups of at least 10, so join with other families or a co-op to reach that number.

Who to contact about field trips

The education staff books field trips and answers questions about programs and the scholarship.

khseducation@ky.gov 502-564-1792 Field trips page

Homeschool rules and statewide help in Kentucky

You must notify the local district superintendent annually. Current KDE guidance says within the first two weeks of the school year, or within two weeks of public-school withdrawal, for a child of compulsory attendance age.

Kentucky sets these rules:

• Subjects: Parents choose the curriculum for a noncertified homeschool. Certified private schools must teach in English, offer public-school subjects, and provide at least 1,062 hours over 170 days annually; KDE recommends those hours and days for other homeschools.
• Testing: Kentucky does not require standardized testing for homeschoolers.
• Records: Keep attendance records and scholarship reports showing completed courses and grades, available for inspection by pupil-personnel and KDE officials. Work-sample portfolios are recommended, not mandatory.
• Teachers: No state teacher certification requirement for parents teaching their own children in a noncertified homeschool.

Read the Kentucky homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Kentucky

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