Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: history (27) museum (24) experience (15) Louisville (14) African (14) Black (11) American (11) visit (10) Roots (10) artifacts (9)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 5/5 Cc H. 1 year ago on Google
    Black history is important. Educational. I enjoyed my visit. A must see adventure for all people.
    6 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Redd L. 8 months ago on Google • 143 reviews
    My girls and I were in town after the Beyonce World Tour stop In Louisville, also looking for Black activities and found Roots 101 from searching Google. Right away you are emotionally vested and submersed in the African American experience. The videos are highly informative, although a bit hard to hear. You learn how African Queens were always held in high regards by their King which was reflected in many of the pieces. The African pieces are vast and the entire collection is amazing. The shackles made us cry, the racist displays made us mad while the protest to progress and Black to the Future uplifted us. I found places in my hometown listed in the Greenbook, learned about Louisville black history & visited Big Momma’s house. Mr Collins asked my opinion about it and I told him the ONLY thing missing was plastic on the couch. If you had a Big Momma (like I did), it was like a blast from past. If you didn’t, enjoy the experience. The owner and the staff were so very kind and we all thoroughly enjoyed our visit. They didn’t have the t-shirt’s we wanted in our size, so the t-shirt Man hooked us up and printed & pressed them right away. We left knowing that we made our ancestors proud and most certainly felt closer to them.
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Marcia Mc C. 2 years ago on Google • 180 reviews
    Lamont Collins, CEO and Founder, of the Roots 101 Museum located at 124 N. 1st Street, Louisville, KY 40202 has done a fantastic job of memorializing the African American experience and legacy, both "pre" and "post" slavery. Many of the artifacts would are on par with what I saw at the Smithsonian African American Museum in Washington, DC. An additional highlight of this relatively small museum is the inclusion of local (Louisville, KY) African American history. Admission is very reasonable and worth a visit for either a guided, or unguided tour which can be completed within an hour. Parking is available on the street and in garages in close proximity to the museum.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Christina T. 1 year ago on Google • 100 reviews
    Amazing way to show beautiful artwork and history. Very friendly staff and very clean building. Plenty to see and read about. They do change up what they put out, so if you've been there before you will most likely see something new when you go back.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Adrian M. 9 months ago on Google • 238 reviews
    Immersive experience revolving around the black American experience here in the United States of America 🇺🇸. It is time to throw away the tenets of inferiority, injustice, and prejudice. Nothing makes one race better than another. We all inhabit this space, and I'm sure we all can live together and prosper without ignorance and hate. Let's give it a try.

  • 5/5 Terri B. 1 year ago on Google
    This was my first visit to this museum. I was impressed with the artifacts they had acquired and with the local artwork. Great addition to our city and great place for all to visit.
    3 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Keeley D. 1 month ago on Google • 129 reviews New
    The whole place is lovely. My whole family felt welcome, and we loved that you were able to touch the artifacts! What a great way to immerse yourself with real history. I will say I didn't see any shirts for folks such as myself.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Latasha A B. 1 year ago on Google
    I enjoy visiting. Each time I learn more about my African roots.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Nola's W. 2 years ago on Google
    I absolutely LOVED this historic place!!! So much knowledge & information....Mind blowing!!! ❤💪🙌
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Chris B. 5 months ago on Google • 3 reviews
    Just visited ROOTs 101 African-American museum. I had no idea Louisville had such a great historical museum. The staff was amazing very knowledgeable and super friendly. Definitely a must visit.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Di K. 1 year ago on Google
    I recently visited Roots 101 and was profoundly impacted by the experience. Lamont Collins led us on a tour that allowed us to interact with the past in a visceral, unforgettable way. The museum seeks to make patrons better ancestors through exhibits that raise awareness of the African-American experience from slavery to freedom. I encourage all to visit and ask for the tour!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Margaret E. 1 year ago on Google
    This place is absolutely amazing and a necessary visit! Buy stuff before you leave so that it can continue to be supported.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Lex S. 8 months ago on Google • 81 reviews
    Would recommend this to any visitors! There is so much important history on display here. It feels like there's room here to make things more polished (many of the TVs were not working and as much as I wanted to love the Black Futures room it just felt really empty). Would also love to see more accessibility features! I didn't see any way for wheelchair users to get to the second floor and there were no closed captions on the videos.

  • 5/5 Rajeev M. 1 month ago on Google • 74 reviews New
    This was an AMAZING museum. I visited Louisville and saw a lot of fancy big museums, but this downtown museum was my favorite! The director even welcomed us as we walked around, and it is so well curated with consistent vision.

  • 5/5 Kana B. 10 months ago on Google • 67 reviews
    This museum is beautiful. With a mix of history and current events, it's gives you something to take in at every turn.

  • 5/5 lillian m. 1 month ago on Google • 11 reviews New
    Expect small, local Amd Home grown. Upon entry I wore the shackles American slaves war - created Instant and painful understanding of our history. It started as an individual collection that grew into a small museum of African art and black history in the United States from slavery to the present. exhibits include music. Culture, black publications and radio and Tv. Good interviews on each of these. Great recreation of a room from the Allen hotel, one of the largest hotels in the green book.

  • 5/5 Sheila S. 6 months ago on Google
    I recently attended my husband's high school reunion held at Roots 101! Oh, what an awesome experience! The Founder Mr. Lamont Collins is so knowledgeable of Black History's origin leading up its current status!!! The Root 101 supporting staff members performed key events throughout Black history in the form songs and spoken words narrated by Mr .Collins, it was an amazing salute to Black History! The event was catered by Sister to Sister. I will definitely visit again. If in Louisville KY and looking for great venues to be enlightened, your knowledge of the African American culture, then Roots 101 is the place!!!

  • 5/5 Nesha S. 10 months ago on Google
    Roots 101 African American Museum is a must see while visiting the downtown Louisville area. The atmosphere of the museum was ecstatic and full of culture and history. If you are in need of a reminder of who you are and where you come from, this African American Museum will do just that! Thank you Mr. Lamont for your warm welcome and hospitality.

  • 5/5 Regina H. 7 months ago on Google
    What a fantastic museum. I believe all of our children should go through at least once. But I am going back again.

  • 5/5 Kenneth M. Thames, S. 8 months ago on Google
    This place was amazing! Great history of Africa, African enslavement, post-slavery, Civil rights Era, and some louisville history. It was great to see people of all races and ages coming in to learn about history. Highly recommended.

  • 5/5 Alex R. 1 year ago on Google
    Amazing museum to explore not only some of the artifacts from Africa but also the rich history of Louisville. I was lucky enough to find an ancestor of mine within the museum and I was ecstatic. I was born and raised in Louisville and have since moved to California. I haven't been home in a few years and this stop was a MUST on this visit home. I feel grateful for Mr. Lamont and his knowledgable grandkids for so warmly inviting my partner and myself. We'll definitely be back the next time we're in town!

  • 5/5 Lindsey C. 1 year ago on Google
    I highly recommend this place to any Louisville residents and/or tourists. It's wonderfully curated with great details of the artifacts. My favorite was the music room and the protest rooms. The only thing I would suggest for the museum to do is to include captions on the tv screens of the exhibits. Due to the sounds of work and construction outside of the building, it was a bit difficult to hear the audio of the founder.

  • 5/5 Veronica B. 1 year ago on Google
    I attended the Roots 101 museum in lieu of celebration of black educators for black history month. My first time having a chance to attend. I must say, I was in awe and amazed of all the artwork, statues, history, artifacts in this amazing museum. Our history is important history.

  • 5/5 Black Women of Louisville L. 1 year ago on Google
    There is so much history and culture on display at this museum. We were extremely impressed and we'll most certainly be back. ❤️

  • 5/5 Emily H. 1 year ago on Google
    Wonderful museum and experience. I had the museum to myself and Lamont Collins explained the way to go and we had a wonderful discussion. Such an emotional (happy, sad, etc) experience. I am so happy I went while I was in Louisville.

  • 5/5 karen m. 1 year ago on Google
    I volunteer once a week. Every week theres something more interesting and exciting to see and learn. While self-guided tours are always available, founder Lamont Collins leads groups on prescheduled an educational guided tour of the museum. The layout is set in an era timeline which begins with the Benin (Nigeria) Bronzes to America(Slavery) to Jim Crow/segregation to Big Mommas' House to Black to the Future exhibits. Roots 101 African American Museum is a MUST DO!.

  • 5/5 Marie B. 1 year ago on Google
    Roots 101 is an incredible experience every single time i attend. You feel so many emotions just walking around the room. They take the time to teach us actual; factual history. They are also a buisness that incorporates young people into its growth. It is truly a hidden gem in Louisville, Ky.

  • 5/5 Frances R. 1 year ago on Google
    This place was totally worth the experience. It starts with an excellent lesson from the curator. She's very knowledgeable and personable. Loved it. Also loved being able to walk around, taking my time, and learning about our history. I took my daughter with me, so we both had an opportunity to learn a few new things. You even get to touch some of the artifacts. I would advise a few more cards of explanation for the different exhibits. Seeing aspects of our history and being able to view those with my child meant a great deal to me. Please continue to add to it.

  • 4/5 Nyla T J. 2 years ago on Google
    The inside is amazing ! It’s beautiful and has some incredible authentic pieces. It’s hard to know when are open by looking online. The Facebook page conflicts with the Instagram page which conflicts with the website. Google says you need an appointment but there is no way to schedule an appointment on their site. To get the hours definitely call because I went and did not know they were closing in like 10 minutes. I will have to take another trip but the five minutes I spent there was impressive.

  • 5/5 Brian G. Cox S. 2 years ago on Google
    I was actually there to help my wife cater an event for a friend's new children's book, "The Tobias Chronicles". I got a chance to tour the facility and it was awesome to witness and read the history of our black culture. A wonderful place for our black youth to see and learn some of the good as well as the shocking dark experiences on U.S. soil.

  • 5/5 Rafiah M. 2 years ago on Google
    The program they had that evening was excellent! The museum itself is wonderful. The gift store had beautifully illustrated cards, necklaces, bracelets and more 😍 As you enter the museum you are welcomed with smiles and the warm surroundings 😀.The historical pictures and other artifacts are a must see. We will be back soon!

  • 5/5 Arnette S. 2 years ago on Google
    This is an amazing experience for young and old alike. You WILL learn authentic, unfiltered Black history and culture from the Middle Passage to the present. These artifacts are rare and valuable. Lamont Collins is a Louisville treasure! Don't stop! Won't stop!

  • 5/5 Brandi G. 2 years ago on Google
    Roots 101 is a beautiful, magical Black experience. We saw Keen Dance Theatre and it was a masterpiece of Black art. The museum itself is beautifully curated and has exhibits with a rich history. I am so glad we have a place to celebrate and witness our history and the beauty that has come out of the African American experience.


Call +1 502-384-1940 Open on Google Maps

Trends



Last updated:

Similar places



Similar Museums nearby

Last updated:
()