Visit · Venue rentals
The Filson's three-building campus in Old Louisville is available for private events — wedding receptions, corporate dinners, lectures, conferences, and board meetings. Member organizations and Filson members receive preferred rates.
About the campus
The Filson sits on a single Old Louisville block at 1310 South Third Street. The campus comprises the 1905 Ferguson Mansion (Dodd and Cobb, Beaux Arts), the Wood Carriage House behind it, and the 2016 Owsley Brown II History Center (de Leon & Primmer, 2022 AIA Architecture Award).
Each of the five rentable spaces below has its own character — from the contemporary Street Hall in the OBHC to the original public rooms of the Ferguson Mansion. On-site free parking, an accessible campus, and a Filson event manager on the day of your event.
Spaces
Owsley Brown II History Center
Up to 220 (theater) · 150 (seated dinner)
Best for
Lectures, conferences, receptions, seated dinners
The Filson’s anchor event space — a contemporary, AIA-recognized hall on the ground floor of the Owsley Brown II History Center. Theater seating, full A/V, adjacent catering pantry, and a glass-walled lobby that opens to the campus.
Owsley Brown II History Center
Up to 80 (theater) · 60 (seated)
Best for
Mid-sized lectures, board meetings, receptions
A flexible mid-sized room in the OBHC, configurable for theater-style lectures, U-shaped board meetings, or standing receptions. Built-in projection, Zoom-ready conferencing, and direct service access.
Owsley Brown II History Center
Standing reception, up to 140
Best for
Cocktail receptions, exhibit-opening parties
The glass-walled north wing of the History Center, used for opening receptions and after-hours cocktail events. Pairs naturally with Street Hall for a lecture-then-reception flow.
The Ferguson Mansion
Standing reception, up to 90
Best for
Intimate dinners, weddings, donor receptions
The original Beaux Arts public rooms of the 1905 Ferguson Mansion — entry hall, parlor, dining room, and library — available for receptions, small weddings, and donor cultivation events. The most architecturally significant space on the campus.
The Wood Carriage House
Up to 50 (seated) · 80 (standing)
Best for
Small dinners, meetings, retreats
The historic Wood Carriage House, restored in the 1986 campus renovation. A warm, intimate alternative for small dinners, day-long retreats, and family gatherings — with proximity to the Filson’s working library.
Inquire and tour
Email or call Shelby Craig, who handles space rentals for the Filson. We’ll send the rental brochure with rates and floor plans, walk through the spaces with you on a private tour, and hold a tentative date while you finalize.