A Purpose-Built Home for Museum Bees: Where Art, History, and Function Converge
Tucked into a wooded clearing just outside Louisville, the new home for Museum Bees is more than a workshop or gallery—it’s a space that captures the essence of the business itself: timeless, intentional, and beautifully layered.
Known for their one-of-a-kind creations crafted from antique frames, ornaments, and found objects, Museum Bees bridges the elegance of 19th-century craftsmanship with modern sensibilities. Each Bee is a miniature work of art, designed to inspire kindness and curiosity. So when it came time to build a dedicated space that could support this vision, every square foot needed to reflect that same ethos.
Kiel Thomson Company was tasked with designing and constructing a building that could hold not only inventory and tools—but also the spirit of a brand that celebrates history and reinvention. The result is a two-story structure that blends studio, gallery, and retail—all under one soaring roofline.
From the outside, the building is understated and clean-lined, nestled beside a quiet pond. But step inside and you’re immediately surrounded by a curated world of texture, color, and memory. Light pours in through black-trimmed windows. Vintage paintings and antique furniture line the mezzanine. Below, orderly workstations support the creative chaos of production—frames, brushes, gilded elements, and trays of hand-crafted Bees arranged with care.
The space flows like a well-edited collection. Every element is practical but beautiful—inviting, not overwhelming. There’s room to move, think, and create. A custom quote wraps the mezzanine railing, a nod to literature and legacy. Each detail honors Museum Bees' belief that luxury can be accessible, and that beauty is often found in what others have overlooked.
This project wasn’t about building big—it was about building right. About creating a structure that feels inevitable, like it was always meant to house these tiny works of art. It’s a place where creativity can thrive, where the past meets the present, and where every Bee begins its journey.
