Two-Lane Blacktop at Speed Cinema
2026-07-08 18:00 - 19:30 (America/Kentucky/Louisville)
Three Starring Warren Oates
Two-Lane Blacktop
Directed by Monte Hellman
Wednesday, July 8, 6 pm | BUY TICKETS
$12 | $8 Speed members
“This is not a film about narrative but loneliness and life on the road, which it captures with a mysterious brilliance.” —Damon Wise, Empire Magazine
Drag racing east from Los Angeles in a souped-up ’55 Chevy are the wayward Driver and Mechanic (singer-songwriter James Taylor and the Beach Boys’ Dennis Wilson, in their only acting roles), accompanied by a tagalong Girl (Laurie Bird). Along the way, they meet Warren Oates’s Pontiac GTO–driving wanderer and challenge him to a cross-country race. The prize: their cars’ pink slips. But no summary can do justice to the existential punch of Two-Lane Blacktop. With its gorgeous widescreen compositions and sophisticated look at American male obsession, this stripped-down narrative from maverick director Monte Hellman is one of the artistic high points of 1970s cinema, and possibly the greatest road movie ever made. 1971, U.S., DCP, 103 minutes. Rated R.

Collection Highlights Drop-In Tour
2026-07-09 11:00 - 12:00, 2026-07-10 13:00 - 14:00, 2026-07-11 13:00 - 14:00, 2026-07-16 11:00 - 12:00, 2026-07-17 13:00 - 14:00, 2026-07-18 13:00 - 14:00
Explore the Speed and engage in conversations during this one-hour Docent-guided tour focused on the highlights of our collection. Free with admission.
For more information, visit our tours page.

No Picnic at Speed Cinema
2026-07-10 18:00 - 19:30
Essential Cinema/New 4K Restoration
No Picnic
Directed by Philip Hartman
Friday, July 10, 6 pm | BUY TICKETS
$12 | $8 Speed members
“A forgotten eighties NYC movie is back, scuzzier and better than ever. No Picnic captures New York’s boho hipster Lower East Side on the edge of Reagan-era gentrification — and a new restoration just saved it from obscurity.”– David Fear, Rolling Stone
Philip Hartman’s No Picnic is a priceless artifact of New York’s pre-gentrification East Village, with appearances by Steve Buscemi, Richard Hell, Luis Guzmán, and other fixtures of the Downtown music and art scenes. The winds of change were in the air during the film’s production in the summer of 1985 as Hartman raced to capture his neighborhood in all its squalid glory. Hartman’s neo-noir comedy follows down-and-out jukebox operator Macabee Cohn, played with deadpan melancholy by David Brisbin, who wanders the cheap tenements, dive bars, and derelict streets of the Lower East Side in search of a mysterious woman in a striped dress.
No Picnic was showered with praise (Manohla Dargis called it “the genuine article” in the Village Voice), Peter Hutton won a Sundance prize for his gorgeously evocative black-and-white cinematography, and a theatrical run at Anthology Film Archives broke box-office records. 1987, U.S., 4K DCP, 87 minutes. Recommended for 16+.

Speed Chat Spot
2026-07-11 13:00 - 14:00, 2026-07-12 13:00 - 14:00, 2026-07-12 15:00 - 16:00, 2026-07-18 13:00 - 14:00, 2026-07-19 13:00 - 14:00
Check out Speed Chat Spots. During this time frame a friendly docent will be available to chat about our collection, for specific Chat Spot locations check in with Guest Services in the Front Lobby upon arrival.

Abstract Expressionists: The Women exhibition tour
2026-07-11 14:00 - 15:00, 2026-07-12 12:15 - 13:15, 2026-07-12 14:00 - 15:00, 2026-07-18 14:00 - 15:00, 2026-07-19 12:15 - 13:15 | Speed Art Museum, 2035 South 3rd Street, Louisville, KY, 40208, United States
Join a Docent and deep dive into the stories and works of Abstract Expressionists: The Women. You must have a special exhibition ticket to join in on this tour.
Artwork credit:
Pat Passlof
Stove, 1959
Oil on linen, 77 x 69 in.
© The Milton Resnick and Pat Passlof
Foundation. Courtesy of Eric Firestone Gallery, the Levett Collection, and FAMM. Photo: Fraser Marr.

No Picnic at Speed Cinema
2026-07-11 15:00 - 16:30
Essential Cinema/New 4K Restoration
No Picnic
Directed by Philip Hartman
Saturday, July 11, 3 pm | BUY TICKETS
$12 | $8 Speed members
“A forgotten eighties NYC movie is back, scuzzier and better than ever. No Picnic captures New York’s boho hipster Lower East Side on the edge of Reagan-era gentrification — and a new restoration just saved it from obscurity.”– David Fear, Rolling Stone
Philip Hartman’s No Picnic is a priceless artifact of New York’s pre-gentrification East Village, with appearances by Steve Buscemi, Richard Hell, Luis Guzmán, and other fixtures of the Downtown music and art scenes. The winds of change were in the air during the film’s production in the summer of 1985 as Hartman raced to capture his neighborhood in all its squalid glory. Hartman’s neo-noir comedy follows down-and-out jukebox operator Macabee Cohn, played with deadpan melancholy by David Brisbin, who wanders the cheap tenements, dive bars, and derelict streets of the Lower East Side in search of a mysterious woman in a striped dress.
No Picnic was showered with praise (Manohla Dargis called it “the genuine article” in the Village Voice), Peter Hutton won a Sundance prize for his gorgeously evocative black-and-white cinematography, and a theatrical run at Anthology Film Archives broke box-office records. 1987, U.S., 4K DCP, 87 minutes. Recommended for 16+.

The Third Man at Speed Cinema
2026-07-11 18:00 - 19:30
Essential Cinema
The Third Man
Directed by Carol Reed
Saturday, July 11, 6 pm | BUY TICKETS
$12 | $8 Speed members
“One great scene after another! One great shot after another! I’ve seen it over 50 times and it’s still magic.”—Roger Ebert
This film noir classic directed by Carol Reed is back in a 4K digital restoration which was completed to celebrate the film’s 75th anniversary.
Holly Martins (Joseph Cotten), a writer of pulp Westerns, arrives in a bombed-out, post-war Vienna at the invitation of his childhood friend Harry Lime (Orson Welles) only to find him dead. Martins develops the ultimate conspiracy theory after learning of a “third man” present at the time of Harry’s death, butting up against interference from British police officer Major Calloway (Trevor Howard), and falling head-over-heels for Harry’s grief-stricken lover Anna (Alida Valli).
Winner of the Cannes Film Festival Grand Prix, Oscar-winner for Best Cinematography, and Oscar-nominated for Best Director, The Third Man is regarded as one of the greatest films ever made. 1949, U.K., 4K DCP, 104 minutes. Recommended for 14+

The Third Man at Speed Cinema
2026-07-12 15:00 - 16:30
Essential Cinema
The Third Man
Directed by Carol Reed
Sunday, July 12, 3 pm | BUY TICKETS
$12 | $8 Speed members
“One great scene after another! One great shot after another! I’ve seen it over 50 times and it’s still magic.”—Roger Ebert
This film noir classic directed by Carol Reed is back in a 4K digital restoration which was completed to celebrate the film’s 75th anniversary.
Holly Martins (Joseph Cotten), a writer of pulp Westerns, arrives in a bombed-out, post-war Vienna at the invitation of his childhood friend Harry Lime (Orson Welles) only to find him dead. Martins develops the ultimate conspiracy theory after learning of a “third man” present at the time of Harry’s death, butting up against interference from British police officer Major Calloway (Trevor Howard), and falling head-over-heels for Harry’s grief-stricken lover Anna (Alida Valli).
Winner of the Cannes Film Festival Grand Prix, Oscar-winner for Best Cinematography, and Oscar-nominated for Best Director, The Third Man is regarded as one of the greatest films ever made. 1949, U.K., 4K DCP, 104 minutes. Recommended for 14+

The Hired Hand at Speed Cinema
2026-07-15 18:00 - 19:30
Three Starring Warren Oates
The Hired Hand
Directed by Peter Fonda
Wednesday, July 15, 6 pm | BUY TICKETS
$12 | $8 Speed members
“Fonda, touching as an actor, proves astonishing as a director, using a fluid, tactile style to conjure a life lived close to the elements and to sudden death.”—Michael Sragow, The New Yorker
Having been at the forefront of America’s here-and-now with Easy Rider and the counterculture movies of Roger Corman, Peter Fonda retreated to the past and the American West for his directorial debut, The Hired Hand. Fonda plays Harry, a man who deserted his wife and child to explore the wide-open plains with his best friend Archie (Warren Oates). “Tired of the life” he decides to finally return home in order to rekindle his marriage and reacquaint himself with his daughter. Scripted by Alan Sharp (Ulzana’s Raid, Night Moves), shot by Vilmos Zsigmond (Blow Out, The Long Goodbye) and with a standout score by folk musician Bruce Langhorne, The Hired Hand is a beautiful, elegiac picture that ranks alongside The Outlaw Josey Wales and Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid as one of the finest Westerns the seventies had to offer. 1971, U.S., DCP, 90 minutes. Rated R.

Paint & Sip with Whet Your Palette
2026-07-16 17:00 - 20:30
Paint & Sip with Whet Your Palette
Thursday, July 16
5–8:30 pm
REGISTER
Join the Speed and Whet Your Palette for an evening of painting and cocktails at the Museum. Create your own artwork inspired by Jan van den Hecke’s Flowers in a Glass Vase in the Speed’s Dutch Masters permanent collection and currently on view.
Your ticket includes:
– A complimentary themed cocktail or mocktail from Marigold Catering
– All materials to create your masterpiece from Whet Your Palette
– Pre-Event Admission to see Flowers in a Glass Vase by Jan van den Hecke John for extra inspiration. Gallery access only available until 5:30 pm; please arrive early for this opportunity.
This event will sell out. Register now to secure your spot!

Jan van den Hecke the Elder
(Flemish, 1620 – 1684)
Flowers in a Glass Vase, about 1650
Oil on canvas
Bequest of Alice Speed Stoll 1998.6.3

Sitting Still at Speed Cinema
2026-07-16 18:00 - 19:30
Sitting Still
Produced, written, and directed by Gina M. Angelone
Thursday, July 16, 6 pm CINEMA+ | BUY TICKETS
$12 | $8 Speed, American Institute of Architects Central Kentucky Chapter (AIA CKC), Kentucky American Planning Association (KAPA), Kentucky Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA KY) members
Sitting Still explores the life and work of Laurie Olin—one of the world’s most influential urban designers and his profoundly social vision. Hailed as a modern-day Olmsted, Olin has transformed the design of public space and paved the way for future design leaders.
This rare, intimate documentary portrait invites viewers inside the mind of a brilliant and irreverent iconoclast—to see what he sees, feel what inspires him, and hear his urgent call to confront the environmental challenges shaping our collective future like never before.
Sitting Still brings into focus the critical issues which have defined Olin’s life and work: urbanization and our lost connection to nature, economic marginalization, and the grave importance of humanity in design.
In a time when global values increasingly reflect “profit over people,” Olin’s motivation has always been to create a more democratic and egalitarian society through healthy, shared public space. Environmental and human stakes have simply never been higher. In many ways, the most pressing challenges of the natural environment and social disunity can be healed through the power of landscape.
Sitting Still invites the voices of other design luminaries into the conversation, including architectural visionaries Frank Gehry and Billie Tsien, and esteemed landscape designer and artist, Walter Hood, among others. 2024, U.S., DCP, 93 minutes. Recommended for 15+.
Co-presented with AIA CKC, KAPA, and ASLA KY.
CINEMA+ With a post-screening discussion with Matthew Kokoska from Olin Studio via Zoom moderated by Moran Donay, KY ASLA.

Maddie's Secret at Speed Cinema
2026-07-17 18:00 - 19:30
Maddie’s Secret
Written and directed by John Early
Friday, July 17, 6 pm | BUY TICKETS
CINEMA+ With a prerecorded Q&A with Julio Torres a Salvadoran writer, director, and comedian known for his surreal, offbeat style in his projects Problemista, HBO’s Fantasmas and Los Espookys.
$12 | $8 Speed members
“Early aces his own high-degree-of-difficulty assignment by leveraging his alt-comic instincts against a reverent (and revelatory) cinephilia.” —Adam Nayman, The Ringer
Maddie’s Secret is comedian, writer, and actor John Early’s critically acclaimed directorial debut starring himself as Maddie, a plucky dishwasher who leaps to viral superstardom at a trendy food content creation company.
While her life seems picturesque — complete with an adoring husband (Eric Rahill), ride-or-die best friend (Kate Berlant) and a cupboard full of woman-owned ethically-sourced chili crisp to boot — mounting professional pressures threaten to reawaken a hidden secret from her troubled past.
A pitch-perfect blend of satire, melodrama, daring tonal shifts and intimate performances, the film marks a bold new voice in contemporary cinema. 2026, U.S., DCP, 100 minutes. Recommended for 16+.

Speed Studio: Process + Practice | Adult Workshop
2026-07-18 10:30 - 12:30
REGISTER
In this two-hour workshop, we’ll learn about the history and creative practice of zines and mini comics, then make our own! With simple zine-making formats—from the one-page fold to the stapled booklet—we’ll explore how zines can be used to share ideas, stories, and artwork. All supplies are included.
Facilitator: Ruby T

Ruby T is an artist, educator, and organizer. Rooted in drawing, her practice has offshoots in painting, print, fibers, comics, and video. She has exhibited and performed at Sheet Cake Gallery in Memphis, TN; Farm Projects in Wellfleet, MA; Western Exhibitions, Roots & Culture, and Iceberg Projects in Chicago; Hales Gallery in New York; and Bass & Reiner in San Francisco. Her comics and illustrations have been published by Half Letter Press, and are in the collection of the Thomas J. Watson Library at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She received her MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2016.

Screenshot

Maddie's Secret at Speed Cinema
2026-07-18 15:00 - 16:30
Maddie’s Secret
Written and directed by John Early
Saturday, July 18, 3 pm | BUY TICKETS
CINEMA+ With a prerecorded Q&A with John Wilson, an acclaimed documentary filmmaker, director, and writer best known as the creator, director, and narrator of the HBO comedy-docuseries How To with John Wilson.
$12 | $8 Speed members
“Early aces his own high-degree-of-difficulty assignment by leveraging his alt-comic instincts against a reverent (and revelatory) cinephilia.” —Adam Nayman, The Ringer
Maddie’s Secret is comedian, writer, and actor John Early’s critically acclaimed directorial debut starring himself as Maddie, a plucky dishwasher who leaps to viral superstardom at a trendy food content creation company.
While her life seems picturesque — complete with an adoring husband (Eric Rahill), ride-or-die best friend (Kate Berlant) and a cupboard full of woman-owned ethically-sourced chili crisp to boot — mounting professional pressures threaten to reawaken a hidden secret from her troubled past.
A pitch-perfect blend of satire, melodrama, daring tonal shifts and intimate performances, the film marks a bold new voice in contemporary cinema. 2026, U.S., DCP, 100 minutes. Recommended for 16+.

Maddie's Secret at Speed Cinema
2026-07-18 19:00 - 20:30
Maddie’s Secret
Written and directed by John Early
Saturday, July 18, 7 pm | BUY TICKETS
CINEMA+ With a prerecorded Q&A with Sarah Sherman, a featured player on Saturday Night Live since 2021, she is an actress, writer, and artist known for her surreal, body-horror–influenced comedy style and high-energy performance.
$12 | $8 Speed members
“Early aces his own high-degree-of-difficulty assignment by leveraging his alt-comic instincts against a reverent (and revelatory) cinephilia.” —Adam Nayman, The Ringer
Maddie’s Secret is comedian, writer, and actor John Early’s critically acclaimed directorial debut starring himself as Maddie, a plucky dishwasher who leaps to viral superstardom at a trendy food content creation company.
While her life seems picturesque — complete with an adoring husband (Eric Rahill), ride-or-die best friend (Kate Berlant) and a cupboard full of woman-owned ethically-sourced chili crisp to boot — mounting professional pressures threaten to reawaken a hidden secret from her troubled past.
A pitch-perfect blend of satire, melodrama, daring tonal shifts and intimate performances, the film marks a bold new voice in contemporary cinema. 2026, U.S., DCP, 100 minutes. Recommended for 16+.

Coming Out (of the Collection): Queer & Trans Art at the Speed Art Museum Tour
2026-07-19 12:00 - 13:00
Coming Out (of the Collection): Queer & Trans Art at the Speed Art Museum Tour

Join us an exploration of queer and trans artists’ important contributions to art history. Free with general admission.
Image: Torso [Body Print], 2022 by Keltie Ferris

Maddie's Secret at Speed Cinema
2026-07-19 13:00 - 14:30
Maddie’s Secret
Written and directed by John Early
Sunday, July 19, 1 pm | BUY TICKETS
CINEMA+ With a prerecorded Q&A with Amy Sedaris, an actress, comedian, and writer known for her surreal, eccentric comedic style. She is best known for creating and starring as Jerri Blank in Strangers with Candy and At Home with Amy Sedaris.
$12 | $8 Speed members
“Early aces his own high-degree-of-difficulty assignment by leveraging his alt-comic instincts against a reverent (and revelatory) cinephilia.” —Adam Nayman, The Ringer
Maddie’s Secret is comedian, writer, and actor John Early’s critically acclaimed directorial debut starring himself as Maddie, a plucky dishwasher who leaps to viral superstardom at a trendy food content creation company.
While her life seems picturesque — complete with an adoring husband (Eric Rahill), ride-or-die best friend (Kate Berlant) and a cupboard full of woman-owned ethically-sourced chili crisp to boot — mounting professional pressures threaten to reawaken a hidden secret from her troubled past.
A pitch-perfect blend of satire, melodrama, daring tonal shifts and intimate performances, the film marks a bold new voice in contemporary cinema. 2026, U.S., DCP, 100 minutes. Recommended for 16+.
