Curated Collections

Exploring Indiana’s Museums

story by Glenda Winders

Just about anywhere you travel museums are the best place to begin your exploration. Get your bearings, learn about the community’s history, and meet its forefathers and heroes before you dig deeper into what a destination has to offer. In Indiana that is especially true–with museums to honor art, individuals, automobiles, sports, and much more.

Take Henry County, for example, which is where the sport for which the state is famous keeps its archive. Discover basketball history through jerseys, trophies, game films and more at the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame. Look especially for the display of stained-glass windows that honor such Hoosier titans of basketball as John Wooden.

Also in the county is Wilbur Wright’s Birthplace Museum in the home where he was born. Along with family memorabilia, look for the dramatic replica of the 1903 Flyer in which he and his brother first took to the air.

Nearby are the Henry County Historical Museum, housed in the former home of Civil War Gen. William Grose, and the Henry County Veterans Museum. Not to miss is the architecturally significant Jane Ross Reeves Octagon House.

Richmond is home to museums of enough different types to satisfy everyone in your party. At the top of the list is the Levi Coffin House and Interpretive Center that honors the couple who risked their own safety to be a stop on the Underground Railroad. The Wayne County Historical Museum contains some local artifacts that you might expect along with some eye-popping surprises — an Egyptian mummy, an authentic Conestoga wagon, exhibits from the Industrial Revolution, and cultural objects from Japan and the Middle East. The Richmond Art Museum, the second oldest in the state, contains American Impressionists, Indiana Regionalism, and pieces of decorative art.

Decorative art is also on display at the Museum of Overbeck Art Pottery and the Reid Center Tiffany Windows and Interior. If your interests lie in other directions, check out the Model T Museum and the Joseph Moore Museum of Natural History, this one with free admission.

Also free is the Grover Center Museum and Historical Society in Shelbyville. While some exhibits change, two permanent ones are the Shelby County Railroad and Streets of Old Shelby, where visitors can walk through an early hardware store, saloon, printing press, school, and others.

Franklin County’s museums include the Batesville Historical Center, where rotating exhibits showcase local heritage, fashion, and industry. Keep an eye out for the All Aboard Model Train Exhibit. In nearby Oldenburg, Das Oldenburg Museum maintains the rich German traditions that earned Oldenburg its nickname, the “Village of Spires.” At the Whitewater Canal State Historic Site in Metamora, a restored grist mill and canal history bring the 1800s to life.

At Hillforest Victorian House Museum, a National Historic Landmark in Aurora, original furnishings and ornate Italianate architecture — from gilded mirrors to a sweeping double staircase— offer a rare, unhurried glimpse into the good life of the 1850s. The story continues at the Dearborn County Historical Society Museum, where exhibits trace early settlement, industry, military service, and local culture. Nearby, the Archaeological Research Institute exhibits artifacts that span thousands of years of Native American history. Cap off your visit with a stop at Weber’s Bike Museum in Aurora, home to antique bicycles and cycling memorabilia.

Exhibits at the Switzerland County Historical Museum include Civil War memorabilia, antique furnishings, local industry, Native American artifacts, and Indiana’s oldest known piano. The Life on the Ohio River History Museum showcases steamboat models, river commerce, navigation, and the communities that flourished along the shores. Nearby, the restored 1850s Greek Revival Thiebaud Farmstead offers a rare look at 19thcentury life on the farm.

Madison’s remarkable past comes into focus with a visit to the Lanier Mansion, one of the Midwest’s finest Greek Revival homes, which overlooks the Ohio River. The Historic Madison Railroad Station Museum explains how the railroad shaped the region, and the Jefferson County History and Art Center recalls the people and industries that built the town. The city’s 133 blocks of preserved buildings make up one of the largest contiguous National Historic Landmark Districts in the country, and during the holidays, Light Up Madison and the Nights Before Christmas Candlelight Tour of Homes make a visit here even more festive.

Travelers who want to explore French Lick’s rich history can begin at the French Lick West Baden Museum, which highlights the history of the iconic resorts, including the Pluto water visitors have been taking since the 19th century and the world’s largest circus diorama with its 150,000 miniature pieces sprawling over 1,100 square feet. The Orange County Historical Museum in Paoli features a re-created one-room schoolhouse and doctor’s office as well as a miniature English Tudor dollhouse and furnishings. The 1852 Historic Lindley House, also in Paoli, has been restored to the period when it was used as a farmhouse.

The Dubois County Museum, one of Indiana’s largest county museums, features more than 100,000 artifacts, including a re-created 1890s Main Street, pioneer cabins and interactive exhibits that appeal to all ages. From there tour the Monastery Immaculate Conception in Ferdinand, one of the nation’s largest communities of Benedictine women, to admire stunning Romanesque architecture, artwork, and grounds. The Old Jasper District is rich with 19th-century buildings and local history. Then, for a change of pace, there’s Huntingburg’s historic League Stadium, where the movie “A League of Their Own” was filmed.

The Daviess County Museum in Washington is an unexpected treasure trove of local lore. On four floors in a former Masonic lodge the Historical Society has gathered artifacts from every decade since the county begin and curated them into artful displays. Look for railroads, early settlers, agriculture, politics, clothing, furniture, and a completely re-created one-room schoolhouse. In the nearby countryside is the Corning Heritage Center, whose museum maintains the history of Irish settlers in southern Indiana.

In Vincennes, step inside Grouseland, Indiana’s territorial mansion that at this time of year is decorated for the holidays. The Indiana Military Museum is home to an outstanding collection of military artifacts and vehicles. Then cap off your visit to Knox County at the Red Skelton Museum of American Comedy. Put on clown makeup, see the comic’s original paintings, and laugh your way through much more.

Bloomington has a pair of not-to-be missed museums on the campus of Indiana University. The Eskenazi Museum of Art is housed in a building that is itself a piece of art designed by renowned architect I.M. Pei. Here you’ll find 45,000 objects in a permanent collection that includes Greek pottery, Renaissance panels, Asian artifacts, and the work of more recent painters such as Pablo Picasso, Jackson Pollock, and Claude Monet.

Just across the street and past the iconic Showalter Fountain is the Lilly Library, a repository of 8.5 million manuscripts, 450,000 books, and 150,000 pieces of sheet music plus much more. Look especially for the Gutenberg Bible, a first folio of Shakespeare’s works, an original copy of the Declaration of Independence, and George Washington’s letter accepting the presidency.

World-class American art is on offer at the Swope Art Museum in Terre Haute along with the Larry Bird Museum that celebrates the basketball legend who began his career here. The Vigo County History Museum illuminates the people and events that made the Wabash Valley what it is today, and the CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center is important to see for its focus on human rights and the resilience of people under unspeakable pressure. History enthusiasts will also enjoy the Eugene V. Debs Museum, located in the labor leader’s former home. The Terre Haute Children’s Museum invites visitors to explore science and creativity through hands-on exhibits.

The Haan Museum of Indiana Art in Lafayette is housed in a mansion that served as the Connecticut Building at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. Its collections include massive antique furniture, historic Indiana paintings, and ceramics, glass, bronze, and stone sculptures. Holiday decorations make it especially festive.

Exhibits in the four galleries of the Art Museum of Greater Lafayette change every three to four months, so there is always something new to see. They feature works from the museum’s permanent collection as well as that of local, regional, national, and student artists.

The county’s namesake Tippecanoe Battlefield and Museum is a National Historic Landmark located in a 96-acre park setting. The site marks the location of the Battle of Tippecanoe between the United States’ forces and Tecumseh’s Native American confederation. It also functions as an interpretive center by placing the battle into the historical and geopolitical context of what came before and of the War of 1812, which came after.

For more history there’s the Wabash and Erie Canal Interpretive Center in Delphi, where you’ll catch a unique glimpse of life in the era when the young nation’s waterways were developed to improve the transportation system. Enjoy a 40-minute trip on The Delphi, a replica 19th century canal boat, then take in the Pioneer Village.

Near Rochester is the Fulton County Historical Society, which operates a main museum campus featuring 17 indoor exhibit rooms, a round barn museum, and a historical living history village. The village is an outdoor collection of historic buildings including an 1830s’ house, 1930s’ doctor’s office, general store, and train depo, furnished to reflect local life from the 19th and early 20th centuries.

For a look at the Gilded Age, visit the Barker Mansion in Michigan City. This luxurious 38-room home tells the story of a family who were significant in the railroad industry. A completely different experience awaits at Heroes: Superhero Museum, Gallery and Arcade. It’s filled with images of modern day superheroes that the founders hope will lead children to remain true to the values these characters inspire.

The Studebaker National Museum in South Bend is comprised of 55,000 square feet on three levels that show off all the models of the classic car along with objects designated as “National Treasures,” including the carriage in which Abraham Lincoln rode to Ford’s Theatre the night of his assassination. On the same campus is the History Museum and Oliver Mansion with its colorful gardens. The 2.5-acre estate includes Italianate sunken gardens, a rose garden, a teahouse, and a pergola.

The South Bend Museum of Art showcases a diverse collection that curators have selected based on cultural and historical significance as well as artistic merit.

Other museums here are the Indiana Dinosaur Museum, with 1.9 billion years of history on display, where families can learn while they have fun. Explore rare fossils, real dinosaur bones, and interactive displays that showcase Indiana’s prehistoric history. Kids will also love learning at the Children’s Museum of South Bend, with areas to explore such as “Build It,” “Our Town,” “Burrow,” and “Theater.”

Have you ever wondered what lies behind the “Employees Only” or “Do Not Enter” doors at your favorite attractions and museums? You can satisfy your curiosity through Elkhart County’s new “Northern Indiana Signature Experiences” which gives you exclusive, behind-the-scenes access. Just one example is at the Ruthmere Mansion complex where you can go past the regular ropes at the 1848 Dr. Havilah Beardsley House for rare access to hidden archives, restoration projects, and off-limit historical artifacts. While you’re here, don’t miss the RV/MH Hall of Fame and Museum, where you can trace the history of touring in RVs by walking through several generations of the vehicles.

Car enthusiasts flock to Auburn to take in the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum, featuring more than 120 classic, vintage, and racing cars across three levels. It celebrates the luxury and engineering of Auburn, Cord, and Duesenberg automobiles. While in the area, be sure and check out other interesting spots like the National Auto & Truck Museum and the Early Ford V-8 Museum.

For a complete change of pace there’s the Mid-America Windmill Museum in Kendallville for a look at 52 examples of the old-school wind-generators, one that runs a grist mill. Mark your calendar for December 4-6 and 11-13 for their annual Windmill Winter Wonderland holiday light display. Walk along self-guided paths featuring thousands of lights illuminating the historic windmills and museum grounds.

Then it’s on to the Fort Wayne Museum of Art, which maintains some 8,000 pieces of American art that reflect history in painting, sculpture, and photography. The museum houses one of the nation’s premier and largest public collections of contemporary studio glass sculptures, featuring thousands of dynamic glass works.

A must-visit stop in downtown Wabash is the Wabash County Museum, boasting more than 100 permanent exhibits that tell the story of Wabash County. The two most popular include how Wabash became the first electrically lighted city in the world, and the story of Modoc the elephant’s great escape in 1942. The museum also houses an o-gauge electric train setup and a full-scale caboose that was recently renovated. Also popular are The Den, an indoor active play and learn space, and The Meadow, a sensory friendly space for all ages.

Car buffs will want to make a stop at the brand-new Kokomo Conference Center, where early automobiles designed by local inventor Elwood Haynes and built by Elmer and Edgar Apperson are showcased on the bottom floor.

But if movies are your thing, the James Dean Museum in the actor’s hometown of Fairmount is the place to go. Here you’ll find the world’s largest collection of his personal belongings — from motorcycles to movie props, articles of clothing to letters and awards.

Then in Muncie it’s back to a college campus for the impressive David Owsley Museum of Art at Ball State University. The museum’s 11,000 pieces represent all of the continents and 5,000 years of civilization. Also in Muncie is Minnetrista, which recalls the legacy of the Ball family. The company that put the city on the map with its canning jars offers exhibits in the main building and homes to visit, trails and gardens to walk through, and the Bob Ross Experience for artists to enjoy.

For something a bit more whimsical, head to the Museum of Miniature Houses in Carmel. Browse through cottages and castles, a monastery and trading post, among many others. The Manior Hypotheque has 22 rooms inhabited by 120 dolls.

Wrap up your tour at the Connor Prairie Living History Museum, where families can visit a Lenape camp, a prairie village, and the William Connor House. Go up in a tethered balloon and have encounters with animals in an 1830s barn. Savor time in the forest and climb up into the treehouse before it’s time to go home.