Overview
Although the museum system is typically closed on Mondays, weather permitting, the Indiana State Museum as well as the Levi and Catharine Coffin and T.C. Steele state historic sites will welcome visitors from 10 am-5 pm as a way to celebrate the holiday with the community. The museum system’s free admission days are supported by the Lacy Foundation.
At the Indiana State Museum in Indianapolis, visitors can discover the wonders of Indiana’s art, science and culture throughout three floors of galleries and exhibits. In connection with the new Mazes & Brain Games experience, which will be open for families to explore, the museum will also offer puzzle-themed activities throughout the day. Attendees are encouraged to bring old puzzles — complete with all their pieces — to participate in the puzzle swap. Guests can challenge their minds with brain teasers and trivia, then see how quickly they can solve a Rubik’s cube and other puzzles. Children will also enjoy making their own puzzle creatures, completing giant floor puzzles and more.
At the Levi and Catharine Coffin State Historic Site in Fountain City, visitors can take a guided tour of the Coffins’ home to see what life was like for the Quaker couple as they supported the Underground Railroad. Among many highlights in the modest house, which became known as “the Grand Central Station of the Underground Railroad,” visitors can peer inside a narrow cubby on the second floor that once concealed freedom-seekers as they made their way north on the Underground Railroad. Guided tours are available at 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. The interpretive center will also be open for self-guided tours throughout the day.
As part of the museum system’s year-long celebration of America’s 250th birthday, visitors can meet President Abraham Lincoln at 10 am and 1 pm.at the site’s interpretive center. These special, 90-minute performances featuring some of the 16th president’s most famous speeches will be filled with hilarity and heartbreak. Tickets for this program are $8 for adults and $5 for youth ages 2-12, and members will receive a 25% discount.
At the T.C. Steele State Historic Site in Nashville, visitors can take a guided tour to see the charming home, known as the House of the Singing Winds, that the renowned impressionist artist shared with his second wife, Selma. Presidents Day will also offer a perfect opportunity to see the centennial exhibition that commemorates the 100th anniversary of Steele’s death, featuring nearly 30 original works spanning Steele’s career and including rarely seen paintings and newly acquired pieces to the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites’ collection. Building tours are offered at 10:15 am, 1:15 pm, and 3:15 pm.
Upcoming Events at Indiana State Museum located in White River State Park
