Eiteljorg Museum
My brave adventures and I made a trek to Indianapolis this week to check out the Eiteljorg Museum. We were also joined by my dad on our adventure.
I had often seen the statue out in front of the museum as we drove past towards other locations in the city, like the Indianapolis Zoo, an Indians baseball game, or the Indiana State Museum. They are all located in the White River Gardens Park along the canal. Still, in my many years I had yet to visit.
With a budding artist and a child getting ready to learn Indiana history, I figured it would be a good experience for everyone. In doing my research I found a post sharing that the first Tuesday of each month was Community Tuesdays where admission for children was free and discounted for adults. Great! I put the date on the calendar, ready to see some native American art and history.
We packed a lunch and coloring pads and crayons to make their own art on the way to and from Indianapolis. Parking is free with museum admission at the White River Park underground parking lot. We met up outside the museum with my Dad. Once we got through the heavy wooden doors of the entrance we were welcomed into an earth toned lobby where we could get our tickets.
The start of the visit was a little rough. We found out that the museum no longer participated in Community Tuesdays. Fortunately if you have a AAA membership you get a $2 discount on each ticket. $25 for the three of us total. The next challenge was to find a place to keep our lunch until it was time to eat. The museum does have a limited number of lockers you can use. You just leave an ID at the front desk in exchange for your key. So after we dropped off our bags, we headed into the gallery. Only to be stopped and told that no backpacks allowed due to the risk of knocking over displays. Sigh... Another trip to the locker and we were finally able to start our way through the exhibits.
The Reel West
A new exhibit called the Reel West featured the old western films and memorabilia from the era.
Funny story: The kids were watching a clip from the Lone Ranger. The idea of the display was 'white hat vs. black hat, which would you choose'. I asked Daniel if he thought the Lone Ranger was a good guy or bad guy based on the color of his hat. Daniel replied, I can't tell. The show is in black and white!". Grandpa and I got a hoot out of that one.
It was nice to see characters I recognized. That either makes me an old person or an old soul. I guess either would be ok. These two ladies were some of my favorites though.
The museum did have a family activity center downstairs. The highlights for the kids were the totem pole they could create, the real stage coach, and building a soddy cabin wall. The docent was impressed by their behavior and willingness to complete the tasks they started. Most kids would knock down the wall and leave it for someone else to pick up.
The rest of the museum had a good section on Native American History both here in Indiana, and also various art styles from the various tribes across the United States. The kids liked the weaving activities and creating mini tepees.
We finished just before noon and got our lunch and ate it out on the lower terrace by the canal. They had a gold panning station for the kids, so they enjoyed themselves while dad and I had time to eat and talk. The kids were curious about the canal walk, so we packed up and took a short stroll. My daughter repeatedly requested to ride one of the paddle boats, but as my wallet was still in the museum under lock and key, it just wasn't an option.
All were ready to go (whether they knew it or not) around 2pm. Tip: Make sure to write down where you parked. The underground garage has many sections and levels and it can get confusing if you aren't sure where you are going.
I might come back again when more of the galleries are open, but will probably wait to bring the kids again until they are older. Still when asked, the kids said they enjoyed the trip. The bonus was when we got home, Anna immediately went to her easel to create her own artwork. She even set up a gallery with signs and her stuffed animals to view it. I guess you never know what will stick from your adventures. But if you don't go, you will never know.
I had often seen the statue out in front of the museum as we drove past towards other locations in the city, like the Indianapolis Zoo, an Indians baseball game, or the Indiana State Museum. They are all located in the White River Gardens Park along the canal. Still, in my many years I had yet to visit.
With a budding artist and a child getting ready to learn Indiana history, I figured it would be a good experience for everyone. In doing my research I found a post sharing that the first Tuesday of each month was Community Tuesdays where admission for children was free and discounted for adults. Great! I put the date on the calendar, ready to see some native American art and history.
We packed a lunch and coloring pads and crayons to make their own art on the way to and from Indianapolis. Parking is free with museum admission at the White River Park underground parking lot. We met up outside the museum with my Dad. Once we got through the heavy wooden doors of the entrance we were welcomed into an earth toned lobby where we could get our tickets.
The start of the visit was a little rough. We found out that the museum no longer participated in Community Tuesdays. Fortunately if you have a AAA membership you get a $2 discount on each ticket. $25 for the three of us total. The next challenge was to find a place to keep our lunch until it was time to eat. The museum does have a limited number of lockers you can use. You just leave an ID at the front desk in exchange for your key. So after we dropped off our bags, we headed into the gallery. Only to be stopped and told that no backpacks allowed due to the risk of knocking over displays. Sigh... Another trip to the locker and we were finally able to start our way through the exhibits.
The Reel West
A new exhibit called the Reel West featured the old western films and memorabilia from the era.
Funny story: The kids were watching a clip from the Lone Ranger. The idea of the display was 'white hat vs. black hat, which would you choose'. I asked Daniel if he thought the Lone Ranger was a good guy or bad guy based on the color of his hat. Daniel replied, I can't tell. The show is in black and white!". Grandpa and I got a hoot out of that one.
It was nice to see characters I recognized. That either makes me an old person or an old soul. I guess either would be ok. These two ladies were some of my favorites though.
The museum did have a family activity center downstairs. The highlights for the kids were the totem pole they could create, the real stage coach, and building a soddy cabin wall. The docent was impressed by their behavior and willingness to complete the tasks they started. Most kids would knock down the wall and leave it for someone else to pick up.
The rest of the museum had a good section on Native American History both here in Indiana, and also various art styles from the various tribes across the United States. The kids liked the weaving activities and creating mini tepees.
We finished just before noon and got our lunch and ate it out on the lower terrace by the canal. They had a gold panning station for the kids, so they enjoyed themselves while dad and I had time to eat and talk. The kids were curious about the canal walk, so we packed up and took a short stroll. My daughter repeatedly requested to ride one of the paddle boats, but as my wallet was still in the museum under lock and key, it just wasn't an option.
All were ready to go (whether they knew it or not) around 2pm. Tip: Make sure to write down where you parked. The underground garage has many sections and levels and it can get confusing if you aren't sure where you are going.
I might come back again when more of the galleries are open, but will probably wait to bring the kids again until they are older. Still when asked, the kids said they enjoyed the trip. The bonus was when we got home, Anna immediately went to her easel to create her own artwork. She even set up a gallery with signs and her stuffed animals to view it. I guess you never know what will stick from your adventures. But if you don't go, you will never know.
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