The Art Museum of Greater Lafayette is a really fun place to visit. There are galleries on the…read morefirst and second floor. There is also art along the hallway going to the offices and bathrooms. Be sure to check out the art in front of the building and in the lobby. Maybe it was just the time that my husband and I visited but a lot of the art was made by high school students. And wow, are those students talented. There are rotating galleries. The best part is that this museum is free. For a fun afternoon, I highly recommend the Art Gallery of Greater Lafayette!

A short walk from the hotel and centrally located in Lafayette. This free art museum is…read morefamily-friendly. Works by local, national, and international artists are available to view. The retail shop had multiple original prints for sale, along with other items, such as jewelry, journals, and fun crafts for kids. Definitely a must-see if you're in the area.

My husband and I went to the Haan Mansion Museum of Indiana Art on a day when the mansion was…read moreclosed. It was the only time that we could fit it into our schedule. Why bother visiting if the mansion is closed, you ask. There is a cute sculpture garden behind the mansion that is open even when the mansion is closed. There are close to 30 sculptures. It is really fun to take a walk through the garden and see the statues. It will give you something to talk about and plenty of photo opportunities. If the outside is this fun, I can't wait to see the inside!

Neat place! In the 60's grew up in Lafayette, running past…read morethis house on the way to the Brodsky house. So to me, this house will always be Potter's Mansion, the owners prior to the Haans. With that said, for $10 you can take a self-guided tour into a different world. There are plenty of staff available to answer questions and they seem very knowledgeable about the home's construction, previous owners, art and artifacts. I really enjoyed looking at the furniture, but I anticipated more explanations about the origin of each piece. I did not expect to see the volume of "new" artist items they had on display. They also offer an outdoor garden walk, but the day I was there it was too cold to enjoy an outing. Maybe next time...

I stumbled across the Elwood Haynes Museum while traveling on my recent Tenderness Tour in the…read moreKokomo area. While I'd heard about the museum before, I knew very little about it and I can honestly say that visiting it wasn't on my itinerary for my Kokomo visit until we happened to drive by it while searching for our evening dining location. The Elwood Haynes Museum is located in the mansion owned by Elwood Haynes, a Kokomo-based inventor credited with multiple firsts including being the first to produce cars commercially back in 1894. He lived in Kokomo until his death in 1925. Haynes also invented stainless steel. Seriously. Being that the Elwood Haynes Museum was actually a residence, you might guess that wheelchair access is kind of an issue. It definitely is kind of an issue, though kudos must be given for efforts to make the mansion as accessible as possible. You go up a rather narrow, somewhat steep driveway and park in the back of the house. If you have a high vehicle or an RV type vehicle, the odds you're going to achieve this are slim to none. There's only a few parking spots, a likely indicator that visits to the museum tend to be in smaller groups. The guide who was present for our visit acknowledged that the vast majority of visitors are out of towners rather than locals, though they do host local student groups. They've concocted a rather large, wooden ramp designed to provide wheelchair access. It likely meets ADA requirements in terms of grade, though be aware the wood itself feels a little flimsy. For those with limited range of motion or upper body strength, it may be advised to have a companion or assistant with you. You then enter via a side door that leads to your standard residential hallway. As this was a turn of the 19th century house, you can easily guess that hallways are rather narrow. I had zero issues moving into each room on the first floor - a bathroom on the first floor is largely wheelchair friendly with appropriate rails. The second floor would not be accessible to a wheelchair user, while the third floor, a small area, is not open to the public. They also have a basement area that is not open to the public. There's also an attached carriage house that had three of Haynes's vehicles within it along with a safe that had been created from the materials he invented. The Elwood Haynes Museum really is rather fascinating, though it's a rather quick view with a maximum of 1-2 hours needed to enjoy the entire museum. Admission is free, though donations are welcomed and somewhat encouraged in a low pressure sort of way. The exhibit, in addition to the vehicles, includes a wealth of photos, documents, inventions and other items related to Haynes, a figure who contributed greatly to modern motoring yet remains relatively unknown when compared to many others. The volunteer who was present was friendly and knowledgeable about Haynes's history and worked at a comfortable pace in explaining the museum. This was definitely an unexpected gem during my time in Kokomo.

For history buffs, or car buffs, or fans of invention, this is a "must stop" place to visit while…read morein Kokomo. The home of Elwood Haynes is partly a time capsule showing the Haynes residence and all those wonderful antiques you might expect. The other part of the building is the museum tribute to Mr Haynes and some of the other famous inventors/inventions of Kokomo. I hadn't done any research before going, so I was surprised to learn how many incredible inventions were created/discovered by Haynes. What is most commonly related to is that Haynes designed, funded the building of, and drove the first commercially built auto in the country! Local inventors (The Apperson Brothers) owned a shop and were paid by Haynes to build the frame and moving parts of the first auto after Haynes had bought a one horsepower engine that ran on gasoline. At that time, gasoline was considered a waste product from natural gas production and it was another of Haynes' inventions that made gasoline more usable as a fuel. On July 4, 1994, Haynes successfully drove his vehicle for an hour, covering about six miles. But that was just some of what this man accomplished. He discovered a means for making brass at the age of 15. He also invented the small thermostat that is used to regulate home temperature. He also created numerous alloys, including stainless steel and Stellite (used in blading small turbines and numerous other tools/equipment that should not rust.) The museum shows photos throughout the building from Haynes' life. Upstairs, the rooms are not maintained as living spaces, but rather, as tributes to the other inventors and "firsts" that Kokomo is known for. You will see exhibits about the Appersons, the first pneumatic rubber tire, first carburetor, lots of Delco radio inventions, and even some canning innovations. And of course, there are lots of exhibits about alloys and their uses. The staff is friendly and goes the extra mile to make sure you have all the information you desire. Note: Although the garage is off limits, you can still see three of the first cars produced in Kokomo through the windows. Review #2486

My husband and I visited the Tippecanoe Battlefield Historical Museum on our travels through…read moreIndiana. The Battle of Tippecanoe was was the event that launched the presidential campaign of Indiana's son William Henry Harrison. Outside you can see the monument to the men and the battle as well as walk on the battleground. Inside the museum, you can learn more about the battle. There is a good video that describes what happened in the battle. There are also plenty of artifacts and exhibits. For history lovers, this is a must visit museum!

An unexpected surprise on the roadside visit. So much history. The staff was very informative about…read morethe history

Good place to take the kids, especially if you have any fire truck fans. There are a lot of hands…read moreon equipment to check out. Really neat place.

There is a new acquisition for the entrance to the Art Museum of Greater Lafayette (east side). A…read morelife sized bronze of a "Resting Dancer" was installed. The bronze statue is approximately 4 ft wide and 4 ft high. It depicts a female dancer in a simple garment sitting with one foot on the ground and the other resting upon the bench while her left arm rests upon the knee. The sculpture is one of seven cast for this figure created by Granger, IN artist Harold "Tuck" Langland. Langland is a writer (two books on sculpture) as well as one of the best sculptors of lifelike images. His works can be found on/near the IU-Bloomington and the Notre Dame-South Bend campuses as well. Sorry, no room for you sit next to the dancer. Review #3711

One of the coolest and most unique experiences! I am so thrilled to have experienced and seen this…read morepart of American history. Elizabeth was just amazing and did a great job encapsulating the history of the jail. Thank you for a wonderful visit, my grandpa and I will always cherish it!

I don't think I will ever get the images of the Rotary Jail out of my mind. The Rotary Jail is both…read morefascinating and horrifying piece of local history. This is the last rotary jail that is functional in the United States. Like many Midwest towns, the sheriff's home also served as a jail for short term stays. The rotary cell system was designed to minimize the number of guards required to secure thirty or more inmates. The birdcage shaped contraption, is made up of two layers of small wedge shaped cells. There is a single door that cells must rotate towards to add or release people. Benjamin Haugh and William Brown of Indianapolis built the system and installed many throughout the US. Unfortunately, the rotation of the cells proved to be extremely dangerous for inmates and most rotating jails were condemned within a few years. The jail in Crawfordsville became functional in 1882 and operated through 1973. Modifications were made to the jail in the 1930s to improve safety. The building was restored and preserved as a museum in 1975. The museum also has several displays describing the local sheriffs and their equipment. Several pieces of period furniture and housewares are on display. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places. The tour guide was amazingly knowledgable and realistic about the dangers of the rotary system. She demonstrated the rotary action of the cells for us. We are allowed to walk into the cells. Admission is $8 per person and small kids are free. I didn't see ADA access and there are a lot of up and down steps, so it would be difficult to maneuver a wheel chair or stroller. There are no public restrooms either. We parked downtown and walked two blocks. There is a small gift shop in the rear of the house selling sheriff themed and other trinkets. I highly recommend a visit if you like history, architecture and engineering.