Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites Offering Free Admission on Martin Luther King Jr. Day

In celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites will offer free admission on Jan. 19 at nearly all of its locations across the state, including three in central Indiana.

While 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 a.m.-5 p.m. as a way to honor King’s life and legacy through a day of reflection with the community. The museum system’s free admission days are supported by the Lacy Foundation.

At the Indiana State Museum in Indianapolis, multicultural performances, hands-on activities, a collaborative mural and video highlights of King’s most iconic speeches will help attendees connect with themes like service and community that were central to King’s teachings. MLK Day will also kick off the museum’s year-long celebration of America’s 250^th birthday, with special activities that focus on the stories and objects of Hoosiers who pursued freedom and inspired change.

Visitors can get a rare glimpse of original copies of the Emancipation Proclamation and 13^th Amendment signed by President Abraham Lincoln. Curators will be available to chat with guests and offer an up-close look at objects from the museum system’s collection. Plus, the galleries will be open for attendees to explore, including the Nikon Small World photomicrography exhibit.

Performances featuring dancers, musical artists and more will take place throughout the day in the great hall. In the L.S. Ayres Tea Room™, visitors can take part in a unique community conversation with Alpha Blackburn, a former model and designer whose fashions were featured in stores, including L.S Ayres, under her own Alpha Originals label.

In partnership with White River State Park and its attractions, the museum will accept monetary donations to benefit Gleaners Food Bank.

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 on MLK Day at 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.

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. MLK Day will also offer a perfect opportunity to see the centennial exhibition that commemorates the 100^th 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. Guided building tours are offered at 10:15 a.m., 1:15 p.m. and 3:15 p.m. Additionally, visitors take a self-guided hike to discover the outdoor studio, featuring a wagon modeled after Steele’s own traveling studio, and explore the site’s expansive natural surroundings, including the real locations that inspired Steele’s artworks.

Spaces are limited for guided tours on MLK Day. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged and can be made by calling the sites directly. Visitors can go to IndianaMuseum.org for more information about the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites’ locations across the state.