* Indiana Landmarks Center’s Rapp Family Gallery will host a free opening reception from 6 to 9 p.m. First Friday, Oct. 3, for Embracing the Journey: Threads of Joy and Sisterhood!, a quilt exhibit featuring works by members of Akoma Ntoso Modern Quilt Guild of Central Indiana. Founded in 2018 for people of color in the Indianapolis area to create and connect through quilting, guild members range from novice to professional and include quilters who have exhibited nationally and internationally.
* On Thursday, Oct. 30, the Landmarks Center will host Evans Woollen Talk, beginning at 6 p.m. and also available online. The impact of prolific Modernist architect Evans Woollen can be seen in sites throughout Indianapolis from iconic public landmarks such as Clowes Hall and the Minton-Capehart Federal Building to custom private residences. Authors and photographers Phillip Cox and Niall Cronin will present an in-depth look at Woollen’s legacy from their newly published book, What a Building Does: The Hoosier Modernisms of Evans Woollen. Sponsored by Indiana Landmarks’ affinity group Indiana Modern. $10/general public; free to members with RSVP.
* On Sunday, Oct. 5, author Paul Hendrickson will present a Frank Lloyd Wright Talk, starting at 6 p.m. at the Landmarks Center and also online. Hendrickson will share insights from his book Plagued by Fire: The Dreams and Furies of Frank Lloyd Wright, a biography delving into lesser-known aspects of the famed architect’s life. Sponsored by the Kurt Vonnegut Museum & Library, The Penrod Society, Don Knebel, and Diane Thompson. A book signing with the author follows the presentation. $10/general public; free to members with RSVP.
Following are the walking tours scheduled for October:
* Woodruff Place Walking Tour / Friday nights in October; Departure times vary. Known as the city’s first planned residential suburb, entrepreneur James O. Woodruff created Woodruff Place in 1872, an upscale, park-like neighborhood with stately homes and tree-lined esplanades that remains largely intact today. On a 90-minute guided tour, learn about the neighborhood’s cultural importance with extra spooky insights and haunting historic tales. $20/general public, $17/Indiana Landmarks member, $15/child (ages 6-11), free to children 5 and under.
* Propylaeum Building Tour / Sundays, Oct. 12 & Nov. 2; Tours depart at 1:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. Take a deep dive into Indianapolis history at the Indianapolis Propylaeum, a Queen Anne-style landmark in the city’s Old Northside. Built in 1890 as a private residence, the building has served as a hub for arts, culture, and women’s leadership since 1923. Tourgoers will explore the main building, carriage house, and grounds, as well as learn about prominent movers and shakers associated with the site over time. Presented in partnership with the Propylaeum Historic Foundation. $15/general public (12 & up); $12/member; $10/child (ages 6-11); free to children 5 and under.
* Landmarks Along the Indianapolis Cultural Trail Bike Tour / Saturday, Oct. 18; Tour departs at 10 a.m. Explore Downtown on a leisurely five-mile bike tour featuring the Indianapolis Cultural Trail and surrounding landmarks. Tourgoers will travel the trail’s main loop, stopping along the way for guides to share architectural details and stories of preservation and revitalization, including how the trail serves as an asset to the city and its place in Indy’s biking history. Presented in partnership with Indianapolis Cultural Trail, Inc. $45/general public (ages 16 & up); $40/member (ages 16 & up). Ticket price includes Pacers Bikeshare Bike rental.
* Old Northside Spooky Tour / Saturday, Oct. 18; Departure times vary. Enjoy an evening of spooky fun and local lore in Indianapolis’s Old Northside on guided tours with Indiana Landmarks, including trick-or-treating at designated stops, an eerie organ serenade, and a look inside the 1865 Morris-Butler House. Costumes encouraged (but not required). $23/general public, $20/member, $17 child (ages 6-11), free to children 5 and under.
* Athenaeum Building Tour / Sundays, Oct. 19 & Nov. 16; Tours depart at 1:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. Discover Indianapolis’s German roots on a one-hour guided tour exploring the history, architecture, and preservation of the Athenaeum as it evolved from German clubhouse to hub of modern urban life. Advance tickets encouraged. $15/general public (ages 12 & up); $12/member; $10/child (ages 6-11); free to children ages 5 and under.
* Athenaeum Bier & Building Tour / Sundays, Oct. 26 & Nov. 9; Tours depart at 1:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. Sample German-American heritage through beer, appetizers, and activities on this adults-only version of our Athenaeum tour, highlighting the history, architecture, and preservation of one of the city’s most beloved landmarks. Advance tickets encouraged. $40/general public (ages 21 & up); $35/member.
