Top Things to do in Indiana Dunes
Top Hotels in Indiana Dunes
- 1. Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Valparaiso, IN
- 2. Hilton Garden Inn Chesterton
- 3. Hampton Inn & Suites Valparaiso
- 4. Best Western Indian Oak
- 5. Hampton Inn Portage
- 6. Holiday Inn Express & Suites Portage, an IHG Hotel
- 7. Best Western University Inn At Valparaiso
- 8. Quality Inn Chesterton Near Indiana Dunes National Park I-94
- 9. Fairfield Inn & Suites Valparaiso
- 10. Best Western Plus Portage Hotel & Suites
Countries
5 Museums in Indiana Dunes That You Shouldn't Miss
Discover the best top things to do in Indiana Dunes, United States including White Key Gallery, Brauer Museum of Art Center for the Arts, Porter County Museum, The Depot - Beverly Shores History Museum & Art Gallery, Westchester Public Library - Township History Museum.
Restaurants in Indiana Dunes
1. White Key Gallery
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 8 reviews
White Key Gallery offers original works of art by a variety of talented artists who are creating work that is fresh and sensational. Two and three dimensional art is featured in a variety of media. The gallery, housed in a beautiful 100 year old Victorian, is located just 4 blocks east of the historic courthouse. Stop in for an experience you won't soon forget.
2. Brauer Museum of Art Center for the Arts
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 22 reviews
Reviewed By zonar72
Smaller gallery of a variety of different artists and styles housed in the Art building on the university campus. When I visited there were several Junius Sloan pieces on display as well as a gorgeous painting; “Les Amateurs”—Alexander Harrison, also new pieces by local artists and an interesting exhibit of religious icons painted on old boards from ammunition boxes. Donations only and can be enjoyed in 1-2 hours.
3. Porter County Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 17 reviews
The Porter County Museum–also known as the PoCo Muse–is a small, yet dynamic institution that aims to share the stories of Porter County and its people. The Museum features 7-8 permanent as well as temporary exhibits, from prehistoric to present and is open Wednesday- Saturday 9a-5p. Admission is free every day. See you at the PoCo Muse!
Reviewed By interceptpubs - Columbus, United States
We recently spent the weekend in the Valparaiso area and stopped by this fine little museum on a rainy Friday afternoon to take another look at its interesting collections. We had previously visited the museum several years ago when we toured all of the county museums around the state and recalled that it was one of the better examples in the state. Apparently, we were not alone in this opinion as over the past six years, it has won major awards from the Indiana Historical Society (twice!), Indiana Landmarks, and most recently, the 2019 Award of Excellence from the American Association for State and Local History. This latter is for its exhibit, “Do Your Part! A County Responds to the First World War," which occupies a large section of the museum's first floor exhibit space. We had not seen this exhibit previously (apparently it opened around the first of this year) so were delighted to take a look, particularly as World War I is one of our interests (our grandfather having fought with the 78th Infantry Division in the Meuse-Argonne and St. Mihiel offensives). The museum's exhibit offers a detailed look of how the "war to end all wars" affected the daily lives of the county's residents. As might be expected, the most dramatic impact was on the young men who left the farms and towns of Porter County to fight overseas. The exhibit tells the story of the local militia unit, Company L of the 3rd Infantry Division, that was called up to join the war effort. Of course, before going overseas, the men had to get additional training so many were sent to bases around the country before heading to France. Interestingly, they possibly could have gotten a lot of their training here locally - Valparaiso University, at the time second only to Harvard in size, became a major training base for the Army, particularly specializing in training recruits how to drive that newfangled invention, the truck. Some 15,000 soldiers passed through the University's gates during the war. Porter County also sent women off to France to serve their country. For example, the exhibit tells the story of Olive Whitlock, a nurse from Jackson Township, that ended up working in a field hospital during the Battle of Château-Thierry. The exhibit also delves into life on the homefront, from women knitting socks for the troops to farmers increasing food production to support the war effort. The exhibit talks about the rise in anti-German sentiment in the country and how that impacted the large German immigrant community in Porter County. For example, county schools stopped teaching German, replacing it with French. Other exhibits on the first floor include the County's contributions in the Second World War, as well as exhibits on the local economy (not just farming, but also steel mills, etc.), the environment (particularly the Lake Michigan Dunes), and transportation (interurbans and railroads). Even the competition to create the county seat and, of course, the County's namesake, Commodore David Porter, and the significance of Battle of Valparaiso in his career are discussed too. Towards the back of the museum is an exhibit on the mastadon bones found on area farms over the years, remnants of Porter County's Ice Age past, along with artifacts from the life of the Frances Howe, including the dress she purportedly wore to Lincoln's Second Inaugural Ball. The back of the museum also includes the cells from the building's past as the county jail and sheriff's residence. Interestingly, some of these cells have been converted for use as office's for museum employees, perhaps a strong motivational tool to ensure that they get their work done on time! Upstairs is the museum's cabinet of curiosities, unusual items from the museum's collection. Of course, the museum is full from top to bottom with interesting artifacts which they have displayed with photos, ephemera, and information panels to provide a really excellent description of the history of the area and its people. Best of all, admission is free! If you find yourself in the area, it is really worth taking a look.
4. The Depot - Beverly Shores History Museum & Art Gallery
5. Westchester Public Library - Township History Museum
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 2 reviews
