Eiteljorg Events
Join Us & Experience Amazing Stories
The Eiteljorg hosts a variety of events over the course of the year that you won’t want to miss. Most of our events are included with the price of admission, so you can come enjoy the excitement of a special occasion as well as the beauty of our unique museum.
Upcoming Events
Events Search and Views Navigation
List of Events
Behind the Scenes: Retrospective of John Vanausdall’s Career
Join John Vanausdall, retiring president and CEO, as a part of our Behind the Scenes series, where he will share with you favorite moments in his career, and share his favorite pieces from the Eiteljorg collection. You won't want to miss the chance to hear John reflect on his experiences at the Eiteljorg.
Girl Scouts Brownie Potter Badge Workshop and Tour
Learn more about different Native American pottery styles on a guided tour of the museum galleries, and then use your imagination to create your own air-dry clay pinch pot! The workshop includes a take-home pinch pot and will count toward the Potter Badge. This is best suited for Brownies. A minimum of 1 adult per 10 Girl Scouts is required, and adult chaperone tickets are $1 apiece. There is a 15 Girl Scout registrant minimum. If the minimum is not…
John Vanausdall Retirement Community Open House
FREE to the public. We invite the public to join us as we celebrate John Vanausdall on his retirement and thank him for his countless contributions to the arts and cultural community. We thank John for nearly 27 years of leadership and vision at the Eiteljorg Museum and within the Indianapolis arts and cultural community. Details: 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 7 Eiteljorg Museum, Allen Whitehill Clowes Sculpture Court Note: Remarks begin at 5 p.m. Enjoy light refreshments and…
Juneteenth and Jazz Community Celebration
On Saturday, June 17, the museum will host a FREE day in honor of Juneteenth and we are excited to be partnering with Tammy once again for our annual Juneteenth and Jazz Community Celebration. Come celebrate Juneteenth at the Eiteljorg Museum with performances, activities, food and more! Even though the day is FREE, we do encourage advance registration. You can register by clicking on the button below. Stay tuned for a full list of performances, vendors and activities. More…
Behind the Scenes Tour: Changing Views
Join Jessica Nelson, Ph.D., museum director of religion and culture initiatives, for a behind the scenes tour of the Changing Views exhibition. This program is included with general museum admission. Learn more about Changing Views: The Photography of Dorothea Lange at Eiteljorg.org/ChangingViews
Sensory-Friendly Day
Join us for a sensory-friendly day at the Eiteljorg! Sunday, July 9, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., the Eiteljorg will welcome those with sensory sensitivities, including children, to enjoy the museum. Explore the museum with a sensory bag and a museum guide. Visitors can also enjoy the R.B. Annis Western Family Experience and art making activities. There are limited spots available for this event. Pre-registration is required. Contact Elizabeth Bostelman at ebostelman@eiteljorg.com to register.
Western Book Club – Braiding Sweetgrass
Location: Virtual/Zoom Cost: Free The Eiteljorg Museum’s Western Book Club, like the museum itself, is committed to including works that represent many different cultural values, attitudes, and points of view. Members come together bimonthly to discuss books that represent the diversity of the American West and Indigenous peoples of North America. Meetings take place via Zoom, and are open to all. Join us for a discussion of Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants, "a book…
INconverstaion with Robin Wall Kimmerer
This event is sold out. Join us for a conversation with award-winning author and scientist Robin Wall Kimmerer (Citizen Potawatomi Nation) who will discuss her book, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teaching of Plants. The event is presented by Indiana Humanities and IUPUI's Religion, Spirituality and the Arts program.
Behind the Scenes: Building Architecture Overview
Join award-winning architect Jonathan Hess of Browning Day in a discussion about the impressive architecture of the Eiteljorg Museum. Hess was the architect of the original Eiteljorg building opened in 1989 and the museum's expansions were built in 2005 and 2022.
Girl Scouts Junior Jeweler Badge Workshop and Tour
Learn about several different Native American jewelry styles and techniques, and then make your own chain-loop bracelet and necklaces. The workshop includes a take-home bracelet and necklaces and will count toward the Jeweler Badge. This is best suited for Juniors. A minimum of 1 adult per 10 Girl Scouts is required, and adult chaperone tickets are $1 apiece. There is a 15 Girl Scout registrant minimum. If the minimum is not met, attendees will be notified and refunded. Badges must…
Behind the Scenes: Favorite Objects in the Collection
Join one of our longtime volunteer Guides to hear about their favorite objects in the museum's collection. This program is included with the price of admission.
Western Book Club – Peace Like a River
Location: Virtual/Zoom Cost: Free The Eiteljorg Museum’s Western Book Club, like the museum itself, is committed to including works that represent many different cultural values, attitudes, and points of view. Members come together bimonthly to discuss books that represent the diversity of the American West and Indigenous peoples of North America. Meetings take place via Zoom, and are open to all. Join us for a discussion of Peace Like a River: A Novel by Lief Enger, a best-selling American classic.…
Educators’ Open House and Teacher Symposium
Description: The Eiteljorg Museum is where you and your students can be immersed in the art, history and cultures of the Indigenous Peoples of North American and the American West. This is a day focused on your needs and how you can use and enjoy the galleries, gardens, programs and resources at the Eiteljorg Museum. Educators, administrators, support staff, and immediate family members will have free admission on Saturday, September 24. Activities: Meet staff and volunteers and share your needs…
Sensory-Friendly Day
Join us for a sensory-friendly day at the Eiteljorg! Sunday, December 10 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., the Eiteljorg will host a sensory-friendly day for visitors who would like to experience Jingle Rails with some of the sound and light features reduced. Visitors can also enjoy the R.B. Annis Western Family Experience and art making activities. There are limited spots available for this event. Pre-registration is required. Contact Elizabeth Bostelman at ebostelman@eiteljorg.com to register.
Yearly Events
June
Indian Market & Festival
Since 1993, the Eiteljorg Indian Market and Festival has been one of the preeminent summer cultural events in downtown Indianapolis. Artists from more than 50 Native American or First Nations groups present art across multiple disciplines to be awarded, purchased, and enjoyed.
Sept – Oct
Quest For The West
Quest is one of the top Western art shows in the country. Opening weekend registrants will be the first to see and bid on paintings and sculptures by some of the most prominent artists in a “luck of the draw” sale and a miniature art sale.
Oct – Nov
Dia de Muertos (Day of the Dead)
Every October, visitors can enjoy free admission to the Eiteljorg Museum during a day of celebration with performances, art-making, Mercado vendors, community groups, and a community-curated art and altar display.
Nov – Jan
Jingle Rails: The Great Western Adventure
Every winter, visitors explore the Eiteljorg’s popular annual holiday model train display, featuring reproductions of the landmarks of the American West and the skyline of downtown Indianapolis.
