T.C. Steele State Historic Site features a variety of tours and programs throughout the year. Look for special activities include about gardening, art, crafts and more.
Arts and Crafts Moments: Simplicity in Design Standard tour prices apply The Arts & Crafts Movement focused on handcrafted objects that created a close relationship between literature and the visual arts, which came to Indiana in the 1890s. There will be three rotations of this exhibit:
Third rotation: Dec. 15, 2011 – March 30, 2012 The third and final rotation of this exhibit features objects from private collections and includes rare books, pottery, furniture and textiles, along with pieces acquired by the Steeles for their own personal collection.
Get a Clue at T.C. Steele State Historic Site: Murder Mystery Feb. 11, 18, 2012; 6:30 p.m.
$35 per person (adults only) Participants will re-enact a murder and solve the mystery based on clues. Guests will be assigned a character and given some content and costume information prior to the event. Dinner will be catered, and beer and wine will be available. Registration is required.
Sensational Stencils March 17, 2012; 1 – 4 p.m.
$15 per person Make a stencil design based on Selma Steele’s stencil patterns or your own. Participants will have a take-away product such as a sachet, table runner or pillow. Space is limited to 20. Registration is required.
Hiking Sundays April 1, May 6, June 3, 2012; 1 – 3 p.m.
$3 per person per day Hike the trails at T.C. Steele! Hike topics may include identification, orienteering, ecology, above ground archaeology and history.
Teddy Bear Tea Party April 14, 2012; 11 a.m.
$15 per person Bring your teddy bear or favorite stuffed animal for an afternoon of tea, refreshments and fun. Enjoy readings, songs, crafts, games and a parade around the site. There will be a tour of the house at the end of the program.
27th Annual Wildflower Foray April 27 – 29, 2012; times and hike locations vary During a three-day period, guest can enjoy 20 to 25 hikes and programs that focus on the natural history and environmental concerns of Brown County, especially as they relate to wildflower and bird populations. Included are wildflower and bird walks, wetlands hikes, a boat trip on Lake Monroe, nature photography and more. Hikes and programs will be on established trails throughout the T.C. Steele property and at other nearby natural areas including DNR properties, Hoosier National Forest, Indiana University, Sycamore Land Trust and Nature Conservancy lands.
Festival of Flowers Paint Out May 19, 2012; 7 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Adult registration: $10 ($9 for members) Child registration: $5 ($4 for members)
$1 parking fee for general public Pre-registered artists create artwork –and visitors have the opportunity to observe the process of creation—outdoors. All work submitted for judging must be created the day of the contest.
Garden Gala and Plant Sale May 12, 2012, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Free except for workshops The Friends of T.C. Steele will sell a variety of perennials and herbs. There will be two demonstrations throughout the day on various gardening subjects and a workshop on a specific gardening theme that will be for all ages.
Brown County Studio and Garden Tour June 22, 23, 2012; 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
June 24, 2012; 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Free; regular admission applies to House of the Singing Winds tour The Large Studio is open on a stationed basis and special house tours are scheduled every hour. A special guided garden tour will be available twice-daily. A "Visiting Artist" will create original art on-site and interact with the public all three days during the hours of the tour. This artist will have use of the Guest Cottage to use as studio space to create and display their work.
Camp Steele July 6, 13, 20, 27, 2012; 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
$20 per day per camper or $60 for all four Fridays Students in grades 4 through 7 campers will discover T.C. Steele, his work, his life and his home through art activities and tours. Campers will explore the grounds and learn to use the site as an inspiration to a budding artist. Campers should bring a sack lunch, but snacks and drinks will be provided.
Sunday at Home July 15, 2012; 1 – 4 p.m.
$5 per adult; $3 per child ages 5 – 12, free age 4 and under Volunteers and staff members step back in time into early 20th-century period costume lead special tours and programs. The event will have a traditional music component. Families are encouraged to participate in “old-fashioned” games and activities. The admission fee will include a building tour.
Great Outdoor Art Contest and Art Fair Sept. 8, 2012; 7 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Adult registration: $10 ($9 for members); Child registration: $5 ($4 for members)
$1 parking fee for general public Celebrate T.C. Steele’s birthday outdoors in the open air and in the same surroundings that inspired Steele 100 years ago. Artists work as T.C. Steele did — in plein air — and visitors can stroll the grounds to watch, shop at vendor booths and listen to music. An Artist-in-Residence will present demonstrations during the event.
Brown County Backroads Tour Oct. 1 – 31, 2012; site hours
Standard tour prices apply The Large Studio is open on a stationed basis and special house tours are scheduled every hour. A special guided garden tour will be available twice-daily. A "Visiting Artist" will create original art on-site and interact with the public all three days during the hours of the tour. This artist will have use of the Guest Cottage to use as studio space to create and display their work.
Autumnal Women’s Retreat: Sisters in Sync Oct. 5 – 7, 2012; 6:30 p.m. Friday – noon Sunday
$200 per participant (includes lodging and meals) Grab your girlfriends for a weekend of uninhibited art projects and relaxing workshops. This women's retreat focuses on a holistic approach to living and includes yoga, meditation, massage therapy, journaling, clay sculpting, photography, painting, sketching and hiking.
Ghost tours, Stories and Owls, oh my! Oct. 26, 2012; 7 – 9 p.m.
$5 per person; children 4 and under are free Enjoy art and storytelling with a Halloween theme! Activities include a ghost tour of the house, garden, cemetery and log cabin (weather permitting), ghost stories told by local storytellers, a presentation on owls by a local naturalist and an art project. Light refreshments will be served in the classroom.
Steele’s Country Christmas Dec. 8, 2012; noon – 4 p.m.
$5 per adult; $3 per child 5 – 12 This event will reflect the time period of the early 1920s, when the Steeles celebrated the holidays at the House of the Singing Winds, inviting neighbors and friends into their home. St. Nicholas will visit the Large Studio, where children and families can have their photographs taken with him. Visitors will make ornaments and small, hand-crafted gifts. There will be live music in the Large Studio, and refreshments will be provided. Admission fee includes a special holiday-themed tour of the historic home.
All programs are sponsored by the Friends of T.C. Steele State Historic Site. Friends members will receive a discount on programs. $1 for programs $5 and under, $2 for programs over $5 but under $10, and $3 for programs over $10.
For more information on programs at T.C. Steele State Historic Site, contact the site at 812.988.2785 or tcsteeleshs@indianamuseum.org.
PATCH PROGRAMS FOR SCOUTS Earn your Historic Preservation Patch at the Indiana State Historic Sites! Grades 3 – 12 Find out how your Scout group or youth organization can learn to love and protect old architectural treasures in our communities. Designed for both older and younger youth, visit one of the participating state historic sites and do the rest of the activities on your own, or request a program be provided for your group at $3 per person.
When the requirements are completed, you may purchase this patch for $3 at the Lanier Mansion State Historic Site. For information and patch requirements, contact Anne Fairchild at 812.273.4531 or afairchild@indianamuseum.org.
