Life Education And Resource Network
Click on the links below for information about:
Special Events
Ongoing Events
Museums in Central/Southern Indiana; other places to go
Organizations that offer educational opportunities
See also "Local Resources of Interest: Instructors, Tutors, Organizations"
The information given on this page, and the links listed here, in no way constitute an endorsement by LEARN. Use your own discretion as to the appropriateness of any activity, museum, or organization for your family.
How to set up a museum visit or other field trip--a handy article for a parent who is doing this for the group for the first time (and good reminders to the oldtimers, also!). If you are setting up an event for the LEARN group, please print out this form and mail it to the newsletter editor OR e-mail the same information to her, following the format suggested.
Are you are a museum employee? Want to know more about homeschoolers in general? Look at what homeschoolers want from a field trip.
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Wonderlab Museum of Science, Health, and Technology
308 West Fourth Street, Bloomington, Indiana. Has volunteer opportunities; sponsors special events; can be reserved for special groups or parties. Go to the Wonderlab website for further information or call Louise
Schlesinger, 812-337-1337.
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Bloomington Indiana Community Youth Chess League (BICYCLe): Tuesdays 6:00-7:30 p.m. at Abodes, Inc., 2nd floor of the Perennial Building (corner of 6th and Walnut, in downtown Bloomington, directly above Boca Loca Beads), and Fridays at 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at the Banneker Center, 930 W. 7th Street, Bloomington. Bring your own chess board if possible.
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City Lights movies: Every Friday during IU's school year, City Lights shows
a free movie. They start at 7 p.m. The movies are shown in Ballantine Hall 013 (accessible). Parking is free in the lots
connected to Ballantine Hall classroom building, if you have a City Lights flyer on your dashboard. They either show a double feature, or just one movie with a short. Not all
movies are kid-oriented, but many are. One night, they had an ancient Warner
Bros short with a prototype Bugs Bunny that was a hoot. Call 856-FLIX or email clights@indiana.edu for more information.
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Family Night--monthly event at Indiana University. Sports, crafts, other activities at the Student Recreation Sports Center. First Friday night of the month, In the summer, this is sometimes at the IU outdoor pool. Usually 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. FREE. For more information contact SRSC at 812-855-7772 or recsport@indiana.edu.
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Children's Museum of Indianapolis, the world's largest Children's Museum--always worth a look!
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Conner Prairie Living History Museum where it is always 1836. North of Indianapolis, near Fishers, Indiana.
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Eiteljorg Museum featuring art of the American West, Native Americans, and cowboys. Has a very good gift shop.
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Falls of the Ohio State Park: has a wonderfully HUGE fossil bed, with naturalists available for tours.
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Hilltop Garden and Nature Center: Located in Bloomington, Hilltop is an educational garden that welcomes visitors during their open hours. Also welcome are volunteers.
Outdoor artists are invited to submit art work for exhibit on Hilltop's grounds. Free admission. Director: Greg Speichert. Contact: 812-855-2799 or click on the hyperlink.
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Indiana Historical Society
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Indiana State Museum and other historic sites. Use this page to find special events at the various state historical sites.
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Indiana University Art Museum. We welcome you to the IU Art Museum!
We can offer your group customized tours to fit your needs. Our excellent, highly trained Docents will guide you through the tour
while engaging your children in conversation about the art. Please feel free to contact us and discuss how we can arrange a tour
for you. The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday. Regarding cost: the museum is free, and the tours are free. We can also give
you a discount on parking. We look forward to seeing you at the museum! | Contact: Patsy Rahn, Tour Coordinator, 812-855-1045
Indianapolis Museum of Art.
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Indianapolis Zoo. Current events online; resources; buy a membership. Has links to the nearby botanical gardens, also.
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Mathers Museum: just off the Indiana University campus, a museum of archeology, anthropology, and neat cross-cultural stuff. Free admission to museum; has gift shop.
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Monroe County Historical Society Museum, corner of 6th and Washington in Bloomington--1/2 block west of the Monroe County Public Library. Has an extensive geneaology collection and a gift shop.
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Squire Boone Caverns and Village at Corydon, Indiana (near Louisville, KY). Have educational field trips for school and homeschool groups; pioneer craft demonstrations; cave tours; call (502) 425-CAVE for recorded information.
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Wolf Park near Lafayette, Indiana. Has an active wolf pack; educational programs, weekly "howl" event.
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SullivanMunce Cultural Center; 205-225 W. Hawthorne Street, Zionsville, IN 46077
Directions: Only 3 miles off of 465 West. From Bloomington – Take IN-37 North to I-465 West. Exit at 86th Street exit (Exit 23). Merge onto West 86th Street. Turn left onto North Zionsville Road. Turn left onto West Hawthorne Street.
| Hours of operation: Tuesday – Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Contact Person: Leslie Buse, Director of Munce Art Center – part of SullivanMunce Cultural Center Contact Number: 317-873-6862 Contact Email: lesliebuse@sullivanmunce.org Features exhibits, events and programs that are designed to enrich and enhance the artistic and cultural experiences of Central Indiana community members. The SullivanMunce is comprised of three areas of programming; the history museum, genealogy library, and the art center. The museum and library are important repositories of the heritage of Zionsville, Boone County, and Indiana. The art center exhibits and sells works of art from the local and regional community. In addition, the art center offers art class for students of all ages and summer day camps for children, ages 7 -12. For more information call 317-873-6862 or visit www.sullivanmunce.org. Individual and Family memberships are available and include discounts for classes. |
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Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music at the Bloomington campus offers
Pre-College and Special Programs. Choose from ballet, piano, choir, guitar, harp, and more.
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Bloomington Area Arts Council, primarily through the John Waldron Arts Center in downtown Bloomington (122 South Walnut Street), offers classes in visual arts, theatre, and writing for children, teens, and adults. Contact them at 334-1100. Student, adult, and family memberships are available and include discounts for classes and gift shop purchases.
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Bloomington Parks and Recreation is interested in setting up programs specifically for homeschoolers. They have established some classes and activities targeted to us already (ice sakting, Wenesdays 1-3 p.m. and First Aid for 6-12 year olds).; see their Program Guide. Anyone can attend these programs, although out of city residents are sometimes charged more; see the Guide for specifics. The Guide includes rates for renting facilities, and activities available to the entire community for children (toddlers to teens), families, adults, older adults. Also includes the People's University offerings. David Weigand at 812-349-3731 is the designated contact person for homeschooling programs; he is asking for our input. If you need a Guide, contact Parks and Rec at 812-349-3700 or stop by at 401 N. Morton Street, Suite 250 in Bloomington.
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Bloomington Playwrights Project offers classes for all ages in acting and scriptwriting. They have an academy for kids to get kids writing/directing/performing their own plays. Call for details. They have a stage, a studio, classroom, etc. The Black Box Theater is at 312 S. Washington. Sometimes they perform at Third Street Park. Contact PR Director Rachael Himsel at 107 West 9th, Bloomington, IN 47408; 812-334-1188 or bppwrite@newplays.org.
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Indiana's State Parks and Reservoirs; check out all these recreation/education opportunities.
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For special events at the Monroe County Public Library, check out their programs for
adults, teenagers, and children. Most of these programs are offered free.
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Sassafras Audobon Society--local affiliate of the National Audubon Society. Has educational links on their website and a calendar of local events.
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