Take a Tour of Northwest Indiana's Museums and other Attractions

Northwest Indiana hosts a variety of museums and other establishments offering tours to the public. Stop by or schedule a tour at one of the following locations!

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BROKEN WAGON BISON
(guided group tours and walk-in-tours with no minimum group size)
563 W 450 N, Hobart, IN 46342
(219) 759-3523
Come visit Broken Wagon Bison for your very own rare encounter with North America’s largest native land mammal. Our summer tours give you the unique opportunity to be literally “surrounded” by our bison herd (in the safety of our Bison Tour Wagon) and watch the new-born calves nurse and play. You’ll get a true sense of the awesome size, strength, and power of these remarkable animals as you watch the one-ton herd bull lumber by, and if the herd should break into a run, they can hit speeds of 35 to 50 mph and literally make the ground shake!
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BUCKLEY HOMESTEAD COUNTY PARK
(self-guided and guided group tours)
Farm & Barnyard open daily 7am - dusk
Buildings open seasonally
3606 Belshaw Road
Lowell, IN 46356
The around 575 acre Buckley Homestead is a living history farm that has been in the care of Lake County Parks since 1983. There are live animals throughout the park, an old fashioned school house, and the 100+ year-old Buckley Barn earns the entire homestead a spot on the National Register of Historic Places.
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CHALLENGER LEARNING CENTER
(individual and group tours)
***Please call ahead for events open to the general public***
Hours: 8am-4pm
2300 173rd St, Hammond, IN 46323
(219) 989-3250
The Challenger Learning Center of Northwest Indiana is Chicagoland's premiere Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education facility for field trips and more. From our famous simulated space missions to hands-on workshops, labs, summer camps and planetarium experiences, we offer unique learning opportunities for children of all ages as well as STEM resources and curricula for their teachers. The Challenger Center of Northwest Indiana has been called the hidden gem of NWI find out why!
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COMMUNITY VETERANS MEMORIAL
(guided tours suspended until further notice)
Open daily from dawn - dusk
9710 Calumet Avenue,
Munster, Indiana
219-836-3392
Guided tours are a great way to experience the Memorial. Tours are free of charge and available April 1st - mid-November, weather permitting. We are honored to have four Veterans from the Munster VFW Post 2697 who have graciously volunteered their time to conduct the tours. Among them, they have actively served in WWII, Korea and Vietnam. They started leading the tours in May 2015 and have since hosted groups from high schools, elementary schools, Cub and Boy Scout troops, and Veteran service organizations. With guests ranging from 5 to 95 years of age, the Veterans are happy to tailor material to fit the group, class or curriculum.
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FAIR OAKS FARMS
(guided and self-guided tours)
856 N 600 E
Fair Oaks, IN 47943
(219) 394-2025
Come learn about our ever-changing planet, and see how we’re leading the future of food! There’s no better place on Earth to learn about and experience modern farming than Fair Oaks Farms. Perfect for all ages, school groups, and tour groups.
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GRIFFITH HISTORICAL PARK & RAILROAD MUSEUM
(guided and self-guided tours)
201 S Broad St, Griffith, IN 46319
The museum features the historic 1911 GTW depot, EJ&E interlocking tower, a small display of EJ&E rolling stock, and a handful of various small trackside shanties. Open on Sundays from 2-4pm, from Mid-June to the end of August.
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HESSTON STEAM MUSEUM
(self-guided tours)
1201 E 1000 N, La Porte, IN 46350
(219) 778-2783
History that Will Move You. This is not your typical stuffy museum.... visit us and you’ll walk right into an era long past. A simpler time where big machines did work, powered factories, moved mountains, fed the country or just entertained humanity. Those machines are ready to enlighten your family, taking you on a journey not to be forgotten.
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JOHN H. BARKER MANSION
*Closed for renovations*
(guided and self-guided tours)
631 Washington St, Michigan City, IN 46360
(219) 873-1520
The historic Barker Mansion lives as a monument of industry, charity, and turn-of-the-century life in Michigan City, highlighting the legacy of the Barker family through community events, interpretive tours and special programs for kids and adults.
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MERRILLVILLE COMMUNITY PLANETARIUM
Clifford Pierce Middle School
199 East 70th Avenue, Merrillville, IN
(219) 650-5486
The Merrillville Community Planetarium is part of the Merrillville Community School Corporation, a K-12 public school system in Northwest Indiana. The Planetarium is located in Clifford Pierce Middle School. We provide programming for Merrillville classes, outside groups, and the public.
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PORTER COUNTY MUSEUM
(guided and self-guided tours)
153 Franklin St, Valparaiso, IN 46383
(219) 465-3595
FREE 30-MINUTE GUIDED TOUR:
Looking to supplement your visit to the museum with a little more insight and detail? The PoCo Muse is thrilled to offer a free weekly 30-minute guided tour of A Calumet Tapestry: Artistic Views of the Region every Saturday at 12p. Tour guides and themes will change regularly, so stop by often.
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GUIDED TOUR:
$6/person ($5/member)
Scheduled, docent-guided tours are an immersive way to experience the PoCo Muse. Our general tour lasts approximately forty-five minutes and highlights the history behind the art and artifacts featured in A Calumet Tapestry: Artistic Views of the Region.
REQUIRED: You must schedule your guided tour (which needs to have a minimum of four participants) in advance via the Tour Request Form, which you will find at the bottom of this page.
NOTE: Any tour scheduled outside of Tuesday through Sunday between 11a-4p is considered an off-hours tour and has a rate of $12/person ($10/member).
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SOUTH SHORE CIVIL WAR MEMORIAL TRAIL
(self-guided tours, various locations throughout Northwest Indiana)
This trail is a collection of the last known resting places, monuments and architectural icons related to the brave men and women of Lake and Porter counties who sacrificed during this most pivotal era in history. Indiana contributed more than 200,000 Union troops to the Civil War effort between 1861 and 1865, and hundreds of those veterans are buried in the cemeteries of Northwest Indiana along the South Shore of Lake Michigan. The South Shore Civil War Memorial Trail serves as a guide for visitors who want to see and pay respect to the veterans' historic burial grounds and learn the stories of humanity behind the Calumet Region men in blue.
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TASK FORCE TIPS INC.
(guided tours)
3701 Innovation Way, Valparaiso, IN 46383
(219) 462-6161
Task Force Tips, is a three-shift "around the clock" 7 day/week production facility. However it is open daily to visitors from 8 AM-5 PM, Monday through Friday. Your visit is sure to be memorable, as you are escorted by a TFT employee. Our new wide area broadcast presentation system can be used to allow everyone to easily hear as well as see many of the ongoing processes. This assures your visit will be a personal and individualized tour of this state-of-the-art manufacturing facility.
Special Note: Anyone arriving after these normal hours are STILL WELCOME. However due to the limited number of people available, we ask for at least 24 hours notice so that we can assure that a tour guide specialist will be available.
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THE MUSEUM AT LASSEN'S RESORT
7408 Constitution Ave, Cedar Lake, IN 46303
(219) 390-9423
The museum is housed in the 100-year old historic Lassen's hotel and features interesting exhibits from Cedar Lake's resort era and much more. It is open Thursday through Sunday afternoons from May-September with many special events throughout the summer. Admission is free. Special tours are available anytime from May-October with advance reservations.
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THE OLD LIGHTHOUSE MUSEUM
100 Heisman Harbor Rd
Michigan City, IN 46360
(219) 872-6133
Original 1858 light station structure, 8 display rooms, Great Lakes history, shipwrecks, era of sailing ships, local history, gift shop and more.
Hours: April-Oct Weds-Sun 1-4pm; closed Mon & Tues; First Fri each month year-round 5-8pm.
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THE SHRINE OF CHRIST'S PASSION
(guided and self-guided tours)
10630 Wicker Ave, St John, IN 46373
(219) 365-6010
The dramatic 10,000 sq. ft. Shrine Gift Shoppe/Visitor Center and Café are open year-round. The Prayer Trail is also open year-round weather permitting. There is no charge to experience The Shrine of Christ’s Passion. The Shrine of Christ’s Passion is a 501 (c) (3) not for profit and continues to exist from sales at our one-of-a-kind Shrine Gift Shoppe and from the generous donations of our guests. All donations are much needed, welcomed and appreciated.
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1933 WORLD'S FAIR HOMES AT BEVERLY SHORES, INDIANA
(self-guided tours and guided tours)
Century of Progress Homes Tour
The annual tour is held on the last weekend of September. The tour is sponsored by the non-profit organization Indiana Landmarks. Tickets go on sale early in August and usually sell out within one hour. For information on the exact tour date, ticket sale date, pricing, and all other information, please visit the Indiana Landmarks' website. The 1933 World’s Fair in Chicago—called the Century of Progress—offered millions of people in the depths of the Great Depression a hopeful vision that highlighted futuristic changes on the horizon. Developer Robert Bartlett brought a dozen buildings from the fair including five from the Homes and Industrial Arts housing exhibit that make up the Century of Progress Historic District. The buildings were moved by barge and truck to Beverly Shores, a resort community he was developing on the Indiana shore of Lake Michigan. You can visit the cluster of five landmarks on the annual Century of Progress home, sponsored by Indiana Landmarks in partnership with the National Park Service. The tour admits you to the first floors of the Florida Tropical, Rostone, Armco-Ferro and Cypress houses. As you can tell by their names, the houses at the fair promoted products for residential living—Florida’s beachy appeal, and artificial stone, enameled steel, and cypress wood as building materials. Four of the five houses looked wildly modern in 1933, so ahead of their time that they remain modern looking today. The Cypress House, honoring its material, looks like a rustic log cabin, albeit with modern amenities. To save the structures, Indiana Landmarks leased them from the National Park Service, then subleased four to people who have restored them in exchange for long-term leases. You’ll also tour the House of Tomorrow (declared a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation) in its dilapidated state. Indiana Landmarks is currently accepting proposals for the property’s restoration and long-term lease. The tour lasts a little over two hours and is guided by park rangers and volunteers who will provide histories and architectural overviews at each property. Because there is no parking available in the historic district, your timed entry ticket includes shuttle transportation to the district from the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center, 1215 North State Road 49, Porter, IN, 46304. The private homes are clustered together on either side of Lake Front Drive within easy walking distance of one another. Touring the historic homes requires walking and climbing stairs. If you require accommodation, please call Indiana Landmarks’ Northern Regional Office, 574-232-4534. Tickets cost is $35/person, ($30/member of Indiana Landmarks or Dunes National Park Association) (2018 prices, subject to change).
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