A dozen Indiana museums, historic sites offer free June 20 admission

Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites will offer free admission on Saturday, June 20, at its 12 locations across the state.

The Indiana State Museum in Indianapolis and sites including Levi and Catharine Coffin in Fountain City and Whitewater Canal in Metamora will welcome visitors from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. in honor of Juneteenth. The holiday is recognized federally on June 19 and commemorates the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States following the Civil War.

At the Levi and Catharine Coffin State Historic Site in Fountain City, visitors can take a guided tour of the Coffins’ home to see what life was like for the Quaker couple as they supported the Underground Railroad. Among many highlights in the modest house, which became known as “the Grand Central Station of the Underground Railroad,” visitors can peer inside a narrow cubby on the second floor that once concealed freedom-seekers as they made their way north on the Underground Railroad. Guided tours are available at 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.

At the Whitewater Canal site, attendees can visit the Grist Mill to see real grain grinding demonstrations and purchase freshly ground corn. Families can explore the transportation discovery space to learn how Hoosiers used to get from place to place. Visitors can also explore the town’s rich canal history and learn about the crucial role canals played for the transportation of people and goods in early America. Mill demonstrations take place at 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Indiana State Museum’s celebration will offer a wide variety of family-friendly activities, vendors and entertainment.

Tours are available at the historic sites on a first-come, first-served basis, and advance registration is required by calling the sites directly.

For more information about Juneteenth offerings at other Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites locations across the state, visit IndianaMuseum.org.