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Gallery Talks

Ruthmere presents Gallery Talks the first week of each month.  The day of the week often changes to provide maximum opportunity for the public to attend, and start time is always 11am. Gallery Talks feature a twenty-minute discussion on an object/artwork within the Ruthmere collection, a person or event in local history, or a topic from the Victorian/Edwardian eras. Gallery Talks are free and open to the public.

SPONSORS NEEDED: Ruthmere Private Members and Business Members can sponsor an individual Gallery Talk for just $100!  To reserve your sponsorship contact Executive Director Bill Firstenberger at bfirstenberger@ruthmere.org

2024 Gallery Talks

February 2 "Five Medals, His Life and Times"--Mike Judson - 11 am at the Havilah Beardsley House *Sponsored by Karen Nicholson and Ann Wroblewski
March 5 "The Curious History of Cursive Handwriting"--Beth Hall, Ruthmere Docent - 11 am at Ruthmere *Sponsored by Mark Doddington and Karen Nicholson
April 3 "Refrigeration Before Refrigerators"--Steve Barton, Ruthmere Docent  - 11 am at the Havilah Beardsley House *Sponsored by Beth Hall & Sam Sommers
May 2 "Preserving Architectural Heritage: The National Register and the National Trust"--Mark Doddington, Membership Coordinator - 11 am at Ruthmere *Sponsored by Beth Hall & Karen Nicholson
June 7 "Hoosier Fashion Designers" --Jennifer Johns, Curator- 11 am at the Havilah Beardsley House
July 2     TBA
August 7 "The Melodeon and Making Music in the Home"--Brenda Tudor, Ruthmere Docent - 11 am at Ruthmere *Sponsored by Frechette/Johnson
September 5 TBA
October 4 "Introduction to Birding" --Melissa Gunter, Education Chair of South Bend-Elkhart Audubon Society -11am at Ruthmere
November 5  TBA
December 4"Toys in the Attic"--Cathy Ellsworth, Ruthmere Docent - 11 am at Ruthmere

Recent Gallery Talks


March 5th, 2024 -

"The Curious History of Cursive Writing"

with Beth Hall, Ruthmere Docent



February 2nd, 2024 - 
"Five Medals: His Life and Times"

with Mike Judson, Historian



December 5th, 2023 -

"Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus: How Newspapers Influenced Culture"


with Lois Tomaszewski, Grants Coordinator



October 4th, 2023 -

"Dawn of the Death Care Industry"


with Andrea Hutslar, Outreach Curator




September 6th, 2023 -

"Hudson Valley Painters"


with Carolyn Bonanno, Communications Coordinator



August 1st, 2023 -

"American Jazz: A Paradigm of Racial Unity"

with Larry Dwyer, Assistant Director of Bands and Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Notre Dame


This video is available by request for educational or research purposes. Please contact staff if you would like to view this Gallery Talk.



July 7, 2023 -

"Decoding Robert Indiana" 


with Randy Roberts, Assistant Curator at the Midwest Museum of American Art


June 1st, 2023 -

"The Secret Language of the Victorian Era"


with Cathy Ellsworth,

Ruthmere Docent



May 3rd, 2023 -

"Let Them Eat Cake: A History of the World's Favorite Dessert"


with Mark Doddington, Membership Coordinator



April 4th, 2023 -

"The Auglaize Furniture Company 3-in-1 Library Table"


with Steve Barton, Ruthmere Docent


See all of our past Gallery Talks on our Youtube page, www.youtube.com/ruthmeremuseum


(574)-264-0330

(888)-287-7696


302 E. Beardsley Ave.

Elkhart, IN 46514

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