Indiana Through the Mapmaker's Eye

July 2 - 31, 2025

at the Havilah Beardsley House

Image from the Indiana Historical Society.

Because of the way we use them, we assume maps to be complete and accurate. No map, however, can show all aspects of reality, so the mapmaker chooses the information that will best convey his message and sometimes slants the information to serve his purposes. 

Indiana Through the Mapmaker’s Eye examines four ways people have used maps through the years: as documentation, as tools, as political images and as art. Some of the maps included in the display are an 1833 tourist pocket map of Indiana, a 1910 Sanborn Company fire insurance map of Bloomington, Thomas Kitchin’s 1747 map of French settlements in North America, a circa 1880 scale model map of the University of Notre Dame, and an 1881 bird’s-eye view of Mount Vernon, Ind. 

Be Heard: Latino Experiences in Indiana

September 3 - 28, 2025

at the Havilah Beardsley House

Image from the Sandra Valdes, Indiana Historical Society.

The experience of a single immigrant cannot define the collective experience of many. But it can add insight into what it is like to uproot oneself, plant new roots, and become part of a growing community. This is not a new narrative for the many ethnic communities that make up the cultural identity of Indiana.

Be Heard: Latino Experiences in Indiana offers a glimpse into the stories of individuals of varying cultural backgrounds who recall what it has been like to be Latino in the Hoosier State throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. The stories reflect on the Latinos’ cultures as well as on their contributions to local communities or to the State of Indiana.

2025 Special Programs:

~Cancelled~

Mousley Craft Day

Saturday, July 28, 2025

from 2-4 pm

Put on your mouse ears - it's time for creativity! Ruthmere is hosting a Mousley Craft Day event on Saturday, July 28 from 2-4 pm. Join us in the Ruthmere gardens (weather permitting) for snacks, crafts, and croquet. Indulge in cheesy delights (just as the Mousleys would), color pages right from our own Mousley Coloring & Activity book, and enjoy an afternoon of fun.