When I say man’s best friend, what comes to mind? Probably the word dog. Dogs have been our loyal companions for years. They bring great joy as family pets and they also serve purposes like herding, tracking, protecting and more.
To learn more about the rich history of these beloved animals, gather your family and head to the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art for their incredible exhibit Dogs: Faithful and True.
My family and I love our trips to the Eiteljorg. They do a fantastic job making the educational, intricate exhibits fun for all ages. They understand kids like to explore their environment with more than just their eyes. Museums can be hard for families with young children. It’s exhausting to constantly be on guard repeating the words, “Be quiet and don’t touch anything.” Anyone who has been around little people for any amount of time knows they can only keep their hands to their self and their voices down for so long.
At the Eiteljorg, they realize this and have included interactive displays throughout the exhibit making it fun for the little ones and relaxing for mom and dad.
All throughout the exhibit, you can see beautiful works of art detailing the history of dogs and the roles they have played in our lives and culture.
There is plenty to see and plenty to do.
While you are there, complete a drawing of a dog –
and then hang it on display for all to see.
Think about if you were going on a trip for a long time and needed your dogs help, what would you have it carry on the voyage?
Wonder what mountain lion fur feels like? Wonder no more.
Learn about the personalities of different dog breeds.
Hang out in the dog house for awhile. Not because you’re in trouble – just because it’s fun.
We did all of this and more. My family and I had a blast during our day out at the Eiteljorg.
After visiting the exhibit, we went downstairs and played for awhile and then ventured outside to enjoy the sunshine. The Eiteljorg has a nice outdoor area including a small walking path, place to eat lunch and other outdoor activities to explore. The kids even tried their hand at panning for gold and found some nuggets to take home.
We ended our trip with a stroll around the canal and ice cream treats.
The perfect ending to a blissful summer day. Who knows what’s next? Maybe a trip to the pound to get a dog of our own? Hmmmmm…..
The Eiteljorg is located at 500 West Washington Street and is open Monday through Saturday from 10:00am – 5:00pm and on Sunday from Noon – 5:00pm. Visit the website for more information on price of admission and membership. Dogs: Faithful and True is open now through August 6.
Jennifer Thompson is a stay-at-home mom of four spunky, sweet, kind and sometimes a bit wild children. She has a passion for the written word and thinks that libraries and bookstores are the coolest places ever. When not hanging out with family or writing, she can be found enjoying a good cup of coffee, running, spending quality time with friends, working on some type of project around the house, planning the family’s next trip to her favorite destination – Walloon Lake, Michigan, or very possibly – reading a book.
Jennifer enjoys writing about her parenting experience and outings with her children for Indy’s Child as a freelance writer and blogger and also keeps a personal blog, www.trulyyoursjen.com, that she has fun writing when time permits.
