Events

Romance & Remembrance

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with an evening that blends romance, artistry, and history inside one of Indianapolis’s most enchanting settings.

LIVE! Presidents’ Day

Celebrate Presidents’ Day at the President’s home!  Live enactors engage with you and your guests as if it were 1891 and the Harrisons are home from the White House for a brief trip.

Dolly Johnson Legacy Series

Inspired by Dolly Johnson’s legacy of excellence, craftsmanship, and quiet determination, this free professional-development series offers practical tools, real-world guidance, and space to dream bigger. Workshop registration is open to the public, but participants in the Juneteenth Foodways Festival will receive priority.

Coffee with the Curator

Kick off your First Friday in style with this 30-minute event. While you enjoy coffee and donuts, you will get a glimpse our most interesting, amazing and unexpected collection items.

Presidential Egg Roll Presented by HATCH + The Indiana Poultry Association

Mark your calendar and join us for our annual Presidential Egg Roll – the only egg roll in Indy!

Enjoy a morning filled with crafts, games, prizes, and delicious food as we celebrate the season together.

Choose Your Murder

Step inside a world of suspense at the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site’s latest theater experience. Choose your path – Night Watch or a duo of thrilling short plays – and choose your fate.

Project POTUS Awards

Celebrate the conclusion of Project POTUS with an evening highlighting award-winning student video projects, interactive activities, and hands-on history. Guests are invited to explore the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site, connect with community partners, and enjoy special screenings honoring the next generation of civic storytellers during the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Off the Record: The Press and The Presidency

Victorian Floriography Workshop

Step into a world where every bloom has something to say. As our historic peonies burst into peak color, we’ll explore the Victorian art of sending secret messages through flowers.

After a tour through our historic gardens, you’ll learn how blossoms once served as coded language—and then create your own arrangement that speaks straight from the heart. Sip wine, snack on charcuterie, and enjoy a hands-on floral experience that blends history, beauty, and imagination.

Summer Civic Series

The Summer Civic Series at the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site is a season-long celebration of how civic life grows through community. From festivals to talks, each event invites you to connect through history, culture, and shared experiences, all while discovering that civic engagement is about coming together.

Garden Party

Celebrate the beauty of spring at the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site’s Garden Party on May 16!

Juneteenth Foodways Festival

Juneteenth Foodways Festival, made possible through the generosity of Eli Lilly and Company Foundation, features an interactive food experience highlighting the hidden history of diverse Hoosiers from the 1860s-1890s from the perspective of African-Americans. It shares Black foodways contributions to American culture with a focus on Dolly Johnson, the White House Chef hired by President Harrison.

Presidential Road Trips with Bill Clevlen

Get ready to day-dream about your next great American adventure. As the nation continues to commemorate America 250, travel journalist Bill Clevlen invites you on a lively tour of the places where presidents (and history) were made. From quiet boyhood homes and summer retreats to iconic landmarks and unexpected roadside gems, Bill’s stories bring these sites to life and make them feel wonderfully reachable.

You’ll pick up travel inspiration, insider tips, and plenty of “I never knew that!” moments, all while enjoying refreshments, great conversation, and the chance to have your book signed afterward. Whether you’re a presidential history buff, a dedicated road-tripper, or simply curious about where our leaders lived, worked, and dreamed, this evening promises to spark your imagination and your next itinerary.

Independence Day Social

Try your hand at vintage yard games on the scenic south lawn, enjoy a free first floor tour of the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site and cool off with some ice cream while listening to music!

LIVE! President Harrison’s Birthday

Join us in celebrating Benjamin Harrison’s 193rd Birthday with free first floor tours and complimentary birthday treats.

LIVE! Election Day

Get a glimpse of the Harrison family as they eagerly await results from the 1888 presidential election and learn if they’ll be the newest occupants of the white house. Is General Harrison ready to become President? What does his wife, Caroline, think of the over 80 speeches he gave to more than 80,000 people from their front porch during the campaign?

Learn the answers to all of these questions and more at our LIVE! Election Day Event!

Victorian Ornament Workshop

Step into the magic of a Victorian Christmas at the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site and leave with an assortment of your very own handcrafted Victorian ornaments. This festive, hands-on workshop invites guests to learn how families of the era decked their holiday trees with handmade treasures.