Ruthmere Museum

05/30/2026

Have you ever wondered if there were any Revolutionary War soldiers buried in Elkhart County? Well, fun fact - there certainly are.

The William Tuffs Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, is presenting a Gallery Talk this Tuesday on one of these soldiers: their namesake, William Tuffs. Tuffs is one of five Revolutionary Veterans buried in Elkhart County. Join us to learn about his life growing up in Massachusetts, his military record per his pension application, his claim of participating in the Boston Tea Party, and his interview with the "Goshen Democrat" Newspaper in 1845 at the age of 95 on his Revolutionary War experiences.

You can register here: https://ruthmere.networkforgood.com/events/99283-gallery-talk-william-tuffs-elkhart-county-s-own-revolutionary-war-patriot

05/30/2026

Fantastic - congrats to Wellfield Botanic Gardens for being the #1 Botanic Garden in the nation! 🌷🌿

05/25/2026

Our popular summer program, Coffee on the Piazza, is returning on June 6th! Join us every Saturday June-August (10 am - 12 pm) for live music, Rise 'n Roll donuts, free coffee from the Refinery Coffee Company, yoga at 9 am with Prairie Street Studios - Yoga, great company, and warm summer vibes. Admission is totally free, and all are welcome to come hang out with us on Ruthmere's front porch!

See who's playing, learn how to sign up for yoga, and more at Ruthmere.org/Coffee-on-the-Piazza.

Thank you to our sponsor, Tom Myers!

05/23/2026

We are now collecting donations for the Ukraine Heritage Response Fund! 🇺🇦

Help us raise funds for a community gift to the Ukraine Heritage Response Fund managed by the World Monuments Fund in honor of the Shelest Duo, who performed at the museum on May 21, 2026. The duo consists of husband and wife Dmitri and Anna Shelest, who trace their roots to Ukraine’s prestigious Kharkiv Special Music School. Both are international award-winning musicians who have been performing together since their Carnegie Hall debut in 2018.

Donate online at Ruthmere.org/My-Ruthmere-Donation. Under “Apply My Donation To,” select “Ukraine Heritage Response Fund.” If you'd prefer to donate by check, mail or deliver your check to Ruthmere at 302 E. Beardsley Ave., Elkhart, IN 46514. Please put "2026 Preserve Ukraine Heritage" on the memo line. Ruthmere is collecting special gifts now through May 31st.

The World Monuments Fund (WMF) is a U.S.-based charity with a solid history of responsible stewardship. The WMF’s Ukraine Heritage Response Fund supports the protection of Ukraine's cultural heritage during and after the war by supporting Ukrainian heritage professionals and providing supplies necessary to protect Ukrainian heritage places. Where safe to do so, WMF is also supporting the stabilization and rehabilitation of damaged structures. Looking to the future, they are preparing for post-conflict needs by building a strong foundation of financial support that can be deployed for conservation work at cultural heritage sites. Learn more about their initiatives at https://www.wmf.org/programs/ukraine-heritage-response-fund.

05/22/2026

After a long day of planting and hard work yesterday, our Quilt Garden is in the ground and ready to grow!

Several staff members and volunteers led by our Gardens & Grounds Manager, Bree, helped to put together our 2026 design, "Railroad." The Railroad design is an homage to our city's rich history of transportation - from water to rails - with red and white begonias, yellow snapdragons, and blue ipomeas.

The garden will be on display through September 15, 2026. Make sure to come visit and see all of the Quilt Gardens Along the Heritage Trail, organized by Experience Elkhart County, Indiana (the Elkhart County Convention & Visitors Bureau)!

05/19/2026

Help Wellfield Botanic Gardens Shape the Future of Our Community!

Community members are invited to participate in a short survey to share their perspectives, priorities, and ideas for the future of Wellfield Botanic Gardens in our region. Feedback gathered will help guide their future community initiatives and planning efforts.

Please take a few minutes to complete the survey by scanning the QR code or visiting:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WBGCommunity

Thank you for helping strengthen our community through your participation.

05/18/2026

Happy International Museum Day! This year's theme, “Museums Uniting a Divided World," highlights the potential of museums to act as bridges across cultural, social, and geopolitical divides, fostering dialogue, understanding, inclusion and peace within and between communities worldwide. Museums are SO important, and need your support more than ever!

Consider supporting Ruthmere by visiting, donating, becoming a member, or volunteering. Learn how here: https://ruthmere.org/Join-and-Give
You can also support one of the other great museums across Elkhart County! See a list of local museums here: https://ruthmere.org/Elkhart-County-Museum-Association

05/16/2026

We had our first Waterways to Railways walking tour today with the National New York Central Railroad Museum! Abby Gratzol led an amazing walk through the River Walk, Downtown Elkhart, and the history of our city, from before its founding, through the introduction of the railways, and into the age of street cars. We saw several historic buildings, and the places where buildings once stood - a reminder of why historic preservation is so important.

🌳🚂 The transition from a natural landscape into a town of commerce and industry is at the heart of Elkhart's story. There are three more chances for you to take this walk with us! It's FREE, and it includes a lunch stop at Old Style Deli (inside one of the historic downtown buildings)! Register here: https://elkhartrail175.zite.so/

05/12/2026

Do you have family heirlooms that you'd like to keep preserved for as long as possible? Check our our video from last week's Gallery Talk: "Preserving Your Family History: Caring for Family Heirlooms" with Tamara Hemmerlein! Tamara is the Director of Local History Services with the Indiana Historical Society, and very experienced and knowledgeable when it comes to object preservation.

Family heirlooms are an important part of any family's history as well as an invaluable source of information. Caring for them can be a challenge for any fam...

05/08/2026