New Harmony's Atheneum facts for kids
The Atheneum is a special visitor center in New Harmony, Indiana. It helps people learn about the town's history. The building's name comes from the ancient Greek word "Athenaion." This was a temple built for Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom. The Atheneum opened its doors on October 10, 1979. It was built with money from the Lilly Endowment and the Krannert Charitable Trust.
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Designing the Atheneum
The Atheneum was designed by a famous architect named Richard Meier. He also designed other well-known buildings, like the Getty Center in Los Angeles. When the Atheneum first opened in 1979, it won the Progressive Architecture Award. Later, in 1982, it received an Honor Award from the American Institute of Architects (AIA).
A Special Award
In 2008, the Atheneum won a very important award from the AIA. It was called the Twenty-five Year Award. This award is given to only one building each year. Architect Peter Eisenman suggested the Atheneum for this honor. He said it was a perfect example of Richard Meier's unique style.
Exploring the Building
The Atheneum is designed to guide visitors on a special path. As you walk through the building, you move towards the town of New Harmony itself. The building has three stories. It uses ramps and a grid pattern. These features give you many chances to see great views of the town and the countryside around it.
What You Can Do Inside
As a visitor center, the Atheneum has many things to see and do.
Movie and Galleries
Inside, there is a large auditorium with 200 seats. Here, you can watch a 17-minute movie called "The New Harmony Experience." It teaches you all about the town's history. The Atheneum also has four different galleries to explore.
- The first gallery has a gift shop. It also shows a small model of the Harmonist Brick Church. This model is 1/32 the size of the real church.
- The second gallery tells stories about the important people from New Harmony's past.
- The third gallery features a large model of New Harmony as it looked in 1824. This model is very detailed. It was made when the movie about the town was filmed.
- The fourth gallery is not open to the public. It holds furniture that was designed by Richard Meier himself.
Starting Your Tour
Many tours of Historic New Harmony begin at the Atheneum. This historic district includes many old buildings. These buildings are managed by the Indiana State Historic Site system.
