The Name Says it All!

In partnership with Indiana Landmarks, we proudly offer guided tours of our National Historic Landmark. The Athenaeum, built in 1894 and 1898 as Das Deutsche Haus, remains true to the “sound mind in a sound body” ethos of its freethinker German founders. Author Kurt Vonnegut’s architect grandfather’s firm Vonnegut & Bohn designed the German gymnasium and clubhouse, which the author declared his favorite of all of his ancestor’s works. Anxious to preserve their culture, and accustomed to clubs, German-Americans created societies for music, recreation and social activity, political and philosophical discussion, theater, exercise, and more.

For those guests that are 21+, the Bier & Building Tours will combine information about the history and architecture of the Athenaeum with fun activities, glimpses into hidden spaces, and stories from the building’s past. Originally known as Das Deutsche Haus, the Athenaeum was built during the 1890s to serve as a clubhouse for Indianapolis’s German immigrants.