Time Travelers’ History Camp

Time Travelers’ History Camp gives kids a week of fun and discovery that includes interactive and hands-on gallery tours, craft activities, music, games, and special guest presentations. Campers take part in museum scavenger hunts, explore toys and games from years gone by, and use educational materials such as games, puzzles, crafts, and fun facts. During camp, they learn about the earliest inhabitants, pioneer settlers, the Civil War years, and daily life through the mid-20th century, and they can see a life-sized replica of a Conestoga wagon and hands-on exhibits with pioneer and Victorian dress-up clothes.

• Ages: 8–10 years old
• Schedule: a week of fun and discovery

The Time Travelers’ History Camp is limited to twenty-five 3rd and 4th graders each year. The program is part of a museum that offers programs in a pioneer cabin, museum tours for different age groups, special craft projects, and a handprint symbol throughout the museum inviting young visitors to “Please Touch the Exhibit!” The museum’s mission states that it believes kids learn more when they can interact with exhibits and use their natural curiosity to play, make-believe, and discover, and admission to the museum is free. The leadership team includes David Pfeiffer (Director), Karen Shank-Chapman (Curator), Linda Talley (Genealogy Librarian), Jane Hughey (Education Coordinator), Kayla McLean (Museum Assistant), and Michelle Cataldi (Administrative Assistant, Tuesday–Thursday). David Pfeiffer holds a B.A. in History from Loyola University Chicago and an M.A. in Public History with a Museum Studies certificate from IUPUI; Karen Shank-Chapman holds a B.A. in Anthropology and a graduate degree in Museum Studies from IUPUI; Linda Kelly Talley attended Indiana State University for 3 years and took classes at Franklin College; Jane Hughey majored in History, minored in English at the University of Evansville, and holds a Master’s Degree in Education from Indiana University; and Kayla McLean earned a B.F.A. in Art History from IUPUI and completed a Master’s in Museum Studies in 2024. The Genealogy Librarian has served in that role since 1994. The museum has received the Home Educators Resource Directory seal of approval in recognition of its support of the home school community.

Last updated May 12, 2026.