Indiana Spirits

There's a problem plaguing many museums nowadays... their patrons are dying. Literally. So the museums (at least a few here in Indy) are scrambling to get, and retain, younger patrons and members (since that's how they stay funded). In doing so, they are coming up with new ideas, often in the way of a party/fundraiser that appeal to my generations and younger.

Case in point... last night, the Indiana State Museum had an event called Indiana Spirits, and they even tied it to one of their current exhibits, The Rise and Fall of Prohibition. Eric and I are members, but we were given tickets to this event through The Pattern Store, since they were doing some promoting for both the event and the exhibition with the museum. Which was cool, cause I really wanted to go, anyway.

Part of the fun was dressing up for the part. You didn't have to, but they were really wanting to get people to dress up in likeness to the these (prohibition era). Pattern had a really cute dress to go along with the them that I picked up to wear to the event - totally worth it (since it really wasn't a splurge) and I'll easily get a couple more wears out of it, this year, alone! Eric didn't get into the theme thing... but for guys, it wasn't as big of a deal.

So the event itself was pretty nice. The ISM is a pretty sizable museum, and they utilized quite a bit of the space... which has it's plus and minuses. It's almost a shame, because the lower level, which most people enter from, since it's where the parking garage is, is seemingly wasted space, as a whole, as it really serves as just an entry into the whole museum. Occasionally they'll have a teaser exhibit, and I guess the IMAX entrance is on that level... but in general, I think more could happen there. But for last night, it served as just a spot for a greeter and, oddly enough, an ID check (for alcohol). The 2nd level served as the main check-in area, and the VIP room. There was also the cocktail competition finalists here, with samples of their cocktails for you to taste and vote on. But the main event, including the exhibit, itself, was on the 3rd level. So while nice to have lots of room to roam, it made for a lot of space to cover. So I'm a little torn on if the layout was a good or bad thing.

My only true complaint, which actually comes for just about every one of these events, is the lack of 'free' seating. In other words, non-sponsor and/or VIP areas that anyone can sit down at. Doesn't have to be table and chairs.. just some place to sit. They had a few here... but they make it hard for a girl to keep her cute shoes on all night when she has to stand in them for four hours. That's a long time to stand without tall heels! We did manage to find a sponsor we knew, so got to sit for awhile there. And then managed to find solace in one of the few free seating areas a little later... but I noticed, easily, half of the girls carrying their shoes by the end of the night. I was not one... I managed to hang on until we got back to the car, where I had some flats waiting. But that did not make my feet happy.

We even went to the after party for a bit at Plat 99. I think if it was anywhere else, we probably wouldn't have gone. But we like that place, and it's also just two blocks or so from our house. I just had a drink before heading home, myself. Eric stuck around for another to chat it up with some friends. I was too beat to stick around.

All in all, though, it was a fun night! I love going to these types of events, and when it's a fundraiser, it's just a bonus.