By Darla McCammon

Hope you have considered some of the short road trips we suggested last week. All are in a day’s drive and an excellent opportunity for you and your family to learn something new this summer.

Do you remember when we wrote about Louis Comfort Tiffany? And also advised you to read the wonderful book about the Tiffany girls? These were women who were ridiculed for going into the Tiffany factory during a dark period when it nearly shut down. They stepped up to the plate and far surpassed the work done previously and exclusively by men. Their designs were inspired and their craftsmanship was amazing.

The History Museum in South Bend has a full palette of wonderful exhibits this summer but none so enlightening (pun intended) as the shimmering examples of Tiffany glass pieces they have acquired from a private collection, their own collection, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, and also some pieces from the Elkhart museum called Ruthmere.

Almost everyone knows about Tiffany lamps and the Tiffany and Company Jewelry store made even more famous in the movie “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” but did you now how much the Tiffany designers influenced the Art Nouveau movement in art? There are 25 exquisite pieces, some very rare, on display in this exhibit. Special lighting helps accentuate the gorgeous color and design of every piece. They didn’t make only lamps, but also created stained glass windows, vases and more. Many examples are on view for you to enjoy and appreciate.

If you remember the famous Oliver family of South Bend (another mansion you can visit when in the area) there are items on display that were purchased by the Olivers. This exhibit ends Sept. 23, but while there you can also visit information about one of the research projects I used in my book “Diamond Bait.” If you remember, the setting was in the Voyageurs area of Canada. Well, you can also visit the Voyageurs exhibit where you are encouraged to touch real furs and pelts. It includes fascinating history about how the French Voyageurs also traded with local Potawatomi Native Americans. This exhibit is only here until July 15.

There is also an exhibit about downtown South Bend and Notre Dame from 1989 to the present. This exhibit runs through Aug. 5.

The History Museum is located at 897 Thomas St., between Washington Street and Western Avenue, in South Bend. Also available are tours of the Oliver Mansion and Studebaker National Museum. There is an admission fee ranging from $8.50 for seniors to $15 for the entire campus of three museums.

Next week, we’ll discuss some more short road trips in Indiana where art is king.

Upcoming and Current Events:

• The Don Sheline exhibit is open now at the Warsaw City Hall Art Gallery from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, until Aug. 3. Please go visit this free exhibit and appreciate his work.
• The July LAA exhibit Timothy Tyree begins July 5 at 302 E. Winona Ave., Warsaw. It is open from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.