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37 Years and Counting: The Indianapolis Children’s Museum Guild’s Haunted House
by Kristi Petruzzi
Fast Facts:
Theme for 2001: Terrifying Tales
Price: Adult $5.50 Child $5.50 (Pre sale $4.50) Under 2 free
Show Size: 18 rooms
No. of Actors: 34 Guild and teen haunters, 20 in the attraction, 14 in other elements
Attendance: 50,000 -60,000 in two weeks
Days of operation: Tuesday - Sunday
Frightening Hours:>
10 a.m.- 3:00p.m. & 3:30p.m. - 9 p.m. Thursday & Friday
3:30p.m. - 9p.m. Saturday
12 -6pm Sunday
Friendly Hours:
10:00 a.m.- 3:00p.m. & 3:30p.m. - 9 p.m. Tuesday- Wednesday
9:30a.m. -3:00 Saturday
Location: 300 N. Meridian Street, Indianapolis, Indiana
Phone number: 317-334-3322
During 11 months of the year, members of The Children’s Museum Guild, are friendly, normal, everyday people with extraordinary dedication to The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, but each October, strange and powerful Halloween forces take up residence at the renowned Indiana museum. Since 1964, The Museum's haunted house has brought in over three million dollars in gross proceeds. This year alone, the event is expected to clear more than $200,000 through ticket sales and corporate sponsorships, according to Guild member Lisa Sprunger, and all the money raised is given back to the museum. Now, it is one of the longest running October seasonal Haunted Attractions in the country.
The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis was founded in 1925, and in 1933, Children’s Museum Guild (CMG) was established to help in volunteer support for the efforts of the Museum. The Museum expanded in 1946, and moved to the Parry Mansion at 30th and Meridian Street. The new location and growth also brought forth new needs for The Children’s Museum Guild volunteers, who met with the Director of the Museum, Arthur B. Carr to inquire about how the Guild could assist them. The Director had a simple answer, “Raise some money!”
So in the fall of 1946, the first major fund-raiser done solely by the Guild was held, a dance in honor of the Museum’s 21st birthday raised over $1,000. In 1949, the Guild took on another fund-raising endeavor in the form of a Fall Fashion Show, bringing in ‘big name’ designers from the East Coast. This fund-raiser was also a hit, but it was dropped when the Guild’s third attempt at fund-raising became a screaming success, The Children’s Museum Guild’s Haunted House!
In 1961, Dessie Partenheimer (now Dessie Koch) moved back to Indianapolis after living in California. By 1962, she had joined two volunteer groups - St. Margaret’s Guild and the Children’s Museum Guild. After organizing a flourishing Decorator’s Show for St. Margaret’s, her Guild friends asked what she had up her sleeve for the Children’s Museum. Her reply was a project that had been quite successful in California, a Haunted House. At first, the Guild discounted the idea of doing a haunt. They already had two wonderful fall fund-raisers, and the current Children’s Museum Director; Grace B. Golden was less than enthusiastic about the concept of a Children’s Museum frightening children. The Haunted House idea was put on hold, but not forgotten, at least not by Dessie. After trying several other events that where a great deal of work for a small monetary return, Dessie was even more determined to do a Haunted Event. It was not easy, but she persevered and finally got the Guild to listen. Millie Compton, a Children’s Museum Guild member, had taken over as the Director of the Museum and was much more open than her predecessor to the idea of a Haunted House.
In March of 1964, Dessie finally convinced the Guild to have a Haunted House. What the members did not know was while Dessie was familiar with the project, through a friend who had been the California Haunt’s chairman, she had never even set a foot inside of it. Now, she was in charge of starting one from scratch! Dauntlessly, she forged ahead with reports and plans from her California friend. Dessie had secured location for the Haunted House, the upstairs area of the Dreyer Building an old 2-story Victorian structure, on the Museum grounds. The advantage of this location is that it could be used annually for the Haunt. The next battle was the admission price. The members wanted to charge 35 cents, but Dessie insisted upon 50 cents and threatened to quit if they did not agree with her. After a special meeting 50 cents was decided upon as the initial ticket price to grant visitors admission to the Haunted House, and in October of 1964 the Children’s Museum Guild opened its doors to its first Haunted House, daring visitors to cross their spooky threshold. After all the thrills and chills of this first season, the House triumphed with 26,000 visitors and a profit of $13,200. It was a resounding success and the Guild voted to continue the tradition for the following year. That was 38 years ago, and The Children’s Museum Guild’s Haunted House is the oldest running Haunted Event in Indianapolis, if not the world.
In 1989 the Haunted House moved into its new location within the Children’s Museum where it remains today. The new location in the Johnson-Weaver Pavilion allows new and exciting opportunities for creativity, technology and creature comforts that were unavailable before in the old building. Now, for the first time visitors entered the attraction through a Haunted House façade designed by Tom Kraemer of Kraemer Design in Cincinnati, Ohio, complete with broken shutters, spider webs, and ghosts. Setting the tone for the frightening experience, patrons then had to climb and wind their way up a staircase “The Scarewell” to the Haunted House with the anticipation of what would lie ahead.
Now, 38 years after its creaky doors first opened, The Children’s Museum Guild’s Haunted House is still going strong! "The Haunted House is The Museum’s premiere fund-raiser. The fun, visibility and income generated for The Museum by this group of committed volunteers is phenomenal," said Janet McCully, of Corporate Alliance for The Children's Museum. Attendance numbers range between 50,000 and 60,000 people each October during their two week run! A far cry from the $1,000 raised in 1946. The Children’s Museum Guild spends around $60,000 outfitting the Haunted House each year. While contractors are hired to handle the lighting, 95 Guild volunteers, who enjoy a wonderful working relationship with the staff of the museum and its President, Dr. Jeffrey H. Patchen, do most of the work.
The money raised from the event amounts to about 4 percent of the museum's annual contributions and 1 percent of its total yearly budget. Tickets for the event are an affordable $5.50 for adults and kids alike, which does not include admission to the museum. Children under 2 are free. Pre-sale tickets are available $4.50 through anchor sponsor MARSH Supermarkets. The Children’s Museum Guild has had great success with sponsorships as well, ARAMARK, Conseco, Kraft Foods, The Bond Group, Prudential Securities Inc., St. Vincent Pediatric Services, Pratt Corporation, Bank One, Escient, The Great Frame Up, Nordstrom and Ross and Babcock Travel, Salin Bank and Trust and Aunt Millie’s are a few of the businesses that have supported and continue to support the Haunted House. In addition, the Haunted House receives promotional exposure through its media sponsors 95.5 WFMS and WTHR Channel 13. Each year the Haunted House makes its debut to the public at a Preview Party. In conjunction with the Preview Party, the Guild also holds a VIP Party to thank their generous sponsors who make the Haunted House possible each year.
Each year the name, the theme, costumes and decorating of the Haunted House is changed, and the props and scenes are reworked to fit the new motif. The Guild feels that changing the theme is a key element in the House’s success. Over the years, the themes have ranged from Haunted Safari to Haunted Shipwreck. Last year the attraction was turned into a Haunted Castle and visitors traveled back in time to the Medieval Millennium. Dungeons, moat monsters and dragons provided frightening fun for all ages. Patron’s spooky journey took them along the Parapet, through The Labyrinth, and into Sir Lancelot’s Court. This year’s theme will take guests through the pages of a haunted book. “Terrifying Tales” is a story visitors won’t forget. Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel and Hansel and Gretel are just a few of the tales that will spring to life and thrill visitors. “Terrifying Tales” has also been designed to help children embrace the gift of reading while promoting the importance of literacy. Story Time is offered at various venues throughout the city. Guild members show children how a witch gets ready for the day before reading a favorite Halloween book or fairy tale to wide-eyed youngsters. It is a wonderful way to demonstrate to children the uses of costumes and make-up. Surprise local celebrities will dazzle children with stories at The InfoZone located in The Museum as well. All of these programs are satellite components of the Haunted House. The goal of the Guild is to not only provide a good fright, but also leave children with something they will remember for a lifetime. “Terrifying Tales” promises to be a “good read” from beginning to end!
Because the attraction is a Children's Museum, the Haunted House is designed to appeal to younger patrons by staging what some would consider a more ‘wholesome’ haunted house; this alone helps it stand out among the growing number of competitors in the city. The Children’s Museum Haunted House is geared for the whole family not just adults and teenagers. To make sure that everyone can enjoy the Halloween fun, The Children’s Museum instituted ‘Frightening and Friendly Hours’ for visitors. Frightening Hours are Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, and as the name implies, frightening! It is the Guild’s position, however, that not everyone likes to be scared. So, Friendly Hours are also offered for young guests and those who frighten easily. During these ‘not so scary’ hours, guests receive a “lights on” guided tour of the Haunted House. Children are able to interact with Guild members in each room and learn how the Haunted House comes to life via lighting, costumes and special effects. They learn that what they see has been created by people and only pretend. After their tour has been completed, they receive a gift at the end.
No longer just a Haunted House, over the years, the event has expanded visitor’s opportunities past the single attraction. The Guild offers several other on-site special events to enhance the Halloween celebration. Feast with the Witches includes a meal with special Haunted House characters. The bewitching dinner sold out so often that it was expanded last year into the weekend. A live Halloween production is performed on stage at the Lilly Theater. Sure to delight preschool children, is Trick or Treat Theater where Robin Hood and his Mischief Makers was featured in 2000. This musical program includes singing, crafts and more. Story Time, as mentioned earlier is a wonderful way to reach out to children and get them in the Halloween spirit. A Halloween art and essay contest is also conducted in conjunction with the Haunted House, as is a Halloween costume contest for adults and children. Winners are announced at the Preview Party.
Through the Haunted House the Children’s Museum Guild has raised over $3 million dollars and all proceeds benefit The Children’s Museum. Almost 2 million visitors have walked through the Haunted House since its inception in 1964 and our attendance continues to increase! The Haunted House could not make its debut each year without the countless volunteer hours spent to produce and create the House. Each year over 200 volunteers from The Museum and Guild spend approximately 12,000 hours creating and running the Haunted House.
Dessie Koch had a vision in 1964, she would not be denied and she would not take no for an answer. The month long Halloween celebration at The Children’s Museum, is a glorious example of fulfilling your dream against all odds. The Children’s Museum Guild’s Haunted House is truly a community effort with great rewards for all who are involved with this outstanding project. The event is a monument to their extraordinary dedication to The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. Because of Dessie’s commitment to seeing through the Haunted House, generations of children have experienced the true meaning of Halloween; to just have some fun.
Kristi Petruzzi has been a member of the Children’s Museum Guild for 4 years and was last year’s Public Relations contact for the Halloween event. Information regarding the Haunted House maybe obtained through The Children’s Museum at 317-334-3322.
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