Upcoming Events
| Date/Time | Event |
|---|---|
|
11/26/2020 8:00 am - 10:00 am |
Annual Turkey Trot - Hammond
Wolf Lake Park Pavillion, Hammond IN |
|
11/27/2020 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm |
Hammond Tree Lighting Ceremony
Hammond City hall, Hammond IN |
|
12/05/2020 9:30 am - 10:30 am |
Santa Sprint - Hammond Indiana
Hammond Sportsplex, Hammond IN |
|
12/05/2020 4:00 pm - 6:30 pm |
Hammond Holiday Parade
Gavit High School, Hammond IN |
|
12/20/2020 12:00 am - 1:15 am |
Holiday Laser Show
Challenger Learning Center, Hammond IN |
Local Business Directory
Indiana Welcome Center
Biographical Info
Stop by the Indiana Welcome Center if you are visiting the South Shore area or just passing through. While you stretch your legs, you can view the unique building structure, enjoy the different exhibits in the W.F. Wellman Exhibit Hall and browse the gift shop. You can also pick up a lot of information about all there is to see and do, not only in the South Shore area, but brochures from all over Indiana.
The building design encompasses some of the main, most memorable images of Northwest Indiana and uses them in the building language. The solution is as diverse as the community itself; its people, the natural environment, and man made developments.
The structure starts with the most dominant natural feature in our area, Lake Michigan. The large exhibition space is created with the form of stainless steel “waves” glistening in the sun. These waves crash into the undulating “sand dunes” which are juxtaposed to the industry; Steel denoted in the gray office form (second story) and the smoke stacks of the entry canopy. The natural terrain then rolls into the plains and farms, which is bordered to the south by the free flowing Kankakee river depicted in the south facade of the building.
From this, the composition has sculpted a structure that symbolically tells the story of the area, houses the necessary functions for the Welcome Center, and leaves one with an image unseen elsewhere.
Let us think of water, waves, sand dunes, industry, farming, rivers, and last of all, the people of our region. What we have is as unique and singular as the South Shore.
- Free Travel Brochures & Maps
- Restrooms with Baby Changing Tables
- Exhibit Hall
- Gift Shop
- Vending Machines
- Picnic Area
- Pet Exercise Area
Copies of PanoramaNOW Entertainment Magazines
Location:
Off of I-80/94 on Kennedy Ave. South
7770 Corinne Dr., Hammond, Indiana
Hours:
Labor Day up to Memorial Day
Everyday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
Summer – Memorial Day up to Labor Day
Everyday 8:00 am to 6:00 pm
(Building closes at 5:00 pm on July 4th)
Extended hours between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Call 800-ALL-LAKE or 219-989-7979 for exact times.
Days closed:
New Year’s Day, Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day
Phone:
219-989-7979 or 800-ALL-LAKE
W. F. Wellman Exhibit Hall6500 sq. ft. of contemporary exhibit space fashioned after the rolling waves of Lake Michigan. Varying exhibits from Model A Fords to “A Christmas Story” window displays to a steel-framed house have all called the Exhibit Hall home. Admission is FREE. Call 219-989-7979 for a complete schedule of upcoming events.
South Shore Gift Shop – temporarily closed for renovationsThe gift shop includes vintage South Shore Line posters, “A Christmas Story” movie memorabilia, Region Rat T-shirts, Albanese gummies plus Indiana and Chicago postcards, mugs, and key chains.
The theater is available for corporate meetings and group rentals. Contact us at 219-989-7770 to reserve a space.There are also five films available in the theater for visitors to watch by request. Films include “Everglades of the North,” a 24-minute documentary on the history of the Grand Kankakee Marsh; “Indiana Dunes: Child of the Northwest Wind,” an orientation film to the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore; US Steel “Big Stuff: Earth,” a short film covering steel manufacturing; ArcelorMittal’s “Forging Ahead,” an exploration of the steelmaking process; and a unique view of The Pig Adventure at Fair Oaks Farms.
