On the heels of Valentine’s Day, and in celebration of American Heart Month, the Indiana Historical Society will offer free admission for guests and a plethora of presentations and heart-healthy activities with its Love Your Heart program on Feb. 16 as part of the citywide, yearlong Indy Talks initiative. The Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center, home of IHS and its Indiana Experience, is at 450 W. Ohio St. in downtown Indianapolis.
The 2013 Indy Talks theme, Indy’s Kids, is designed to bring attention to the things the local community is doing to support and enrich youth. IHS’s daylong program will focus on heart and general health, especially for youth.
Throughout the day, guests will be encouraged to explore the healthy choices they can make when deciding what to eat and when to exercise. To learn about early heart health, visitors can step back in time with You Are There 1939: Healing Bodies, Changing Minds to learn the story of Dr. Harvey Middleton, a black physician who was one of Indianapolis’ early heart specialists as well as a community leader.
Both children and adults can receive healthy food choice and portion tips by nutrition and wellness experts from the JCC, as well as activities that illustrate subjects like how portion sizes have changed over the years. They can also participate in energizing and educational activities offered by IUPUI’s School of Physical Education and Tourism Management, and sample healthy food from Kroger.
In addition to the many activities, guests can enjoy the IHS’s award-winning Indiana Experience, which uses cutting-edge technology and interactive elements to bring the wealth of IHS’s extensive collections to life in meaningful and enjoyable ways. Guests can step back into particular moments from recreated historic photographs with You Are There, take virtual time-travel journeys with Destination Indiana, try their hand at conservation work in the W. Brooks Fortune History Lab and have songs sung live for them upon request in the Cole Porter Room.
For more information, call 232-1882 or visit www.indianahistory.org. Visit www.indytalks.info to learn about other Indy’s Kids programming that will be taking place across the city this year.