Lake Michigan Modern

Home Tour

Marshall J. Gardner Center For The Arts

The Miller Beach Arts & Creative District is collaborating with Indiana Landmarks to showcase homes and places of worship that exemplify mid-century architecture or furnishings.

The weekend kicks off with a VIP reception opening the mid-century architecture exhibit Friday August 19 from 6-9pm, with tour of homes the following day Saturday August 20 from 8am – 4pm.

An exhibit featuring mid-century modern photographs and home furnishings will run weekends from August 19 – September 4.

Ticket for the VIP reception and the tour are available online.


Lake Michigan Modern Tour Showcases Miller Beach

By: Lakeshore Public Media staff

MILLER BEACH — On Aug. 20th, Indiana Landmarks and the Miller Beach Arts & Creative District present Lake Michigan Modern: Miller Beach, a day-long exploration of Mid-Century Modern architecture. The experience includes a tour of four private homes, two churches, and a synagogue, and a talk on the history and architecture of the area.

Nestled along Lake Michigan shore between the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore and Gary’s steel industry, Miller Beach has a resort-like feel. Gary annexed Miller Beach in 1918 and over the decades it developed as a summer-getaway, with an outstanding crop of Modernist homes and churches.

Miller Beach’s proximity to Chicago attracted people who commissioned architects to build summer homes on the lakefront. Lake Michigan Modern includes visits to houses designed by Keck and Keck and Edmond Zisook, who studied under Mies van der Rohe.

The Aug. 20th event begins at the Marshall J. Gardner Center for the Arts in Gary with an overview on mid-century architecture and Miller’s history by Cullen Ben-Daniel of the Miller Historical Society. Tour-goers will ride a shuttle to featured sites in the lakeside area of Gary. The homes and churches on the tour were built between 1949 and 1969.

Tickets are $75 per person or $55 for Indiana Landmarks members. The cost includes continental breakfast and lunch. Riding the shuttle is required. Lake Michigan Modern costs $75 per person ($55 for Indiana Landmarks members), which includes continental breakfast, lunch, lecture, exhibit, the tour, and shuttle transportation for the tour. Riding the shuttle is required. Register online or call 317-639-4534.

Those wanting to make a weekend of it may attend a separately ticketed VIP reception and exhibit opening on Friday, Aug. 19, 6 p.m. at the Marshall J. Gardner Center for the Arts. The exhibit highlights photography, art, period clothing and furniture associated with mid-century Miller Beach. The reception features 1950s-themed hors d’oeuvres and drinks. Tickets are $40 per person ($30 per Indiana landmarks members), available online. The exhibit runs from Aug. 19 – Sept. 4.


Join us as we celebrate the eclectic architecture in Miller Beach.  This exhibit accompanies the home tour that was held August 20th in collaboration with Indiana Landmarks and brings in the elements of photography and furnishings of the mid-century era.

The exhibit runs Fridays and Saturdays from 6-9pm and Sundays 1-4pm from August 26 through September 4.

August 19th–September 4th

Event Hours:

Lake Michigan Modern Itinerary

Home Tour
Saturday, Aug. 20th
9 am – 4 pm
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“Home Tour” is part of the larger “Lake Michigan Modern” event.

Upcoming events

April

5th
Allison Svoboda Confluence: Nature as Medium
25th
Life Drawing Open Studio
26th
All in Jest Trivia With Josh Gamble

May

5th
Artist’s talk by Allison Svoboda
5th
Mudballs Workshop by Allison Svoboda

June

7th
Sue Reyman & Ginny Takacs Floral photography and paintings

July

19th
Rashelle Roos & Joe Agati Paintings and sculpture

August

30th
Cydney Lewis & Art Garcia Collage and paintings

October

11th
Felix Maldonado Selected paintings

November

15th
Gallery break Our gallery will be closed in late January while we prepare for our 2024 community show.

December

6th
2024 Community Show Artists from Gary, Connected to Gary, that have not been exhibited in our gallery
View past events

Miller Beach Arts & Creative District

Mailing address:

P.O. Box 2405, Gary, IN 46403
219-885-9114
MBACDarts@gmail.com

Gallery Location:

Marshall J. Gardner Center for the Arts
540 S. Lake Street, Gary, IN 46403
Open Friday and Saturday, 6—8pm, and Sunday 2—4. Find us on , , and Instagram.