Try Not to Stair: 15 Beautiful Staircases Around the Hoosier State

Stairs can be tiring to climb, but they can also be absolutely beautiful to look at. We’ve compiled a list of 15 staircases throughout the Hoosier state that provide a unique climb and a photo-worthy visual just begging for a spot in your Instagram feed. 

Lanier Mansion State Historic Site – Madison

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Featuring Greek Revival architecture and beautiful gardens, Lanier Mansion is an Indiana State Historic Site in Madison. While the entire mansion is gorgeous, the spiral staircase is stunning and immediately comes to mind when thinking of the state’s best stairways.

Indiana State Museum – Indianapolis

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A place to explore Indiana’s past, present and future, the Indiana State Museum is a world class institution that celebrates what makes the Hoosier State such a special place. The beautiful staircase we are featuring here surrounds a Foucault pendulum, which is a device that demonstrates the Earth’s rotation. It is truly a hypnotic thing to watch.

Tippecanoe Place – South Bend

Built by Clem Studebaker in 1889, the Tippecanoe Place mansion has a rich and colorful history. Today the mansion serves as a restaurant, which combines casual dining with white tablecloth elegance.

Musical Arts Center – Bloomington

One of the grandest performance venues in the United States, the Musical Arts Center (MAC)  on the Indiana University-Bloomington campus seats 1,460 and features acoustical design and technical capabilities that are among the best in the United States. Regularly compared to the Metropolitan Opera in New York City, the main stage is 90 feet wide by 60 feet deep. The facility features a beautiful staircase, complete with a C-shaped sofa at the bottom.

Indiana Dunes State Park – Chesterton

Three miles of Lake Michigan shoreline and sand dunes make Indiana Dunes State Parkamong the most visited of Indiana’s State Parks. What you might not know is that the park is home to incredible hiking, including the 3-Dune Challenge. If you take the challenge, you’ll need to conquer the stairs included in the boardwalk pictured above! Make sure to stop for a photo op!

Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site – Indianapolis

A National Historic Landmark, Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site is a 16-room Italianate-style mansion, which was built by Harrison in 1874 and served an important role in his 1888 presidential campaign. The historic mansion features two beautiful staircases. 

Grouseland – Vincennes

Not to be outdone by his grandson, William Henry Harrison’s home in Vincennes is also home to a beautiful set of stairs. Grouseland was completed in 1804 and served as Harrison’s home when he was Governor of the Indiana Territory. It was the first brick home in Indiana and served as the center of government in the Territory. 

Tippecanoe River State Park Fire Tower – Pulaski County

A haven for canoers, Tippecanoe River State Forest is also home to an incredible fire tower. The view from the top is incredible, but as you can see from the image above, the view of the tower itself is pretty beautiful as well. Fire towers exist in several Indiana State Parks, learn more here.

The Center for Performing Arts – Carmel

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Presenting world-class music, dance and theater in three venues on a spectacular campus in the center Carmel, the Center for the Performing Arts is home to the Palladium (where the stairs pictured above can be found), the Tarkington and the Studio Theater. 

The Inn at Irwin Gardens – Columbus

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Experience the grandeur of the Inn at Irwin Gardens in the heart of architecturally renowned Columbus. Home to incredible outdoor gardens, the Inn features a gorgeously ornate staircase on the inside.

Eugene & Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center – Indianapolis

Home to the Indiana Historical Society, the Eugene & Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center is a gorgeous building full of amazing exhibits that allow visitors to travel back in time. The Eli Lilly Hall (pictured above) is an incredible space with an impressive set of stairs. It is no wonder this room is a very popular venue for weddings.

Hell’s Point at Pokagon State Park – Angola

Are you up to the challenge? Pokagon State Park is home to the “Hell’s Point Challenge”, an eight mile hike that culminates in a summit the Hell’s Point, the highest point in the park (pictured). Finishers receive a free water bottle and sticker after photographing six specific waypoints along the way.

Hillforest Victorian House Museum – Aurora

The charming Ohio River town of Aurora is home to Hillforest Victorian House Museum, a stately 1855 Italian Renaissance mansion listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1992. It has been featured on cable television’s HGTV and is open for tours from April through December, with numerous special events taking place throughout the year.

Indiana War Memorial – Indianapolis

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The Indiana War Memorial Museum is a 30,000 square foot chronological museum that portrays American military history from the Revolutionary War to the present day, with special focus on Indiana’s role in our nation’s conflicts. This free museum is home to a shrine to America’s fallen, that is among the most breathtaking things you’ll find in the Hoosier State. And the breathtaking part is not just because you have to climb the staircase pictured above.

Culbertson Mansion State Historic Site – New Albany

Culbertson Mansion is one of the Indiana State Museum’s eleven historic sites around the state. In the late 1800s it was home to William Culbertson – once the richest man in Indiana. It was built in 1867 for around $120,000, which would be more than $2.2 million today! The spiral staircase is spectacular!