What’s Up? July 2021

We are excited about all the fun coming in July 2021! So, what’s up this month?

Join us for a Tour!

Join us for a tour Tuesdays through Sundays at 1pm and 3pm. We still highly recommend making a reservation for your tour. Those who are unvaccinated are still required to wear face masks.

Donation Days are July 7, 14, 21, & 28!

To reserve your tour date and time, you can either call our office at 815-964-2424 or send an email to info@tinkercottage.com.

July 14: Wednesday Reset – Yoga in the Gardens
5:30-6:30pm

Tinker Swiss Cottage is excited to host our first ever Yoga in the Gardens event! 

Midweek blues got you feeling tired and sluggish? Come join us for our first Yoga in the Gardens event and get the reset you need to get through the work week! Our tranquil garden is the perfect setting for this instructor-led Hatha Vinyasa class. 

Please remember to bring your own mat or blanket. Water will be available. 

Tickets are $10/non-members and $7/members. Purchase your tickets HERE!

July 17: Paranormal Investigation w/ Haunted Rockford & Bartel and Henson Paranormal 7-11pm

Did you ever want to see what a real paranormal investigation is all about?  This is your chance to find out!  This exciting event will let you be the paranormal investigator!  Guests will join the Bartel & Henson Paranormal investigative team in small groups as you join the staff in the most active locations in the Cottage. You are welcome and encouraged to bring your own equipment (cameras, camcorders, audio recorders, emf).  Each event begins in the Barn. 

Tickets are $40/person and can be purchased HERE!

July 18: Summer Lecture Series: “” presented by John Borowski

Join award-winning filmmaker/author John Borowski as he delivers an interactive lecture and Q&A. The dark side of Chicago’s true crime history is explored in presenting the life of John Wayne Gacy, a Chicago business owner-turned serial killer. Borowski explores Gacy’s entire life and his creating his creating his alter ego of Pogo, the killer clown in this chilling presentation.

Tickets are $10/non-members and $5/members. Purchase your tickets HERE!

July 18: Exhibit Closes

Our current exhibit “Victorian Women’s Fashion” will close on Sunday July 18th. If you haven’t visited the event yet, now is your last chance to do so before the exhibit is changed! Our next upcoming exhibit will open on August 31st.

This special exhibit is open Tuesdays through Sundays and is included in our General History Tours at 1pm and 3pm.

July 27: Members Board Meeting

Calling all Tinker Members!

The time has come for our annual membership meeting. This is your chance to meet with the Tinker Board and Staff to discuss your ideas, ask any questions, or just to see what all the excitement is about!

Join us Tuesday, July 27th at 5:00pm in the lower level of the Barn. We look forward to seeing you there!

July 31: Speakeasy Murder Mystery

Dust off your flapper dress, zoot suits and Tommy guns and get  ready for your Roaring Twenties Murder Mystery Party! At the height of prohibition, morale was high, morals were at an all-time low, and most of the country was controlled by the Mafia. 

At this cozy little hot spot, hidden in the old Tinker mansion, you will find the best night scene around. Drink, dance, sing and mingle with other like-minded individuals but be careful, wherever there is liquor there is always the mafia…and the police. On a night like tonight, with tensions running high, you might get caught in the middle of a bloody dispute. Enjoy your night but keep your guard up, we’d hate to lose any of our clientele!

Tickets are $25/non-members and $20/members. Purchase your tickets HERE!

GET INVOLVED

Volunteering

Interested in giving tours? Want to share your gardening skills? We’d love to have you join our volunteer team! If you are interested in becoming a Docent (tour guide), we are currently accepting Docent volunteer positions.

Our garden volunteers are starting back to work in the gardens! We have multiple areas we need your help in. Our Victorian Rose Garden, Historic Iris Garden, and Railroad Gardens are all in need of some TLC. If you or anyone you know would be interested in joining our garden team, please don’t hesitate to reach out! We have specific garden mornings every Friday from 9am-2pm, but we are very flexible with your schedule if a better day works for you!

For more information or to sign up, please email our Executive Director at Samantha@tinkercottage.com

Join Our Membership

Have you renewed your Tinker membership for 2021? All membership renewals will be extended due to the museum’s closure for the past two months. Starting in 2022, Memberships will run from June 1-May 30. Family Memberships are $50/year and Individual Memberships are $25/year. Both membership tiers come with the following benefits: 

•  Free General Admission
•  Membership Recognition in the Annual Report
•  Discount on Special Event Tickets
•  Constant Contact updates and news from the museum
•  10% Museum Store Discount
•  Tinker Newsletter
•  Membership to the Time Traveler Program with free and discounted admission into over 300 museums
• across the country!

Be sure to renew your membership today by calling 815-964-2424 or visit our WEBSITE!

Thanks for checking in this month. We hope to see you soon!
Samantha