Peru, Indiana: Circus History, Museums and Nature

Peru, Indiana, combines an unusual circus history with museums, aircraft exhibitions and river landscapes. Those planning a trip featuring cultural discoveries, special collections and excursions into nature will find various ways to shape their stay here. When looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home, it is worth deciding on your personal focus first: Should the trip mainly be devoted to circus history, aviation or an excursion to the forest and river?

Discover Circus History in Peru

The Circus City Museum is dedicated to the more than 100-year history of the circus in Peru, Indiana. Exhibits include photographs, miniatures, artifacts and costumes. This means the museum visit is aimed not only at circus enthusiasts but also at anyone who wants to learn more about this local tradition through specific objects.

Another address is the International Circus Hall of Fame at 3076 E. Circus Lane, Peru, Indiana 46970. The associated museum is open by appointment outside regular seasonal hours. If this visit is part of your travel itinerary, you should take the necessary appointment into account when planning your day.

The Peru Amateur Circus adds a lively event to the historical perspective. Every year in mid-July, an eight-day festival takes place in Peru, Indiana. Around 200 young people aged 7 to 21 perform in ten circus shows. The Circus City Festival section also includes rides, games and food. The Peru Amateur Circus gives young people from the region the opportunity to practise and perform circus acts ranging from tumbling to the flying trapeze.

Museums and Theatre as Further Travel Ideas

Aviation is also part of the town's profile. The Grissom Air Museum is located at 1000 W. Hoosier Blvd., Peru, Indiana 46970. The adjacent Museum Air Park houses most of the static aircraft exhibits, as well as a watchtower, a B-58 missile sled and a D-21 drone. The combination of the museum and outdoor area therefore offers several specific exhibition highlights that you can explore separately during your visit.

For a cultural evening, there is the Ole Olsen Memorial Theatre. The nonprofit community theatre group in Peru, Indiana, was founded in 1964 and stages its performances at the Historic Peru Depot, 154 S. Broadway, Peru, Indiana 46970. For your travel planning, check the relevant performance schedule if you would like to complement your museum visit with theatre culture.

Forest, Limestone Formations and Paths along the River

Southeast of Peru are two nature destinations with different characteristics. The Seven Pillars, also called The Cliffs, are a limestone formation located about 4 miles southeast of Peru on the Mississinewa River. Rounded pillars and niches were formed there by the erosion of the limestone by wind and water.

Also located about 5 miles southeast of Peru and north of the Mississinewa Lake Dam on the north bank of the Mississinewa River is Frances Slocum State Forest. The forest area covers 515 acres and is intended for day use. For a nature-focused stay, you can plan these destinations as separate excursion components.

Cycling and trail connections are also among the available travel ideas: The 28.1-mile Panhandle Connector Route connects the Nickel Plate Trail with the Panhandle Pathway and runs from Peru to Kenneth. Those using the Nickel Plate Trail can reach the Peru Riverwalk on the Wabash from there. When choosing your accommodation, therefore, consider which of these activities should be the main focus, without combining the various destinations into a single loop trail.

Choose the Right Travel Experience

Peru is suitable for planning a trip in which you can compare culture, unusual local history and excursions into nature. A holiday apartment or holiday home serves as the starting point for your personal selection, while the museums, theatre, festival, route and nature destinations offer different ideas for each day. The contrast between the circus artifacts, the historic aircraft exhibitions and the limestone pillars shaped by wind and water is particularly appealing. This allows you to arrange your trip according to your interests and daily rhythm and get to know Peru from several perspectives.

For the overarching travel overview: Miami County.