Location and Travel

Aerial photograph of New Harmony, Indiana, featuring the Atheneum and Roofless Church.

Photographer: Zach Straw. Image courtesy of Visit Posey County.

Innovative Communities: Past, Present, and Future will take place in historic New Harmony, Indiana, on November 12–15, 2026.

New Harmony

Nestled along the Wabash River in southwestern Indiana, New Harmony is a community with an extraordinary history of innovation, experimentation, and civic imagination.

Founded by the Harmonists in 1814 and transformed in 1825 by Robert Owen and William Maclure's ambitious Community of Equality, New Harmony became a gathering place for educators, scientists, artists, reformers, and visionaries seeking to explore new possibilities for society.

While the Owen-Maclure experiment lasted only a short time, its influence extended far beyond New Harmony. The community helped advance ideas about public education, scientific inquiry, adult learning, equity, and social reform that continue to shape public life today.

Today, New Harmony remains a place where history and innovation intersect. Its historic sites, museums, architectural landmarks, arts organizations, and community institutions invite visitors to reflect on enduring questions about how people live together, share knowledge, steward resources, and build thriving communities.

As we mark the bicentennial of the Owen-Maclure community, New Harmony continues to serve as a setting for conversation and experimentation. The questions raised here two hundred years ago remain relevant today: How can communities promote human flourishing? How can education support social progress? What might innovative communities of the future look like? The Innovative Communities: Past, Present, and Future conference invites participants to explore these questions in the very place where they were once boldly pursued.

Conference Venues

Conference sessions and events will take place at several locations throughout New Harmony.

504 North Street, New Harmony, IN 47631

New Harmony Inn and Conference Center

The New Harmony Inn and Conference Center will serve as the conference headquarters and primary meeting location. Situated within walking distance of much of New Harmony's historic district, the Inn offers conference facilities, guest accommodations, and gathering spaces in a peaceful setting inspired by the area's historic character.

Website

Email: info@newharmonyinn.com

Phone: 812-682-4431

401 Arthur Street, New Harmony, IN 47631

Atheneum Visitor Center

Designed by internationally renowned architect Richard Meier, the Atheneum serves as New Harmony's visitor center and introduction to the community's history. The building houses exhibition galleries, orientation spaces, and meeting facilities and is considered one of the nation's most significant examples of modern civic architecture.

Website

Email: harmony@usi.edu

Phone: 812-682-4474

407 Tavern Street, New Harmony, IN 47631

Working Men's Institute Museum and Library

Founded in 1838 through the efforts of William Maclure, the Working Men's Institute is the oldest continuously operating public library in Indiana. Today it serves as a library, museum, and archive preserving the rich educational and cultural history of New Harmony. Conference attendees will have the opportunity to experience one of the most enduring legacies of Maclure's educational vision.

Website

Phone: 812-682-4806

603 Main Street, New Harmony, IN 47631

Ribeyre Center

Originally built as New Harmony High School's gymnasium, the Ribeyre Center has been adapted as a community event venue. Today it hosts meetings, public events, and community gatherings while preserving an important piece of New Harmony's local history.

Website

Email: rgrcenter@gmail.com

Phone: 812-604-7262

Additional Information

Transportation and Parking

Getting to New Harmony

New Harmony is located in southwestern Indiana, in the tri-state region of Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky. The town is easily accessible by car and is within driving distance of several metropolitan areas:

Evansville, Indiana: approximately 30 minutes
Henderson, Kentucky: approximately: 45 minutes
Owensboro, Kentucky: approximately 1 hour
Louisville, Kentucky: approximately 2.5 hours
Nashville, Tennessee: approximately 2.5 to 3 hours
Indianapolis, Indiana: approximately 3 hours
St. Louis, Missouri: approximately 3 hours
Cincinnati, Ohio: approximately 4 hours

The community is accessible via Indiana State Road 66 and is located a short distance from Interstate 64, which provides convenient east-west access across southern Indiana and connections to major regional highway networks.

Air Travel

Evansville Regional Airport (EVV)

The closest commercial airport is Evansville Regional Airport (EVV). The airport is located approximately 25 miles from New Harmony and serves as the conference's primary airport recommendation.

Attendees may also choose to fly into larger regional airports and rent a car for the drive to New Harmony. Common alternatives include:

Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF): approximately 2.5 hours
Nashville International Airport (BNA): approximately 3 hours
St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL): approximately 3 hours
Indianapolis International Airport (IND): approximately 3 hours

Airport Shuttle Service

The New Harmony Inn and Conference Center offers ground transportation to and from Evansville Regional Airport with advance registration. Shuttle transportation must be arranged at least two weeks in advance through the New Harmony Inn. Current rates are $85 for the first one or two guests and $10 for each additional guest traveling in the same shuttle. Attendees wishing to arrange shuttle transportation should contact the New Harmony Inn directly when making lodging reservations.

Other ground transportation and car rental options are available from EVV. More information can be found at EVV's transportation website.

Getting Around During the Conference

New Harmony is a compact, walkable community, with many conference venues located within the historic district and a short distance (less than a half mile) from one another.

To make travel between venues as convenient as possible, the conference will provide complimentary shuttle service between all conference locations throughout the event. Shuttle schedules and pick-up locations will be included in the final conference program.

Parking

Free parking is available at the New Harmony Inn and Conference Center, the Atheneum Visitor Center, the Working Men's Institute Museum and Library, the Ribeyre Center, and other public locations throughout New Harmony. Free street parking is also available throughout New Harmony.

Lodging

New Harmony Inn and Conference Center

A block of 50 guest rooms has been reserved for conference attendees at the New Harmony Inn and Conference Center. The conference room block will remain available until October 13, 2026, or until all reserved rooms have been booked, whichever occurs first. Attendees are encouraged to make reservations early.

To book rooms, visit the New Harmony Inn website and enter OWMC2026 into the group code to receive the discounted hotel rate.

Additional Accommodations

New Harmony offers a variety of lodging options, including:

Bed and breakfast options
Guest houses
Airbnb and Vrbo vacation rentals
Additional accommodations in and around Posey County

For information about available lodging, please visit these websites:

Travel Tip

Because New Harmony is a small historic community with limited lodging and transportation options, attendees are encouraged to make hotel reservations and transportation arrangements as early as possible. The conference hotel block at the New Harmony Inn and Conference Center expires on October 13, 2026, or when all reserved rooms have been booked.

Explore New Harmony

We encourage attendees to extend their stay and experience all that New Harmony has to offer. Historic sites, museums, walking tours, gardens, public art, local dining, and unique shops provide opportunities to engage more deeply with the community that inspired the conference's theme of innovation, education, and social change. For visitor information and trip planning resources:

Contact Us

Please contact harmony@usi.edu if you require any dietary or accessibility accommodations.