Take a Trip Around the State
Welcome to the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites—a statewide museum network with 12 locations across Indiana. Here, we use our collection of artifacts (everything from mastodon bones to T.C. Steele paintings) and our state’s most culturally significant sites to tell larger stories around bigger themes. Whether you’re interested in art, architecture, history or science, we’ve got you covered. Come out and enjoy wide open spaces at our historic sites, explore three floors of fun at our downtown Indianapolis museum, and discover engaging online activities.
Explore Our Exhibits
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Thru Nov 27, 2020
Historic Indiana En Plein Air Art Show
Artwork by members of the Indiana Plein Air Painters Association (IPAPA) showcase views of the state.
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Thru Jan 3, 2021
Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood
Based on the award-winning PBS KIDS television series that follows the adventures of Daniel Tiger and his friends.
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Thru Aug 1, 2021
FIX: Heartbreak and Hope Inside Our Opioid Crisis
Unravel the opioid crisis one step at a time in this interactive exhibit.
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Wander Our Galleries
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The Evolution of Our Planet
Birth of the Earth
Set 12 to 20 billion years ago, Birth of the Earth traces our state’s history from a geological perspective.
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The Animals that Shaped Indiana
Ancient Seas
Explore the marine life that once called Indiana home.
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Explore Indiana's Natural History
R.B. Annis Naturalist’s Lab
Explore Indiana’s natural history through your senses.
REOPENING SOON -
A State of Change
Frozen Reign
Explore the Ice Age, beginning with a trip through an ice tunnel beneath a glacier.
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Indiana's Founding People
First Nations
Discover how ancestors of today’s Native Americans built vibrant communities in Indiana.
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Discover Diverse Landscapes
Natural Regions
Discover Indiana’s diverse and dramatic landscapes as early European explorers would have seen them.
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Indiana's Journey to Statehood
Contested Territory
Learn how Indiana moved from territory to statehood.
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Step into pioneer Indiana
19th State
Step into pioneer Indiana and learn why and how settlers made their homes in our state.
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People Who Lived in Early Indiana
The Hoosier Way
Learn how Indiana forged its identity as it emerged from the Pioneer era.
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Connecting Through Railroads
Crossroads of America
Learn how Hoosiers connected physically through railroads and shared messages through newspapers, books and music.
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Contributions to U.S. Milestones
Enterprise Indiana
Experience American milestones through the lens of Indiana’s contributions.
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Indiana's Influence on the World
Global Indiana
Demonstrating Indiana’s influence on a global scale.
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Hoosiers who made an impact
American Originals
Visit a room filled with the faces of famous Hoosiers.
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People Who Shaped Indiana
Legacy Theater
Providing a diverse cultural experience of Black heritage in Indiana.
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Visit Our Historic Sites
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Evansville, Indiana
Angel Mounds
A thousand years ago, southwest Indiana was home to a thriving community of Native Americans.
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Corydon, Indiana
Corydon Capitol
From Corydon’s colorful beginnings, Hoosier statesmen carefully built the foundations for the state we know today.
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New Albany, Indiana
Culbertson Mansion
The Culbertson Mansion reflects the affluence of a man once considered to be the wealthiest in Indiana.
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Rome City, Indiana
Gene Stratton-Porter
Explore the home of a beloved author, photographer, naturalist and entrepreneur.
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Madison, Indiana
Lanier Mansion
The perfect opportunity to encounter, explore and experience life as it was in the 1840s.
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Fountain City, Indiana
Levi & Catharine Coffin House
As conductors for the Underground Railroad, the Coffins helped more than 1,000 freedom seekers to safety.
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Geneva, Indiana
Limberlost
The Limberlost Swamp was the perfect laboratory for author Gene Stratton-Porter to study nature.
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New Harmony, Indiana
New Harmony
Explore the birthplace of two 19th-century utopian communities
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Nashville, Indiana
T.C. Steele
Hoosier painter T.C. Steele and his wife Selma built their home in 1907 amongst these rolling hills.
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Vincennes, Indiana
Vincennes
Explore Indiana’s oldest city, where territory officials made decisions that changed the future of the entire Midwest.
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Metamora, Indiana
Whitewater Canal
Discover how this 1840s feat of engineering changed Indiana from a pioneer outpost to the “Crossroads of America."
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Programs
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Oct 12 - Nov 12 2020 1:00 pm - 2:00 pmIndiana State Museum
Messy Mondays
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Oct 27, 2020 7:00 pm - 8:30 pmOnline
Virtual Series: The Women’s Suffrage Movement in Wayne County, IN
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Oct 28, 2020 6:30 pm - 8:00 pmVincennes
History of the American Political Parties Class
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Oct 28, 2020 7:00 pm - 9:00 pmLanier Mansion
Poe in the Parlor
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Oct 28, 2020 7:30 pm - 8:30 pmSold Out
Twilight Tales
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Oct 28, 2020 9:00 pm - 10:00 pmSold Out
Twilight Tales
Latest BLog Posts
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Posted September 1, 2020
Guest blog: United Women Create Action
It is important to remember how women, united in other social causes, gained valuable skills later used in the fight for suffrage.
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Posted September 1, 2020
How to create a cockade
Celebrate the Women's Suffrage Centennial by learning this new skill
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Posted August 13, 2020
Taylor Swift’s muse has Hoosier roots
One of Taylor Swift's new songs draws inspiration from a woman with family connections to Indiana.
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Posted August 9, 2020
Celebrate National Book Lovers Day
Bibliophiles across the nation celebrate National Book Lovers Day on Aug. 9 by picking up a beloved novel – or by finding a new favorite.
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Posted August 6, 2020
Gov. Holcomb expands peer recovery options
Governor Eric J. Holcomb announces partnership between the Indiana Division of Mental Health and Addiction and Mental Health America of Indiana.
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Posted July 22, 2020
Canal Nights: Field to Fork
This week, we’re learning how to create your very own self-watering planter!
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Posted July 2, 2020
Celebrating Independence
Citizens of the United States will celebrate the Independence Day holiday this week, but did you know the Continental Congress actually voted in favor
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Posted June 19, 2020
Designing Dreams
Bill Blass’ fashion designing dreams began in Indiana hometown, but from an early age, he seemed to have only one objective: to leave.
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Posted June 5, 2020
Posters of WWII
Today marks the 76th anniversary of D-Day, the day when Allied forces invaded northern France during beach landings in Normandy.
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Our Mission
To serve as a catalyst for informal lifelong learning that connects the stories of real people, places and things.
Our Vision
Be the leader in informal lifelong learning that is recognized, sought-after and celebrated regionally, nationally and globally.
