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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June 5 - Sept 6, 2021
RESPONSE: Images and Sounds of a Movement
See murals painted by Indy artists following last summer’s protests.
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Thru July 25, 2021
The Artwork of Carole Wantz
Artist Carole Wantz painted the who’s who of Columbus, Indiana, society.
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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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Thru Sept 19, 2021
State of Nature
Picturing Indiana Biodiversity
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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.
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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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Jun 22, 2021 9:00 am - 5:00 pmLevi & Catharine Coffin
Teaching Freedom and Unfreedom Educator Workshop
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Jun 23, 2021 6:00 pm - 8:00 pmIndiana State Museum
Canal Nights | Field to Fork
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Jun 24, 2021 10:00 am - 11:00 amSold Out
Toddler Time: Color Discovery
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Jun 26, 2021 10:00 am - 12:00 pmVincennes
Adventure Days: The Final Frontier
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Jun 26, 2021 12:00 pm - 1:00 pmIndiana State Museum
Naloxone Training
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Jun 26, 2021 1:00 pm - 2:00 pmIndiana State Museum
Panel Discussion with Response Exhibit Artists
Latest BLog Posts
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Posted June 21, 2021
LGBTQ+ Hoosiers and their impact on our culture
From mathematics to social activism and fashion design to politics, LGBTQ+ Hoosiers have made an enormous impact on our culture.
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Posted June 15, 2021
Wanted: Pair of Gently Used Leather Chaps
Katherine Gould is the curator of cultural history, and one of her roles is to add LGBTQ+ items to the museum's collection.
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Posted May 31, 2021
Meet the artist: Gentry Parker
Gentry Parker sees art as “an opportunity to speak out and put my feelings on canvas.”
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Posted May 24, 2021
Meet the artist: Elijah Stephen (Elijah Norwood)
Among the paintings in “RESPONSE: Images and Sounds of a Movement,” is “Take a Stand” by Elijah Stephen and Gentry Parker.
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Posted May 21, 2021
The History of Senior Cords
Senior cords were an Indiana tradition unique to this state. The trend likely originated at Purdue University in the first decade of the 20th century.
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Posted May 17, 2021
Meet the Artist: Gary Gee
Among the paintings in “RESPONSE: Images and Sounds of a Movement” is “8:46” and “We the People…” by Gary Gee.
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Posted May 10, 2021
Meet the Artist: Mechi Shakur
Among the paintings in “RESPONSE: Images and Sounds of a Movement,” is “Blkkk Lives Don’t Matter,” by artist is Mechi Shakur.
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Posted April 20, 2021
Create your own mini greenhouse
Celebrate Earth Day this year by creating your own mini greenhouse. You might already have the supplies at home!
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Posted April 19, 2021
Nurturing the Garden at T.C. Steele
Lori Willis is a third-generation master gardener with 30 years of experience. In other words, she’s a great person to ask for gardening tips.
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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.
