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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Feb. 13 - Sept. 19, 2021
State of Nature
Picturing Indiana Biodiversity
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Thru March 14, 2021
Nikon's Small World
Celebrating photography through the microscope.
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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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Jan 24, 2021 1:00 pm - 4:00 pmLimberlost
Movie Matinee
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Jan 28, 2021 10:00 am - 11:00 amIndiana State Museum
Toddler Time: Under Construction
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Jan 30, 2021 1:00 pm - 3:00 pmIndiana State Museum
Create!
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Feb 2, 2021 10:00 am - 11:00 amSold Out
Small Wonders: Little Archaeologists
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Feb 2, 2021 10:00 am - 12:00 pmIndiana State Museum
Homeschool Tuesdays: Astronaut Science
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Feb 2, 2021 1:30 pm - 3:30 pmIndiana State Museum
Homeschool Tuesdays: Astronaut Science
Latest BLog Posts
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Posted January 21, 2021
Re-Creating Create!
This year, the celebration of local artists and their work will be virtual. But still a lot of fun.
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Posted January 14, 2021
I Have a Dream: Dr. King’s Legacy Lives On
On Jan. 18, 2021, the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites will honor the life, work and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with free admission.
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Posted December 18, 2020
How to make a Reindeer Nose Cocktail
Until we can gather for a large party again, here's how to make some of our holiday cheer at home.
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Posted December 18, 2020
These Old Bones Will Tell Your Story
Fred the Buesching Mastodon still has stories to tell to help us understand the earth’s past.
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Posted November 30, 2020
Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens? No.
Marcy Dodson’s ‘Favorite Things’ tour focuses on unusual items in the ISM’s collection.
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Posted November 23, 2020
Thanksgiving: A tradition centuries in the making
But do you know where this tradition came from, or when the national holiday actually came to be?
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Posted November 23, 2020
A Labor of Love
Twenty years and counting, Holly Crisler-Johnson is still volunteering at Culbertson Mansion State Historic Site.
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Posted November 23, 2020
Say Yes to the Dress?
Victorian fashions were neither comfortable nor practical. Discuss.
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Posted November 20, 2020
We're missing the fun as much as you are
We plan for our gaming expo to return when it’s safe to do so. Until then, learn about our exhibitors!
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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.
