What started in 1862 as a modest collection of minerals has grown into a museum and historic sites that tell Indiana’s story—from its ancient past to its bold future. Through decades of ambition, resilience and reinvention, the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites has evolved into a hub for discovery, learning and pride. Explore the journey that brought us here.
In 1869, the Indiana General Assembly enacted a law which provided “for the collection and preservation of a Geological and Mineralogical Cabinet of the Natural History of this State.” A state geologist was assigned the task of labeling and organizing the collection, becoming the first employee of the Indiana State Museum. The natural history collection quickly developed beyond the legislature’s original intent when hundreds of cultural items, many relating to the recent Civil War, were added. Soon the collection was a museum of sorts, with a hodge-podge of curios and specimens.
For decades, the museum’s collection never truly had a home. It was shuffled from room to room inside the Statehouse, even spending time in the Capitol’s basement—forgotten, neglected, and, at times, closed entirely. Yet, it endured.
In 1917, the first of what would become 11 historic sites, Corydon Capitol, was established—marking the start of a larger effort to preserve Indiana’s past. And in the 1940s, a movement began to build a real museum, a place worthy of Indiana’s history. Philanthropist Eli Lilly even donated land for the cause, but funding fell through.
It wasn’t until the middle of the twentieth century that concrete plans or a permanent location began to take shape. In 1957, Governor Harold W. Handley approved a commission to examine the construction of a museum. That commission concluded that Indiana had the “the poorest and most inadequate state museum in the United States.” That was about to change.
In 1961, the Indianapolis City Hall was vacated. Instead of building something new, Handley’s successor Governor Matthew E. Welsh and other leaders saw an opportunity. With massive renovations, the abandoned building transformed into a museum, opening its doors in 1967. At last, Indiana’s history had a place to call its own.
As Indiana grew, so did the museum’s collection—so much so that by the 1980s, City Hall could no longer contain it. The search for a new home began again. In 1984, White River State Park was chosen, but years of planning and funding negotiations followed.
On May 22, 2002, the Indiana State Museum opened at 650 W. Washington St., its stunning new home built around an IMAX theater. The building itself is a tribute to Indiana—its exterior showcases all 92 counties, and even the floor patterns whisper stories of the past.
Today, the museum houses over 500,000 objects, including one of the world’s largest Abraham Lincoln collections. It is a space for discovery, learning, and reflection—a place where history is not just displayed, but experienced.
From a single cabinet of curiosities to a thriving cultural institution, the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites stands as a testament to the power of preservation. And as Indiana’s story continues, so does ours.