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Indiana’s Story, Preserved and Unearthed

From Abraham Lincoln artifacts to iconic works of Indiana art, our collections capture the people, places, and moments that shaped the state’s past and continue to inspire its future. Discover the natural wonders, cultural treasures, and untold stories that bring Indiana history to life.

a collections intern measuring a print from the collection

CENTERS of EXCELLENCE

Since 1869, we’ve been on a journey to discover, preserve, and share the rich stories of Indiana’s history, arts, and natural sciences. With a collection of over 500,000 objects, we don’t just gather artifacts—we capture the essence of the state’s past, present, and future. Within our expansive collection, six Centers of Excellence highlight Indiana’s unique legacy, offering a deeper understanding of our heritage through world-class objects and unparalleled expertise. Welcome to a world where Indiana’s story is told, preserved, and brought to life.

Frozen Giants and Ancient Glaciers

The Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites is a top authority on Ice Age paleontology in Indiana. Our collection holds more mammoths and mastodons from more localities than any other museum in the Midwest. Many of these specimens were recovered during the museum’s field expeditions.

You can see Fred the Mastodon and other Ice Age animals in the Frozen Reign experience at the museum.

Featured Highlights:
Mastodons, Mammoths and Megafauna

The Art of Being Hoosier

Our collection includes rich holdings of historic and contemporary Indiana art, including the largest collection of work by Hoosier School impressionist T.C. Steele. Steele’s Brown County home and studio is one of our 11 state historic sites.

Featured Highlights:
T.C. Steele Paintings
Historic & Contemporary Indiana Art

an amish quilt

Threads That Tell Stories

Our internationally renowned textiles collection includes one of the best-documented Amish quilt collections in existence, as well as a strong costume collection covering work clothes to high-end Indiana designers.

Featured Highlights:
Amish Quilt Collection
Indiana Costume Design History
Jacquard Coverlets

a vintage tractor

Inventing a Better Tomorrow

Explore our collection of technical innovations and products that have profoundly affected life in America and beyond. This collection includes items of historic, cultural, and industrial significance from groundbreaking work in the automotive, communications, and agricultural industries.

Featured Highlights:
Automotive Innovations
Communications History
Agriculture and Industry

an archeological excavation

Echoes Beneath the Earth

Native Woodland and Mississippian cultures are represented, along with historic archaeological materials related to the state’s settlement. Many of these artifacts were excavated at our historic sites. You can see Native American artifacts in the First Nations gallery at the museum and at Angel Mounds State Historic Site. Evidence of Indiana’s last 200 years can be found in our second-floor museum galleries.

Featured Highlights:
Native American Artifacts
Archaeological Finds from Historic Sites

the emancipation proclamation

Tracing Lincoln’s Footsteps

The Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection, one of the country’s most important collections relating to Abraham Lincoln and his times, was given to the Indiana State Museum in 2009 and continues to grow. This remarkable collection includes copies of the Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th Amendment signed by Lincoln, personal photographs, and belongings of the Lincoln family, among tens of thousands of items.

Featured Highlights:
Emancipation Proclamation (Signed by Lincoln)
Lincoln Family Photographs
Personal Belongings of Abraham Lincoln

START EXPLORING

Dive deeper into Indiana's fascinating history and rich cultural heritage.

Search through the Indiana State Museum’s extensive collection. Use simple search terms such as quilt, Lincoln or Steele to retrieve more robust results. Uncover the stories behind iconic objects, discover related pieces, and gain fresh insights into Indiana’s past through our interactive and ever-expanding database.

SHOW your LINCOLN PRIDE

Honor the legacy of Abraham Lincoln with a special contribution that helps preserve one of the largest and most significant collections of Lincoln artifacts in the world. By purchasing an Abraham Lincoln’s Boyhood Home license plate, a portion of the proceeds directly supports the Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection, safeguarding key historical items for generations to come.

indiana state museum collection

Licensing requests and questions about rights and reproductions

For licensing requests and questions about rights and reproductions please email [email protected]. If you already know the material you wish to request, you may send a completed Application for Image Usage Rights Permission form.