Indiana State Museum

The Indiana State Museum is a museum in Indianapolis, Indiana, located in the United States. The museum features exhibits on Indiana science, art, culture, and history from prehistoric times to the present.

History

The Indiana State Museum's original collection began in 1862, during the Civil War, when State Librarian R. Deloss Brown began collecting minerals and other curiosities in a cabinet. The Indiana General Assembly passed legislation in 1869 that called for "the collection and preservation of a Geological and Mineralogical Cabinet of the Natural History of this State." The task of labelling and organizing the collection was assigned to a state geologist, who became the first employee of what would eventually become the Indiana State Museum.When hundreds of cultural items, many of which were related to the recent Civil War, were added, the natural history collection quickly expanded beyond the legislature's original intent. The collection soon became a sort of museum, , with a jumble of oddities and specimens.

Indiana State Capitol

In 1888, the museum's collection was displayed in a large room on the third floor of the State Capitol building, but it did not last long. It was frequently moved from room to room until 1919, when it was relocated to a most inhospitable location, the Statehouse basement. It would remain in this location for nearly 45 years, closing twice in the late 1920s and early 1960s. During Governor Ralph F. Gates' (1945-1949) administration, steps were taken to establish a new and modern state museum. People who knew how to care for artefacts and run a museum were hired. Potential locations for a new facility were investigated, and designs were created."The land on the northwest corner of Ohio and Senate streets was donated to the state by philanthropist Eli Lilly, who was excited about the prospect of a professional-quality museum of Indiana heritage. Unfortunately, the plans were scrapped, most likely due to the $3.5 million price tag ". Later, Governor Harold W. Handley's (1957-1961) administration and the legislature established a commission to investigate the state museum. The commission recommended that a building be constructed on the site originally proposed by the Gates administration. The commission's members were "forced to the reluctant conclusion that Indiana has the poorest and most inadequate state museum in the United States," according to the report.

ADMISSION TO THE INDIANA STATE MUSEUM

We can't wait to see you at the Indiana State Museum! The museum is open from 10 a.m. on Wednesdays through Sundays. to 5 p.m. For more information, please visit this page. When you buy your tickets online, you save $1 per ticket. Select the type and quantity of each ticket below. To receive member discounts and benefits, remember to sign in or create an account. Members and children under the age of three are free. Please click here to see a complete list of discounts, including military, educators, and others. To receive the discounted prices, Access Pass Members, Scouts, and their families must purchase tickets in person. Senior: Ages 60 and up, Child: Ages 3 to 17 | Visitors under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.