Travels and Smarts: Indiana State Museum
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History: The original collection of the ISM was started in 1862, when State Librarian R. Deloss Brown began collecting minerals and other objects that he kept in a cabinet. 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." The collection was displayed in a room on the third floor of the State Capitol building in 1888, but was frequently moved from room to room until 1919, when it was moved to the basement of the Statehouse. During the administration of Governor Ralph F. Gates (1954-1949), steps were taken to establish and new and modern museum with Philanthropist Eli Lilly donating ground on the northwest corner of Ohio and Senate streets to the state, however the plans fell through. In 1962 Governor Matthew E. Welsh (1961-1965) approved the resumption of the planning for a new museum, now located at the site of the now empty Indianapolis City Hall at 202 N. Alabama St. After $830,000 in renovations, the Indiana State Museum opened its doors in 1967. As the collection grew, the building became too small to meet the needs of the institution. The museum's board voted to the move to White River State Park in 1984, however funds were not appropriated by the Indiana General Assembly until the late 1990s with groundbreaking occurring in August of 1999. The ISM closed the old City Hall location on December 31, 2001, in order to move to its new home at 650 W. Washington Street, opening there on May 22, 2002.
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Galleries: With more than 40,000 square feet of exhibit space, and over 452, 000 artifacts in collections, the museum covers the history of the natural world, Native Americans, cultural history, the future of Indiana, and a spaces for changing exhibits.
Level 1-Natural History
Exhibits include Birth Of The Earth, Ancient Seas, The Age Of Ice, The Native American, Legacy Theater: The Indiana African American Experience. You can enter the museum's exhibit area on any floor, but the natural flow of things is to start here. (The entry area once you pass through to the exhibits will be getting a makeover early next year.) Of the three levels, this one is probably the most exciting if you were a kid. There are lots of things to put your hands on, peer in to, interact with. Some of the stuffed animals might be a bit scary, I myself avoid a few of them because they give me the creeps.
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Level 2-Cultural History
Exhibits include The Nineteenth State, The Hoosier Way, Crossroads Of America, Enterprise Indiana, Global Indiana. Level 2 also contains several hands-on displays including learning how to churn butter, smelling different scents appropriate to settler times, and an authentic wigwam. This level covers the early settlement of the country in what would become Indiana, the founding of the 19th state, and major points in Indiana history until present day. Take note of the signs on the displays, especially the ones dealing with historical figures. You'll see that some of them have a red box around their picture, read their information and see what differentiates them from everyone else.
Men excavating limestone, one of Indiana's most famous exports
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The museum's Foucault Pendulum
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Level 3-Changing Galleries
Exhibits include the Lincoln Financial Foundation Gallery, Wilbur E. and Florence Jeup Ford Gallery, South Gallery, NiSource Inc. Gallery Of Indiana Art, and Level 3 Bridge Gallery
Current exhibit: Star Wars Where Science Meets Imagination. This is the third type of exhibit I remember the ISM hosting, with an exhibit about the Titanic on display a year or two ago, and an exhibit all about the Lord Of The Rings films was here several years ago. The Star Wars exhibit hosts costumes and props that were used in the actual films, along with hands-on displays that explain how some of the technology seen in the films is used today. If you are a Star Wars fan you'll love this exhibit.
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Other things to do
Dining
Farmer's Market Cafe & Terrace: The Farmers Market Cafe features a menu reflective of Indiana's heritage as a source of fresh, local produce with seasonal menus and fresh soups, salads, and sandwiches. Indoor and outdoor dining available.
L.S. Ayres Tea Room: Step into elegance of the past in the L.S. Ayres Tea Room, introduced to downtown Indianapolis in 1905, the Tea Room at the L.S. Ayres department store was an endearing favorite for several generations of Hoosiers. A re-creation of the original, the museum's Tea Room features reproductions of wall coverings, carpet, draperies and chandeliers as well as original furniture from the restaurant. Artifacts from the original tea room, such as tea pots and silverware, as well as photographs of the Tea Room from the past are on display.
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The Indiana State Museum has mastodon and mammoth remains from more than 28 localities around Indiana; more sites than any other museum in the Midwest. Fred the mastodont was discovered on a farm west of Fort Wayne in 1998. Fred currently sits in the Indiana's Ice Age gallery on Level 1, but he will become the centerpiece of an exhibition titled Indiana's Ice Age Giants: The Mystery of Mammoths and Mastodons, which will open in November of 2013 where Star Wars now resides. When the exhibit opens, guests will be able to experience the excitement of unearthing the bones of mammoths and mastodonts that roamed Indiana some 12,000 years ago. Children will be able to go on a dig, discovering bones and then learning how to identify the age, gender, and other information about the animals.
The IMAX theater at the Indiana State Museum shows a combination of education films along with first run movies, including some in 3D. Admission to the theater is separate from the museum, check the website for current films and showtimes.
THINGS TO KNOW
Museum Hours: Monday-Saturday, 10:00am-5:00pm. Sunday, 11:00am-5:00pm *please check website or call for exceptions and/or changes
Tickets: Note that admission to Star Wars and/or all IMAX films require a separate admission. Discounts are available for museum members.
The Indiana State Museum is a perfect place to visit for families of all types. There are plenty of hands-on, interactive displays with many of the exhibits. Please note that some of the animal related displays on Level 1 may be a bit scary for the younger set, so looking ahead around corners may do all well. Photography is permitted as long as it is done without flash, including in the Star Wars exhibit (unless otherwise noted).
Disclaimer: I was invited to the Indiana State Museum as a guest to see the museum's exhibits. Parking and entry to the museum and all it's exhibits (including Star Wars) were given to me. However any opinions stated are all my own.
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