A Striking Contrast

It’s hard to imagine a contrast that’s not striking. In fact, one definition of contrast  is, “One thing that is strikingly different from another.” I’ve been enjoying an example of this right in my backyard.
The elderberry bushes at the edge of the yard, although beautiful on their own, are enhanced by the dark backdrop of [...]

Preparations for Celebrate Abe

Gearing up for summer camp is always an exciting time for me. We “test” all of the activities and crafts we have planned to see how difficult they are and how much time it really takes to complete crafts. Last week, we made a log cabin using pretzels and icing. It was a fun and [...]

Jackson 5 at the Indiana State Museum

Michael Jackson is, without a doubt, the most internationally famous person ever to come out of the Hoosier state. We are saddened by the loss of this incredible talent. I took a walk down to the “famous Hoosiers” portion of our gallery to see some Jackson 5 artifacts. Turns out we have costumes worn during a [...]

Inventorying the Loblolly Marsh

How do you take an inventory of a swamp? Well, it involves a lot of nets. And bug spray. Oh, and sunscreen.
On Friday, I took a road trip to the Limberlost State Historic Site in Geneva, Indiana (Adams County). My mission? To “assist” 24 scientists in taking an inventory of the flora and fauna of [...]

Indiana Quilts of Valor

Over 1000 people participated in wrapping American veterans in warmth as 50 handmade quilts were presented today at the Roudebush VA Medical Center.  A partnership between the Indiana State Museum and the Quilter’s Guild of Indianapolis  resulted in the quilts, which were presented to soldiers wounded while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.   

Lincoln on the Move

On May 19, Allen County Public Library employees arrived at the Lincoln Museum in Fort Wayne, armed with 63 book carts and hundreds of empty boxes …

The Ever Popular Tulip Poplar

I first knew Indiana’s state tree by the name Tulip Poplar. Years later, I learned that it ‘should’ be referred to as the Tulip Tree or Yellow Poplar. All these are just common names for Liriodendron tulipifera, a member of the Magnolia family — and anyway, how can a ‘common’ name be incorrect?
Our state tree [...]

Giant hanging coccolithophore runs amok in museum!

Coccolithophores are marine planktonic organisms that secrete calcareous plates, called coccoliths, around a single cell. They are so tiny they are best viewed with a scanning electron microscope (an SEM). That’s one of the reasons that a large red version hanging from the ceiling in the Great Hall of the Indiana State Museum was so [...]

Shrub-a-dub-dub

What’s one of the best ways to improve your outdoor environment? Plant some shrubs! They provide variety, shape, form and balance—all elements of good landscape design. If you stick to annuals and perennials alone, you’ll be missing out, and so will your garden.
A recommendation I’ve read is to buy one shrub for every five perennials. [...]

Hot Chicks at the Indiana State Museum

Marcus Harshaw, museum program specialist and Scales & Tails Fest facilitation extraordinaire, provides a behind-the-scenes glimpse of event programming.
Every year leading up to our Scales and Tails Festival here at the Indiana State Museum, we are fortunate enough to offer our guests a glimpse of the “miracle of agriculture” as two dozen chickens hatch before their very [...]