Unparalleled Paisley Shawls

Written by Christine Atkinson, arts program developer at T.C. Steele State Historic Site
It’s finally here! The Unparalleled Paisley Shawls exhibit has been installed at the T.C. Steele State Historic Site. Site staff was on hand to help Indiana State Museum curators reveal these beautiful textile pieces. The day went smoothly, despite some hitches with the [...]

Backing, wrapping, encapsulation

Written by fine art collection manager Jeana Dallape
Behind every artifact exhibited at the museum, there is a team of people who helped get it there. Famous people have entourages to make them look effortlessly perfect in public, but in museums, it’s the famous (and not so famous) artifacts that have the entourages. The famous Lincoln [...]

Phosphorescent Fireflies, Luminescent Lightning Bugs

As a favorite sign of spring, hearing peepers barely beats seeing the first fireflies. Last night I returned home after dark and decided to sit out on the porch for awhile and enjoy the breeze. I’m glad I did, because before long I noticed on-and-off flashes of a firefly. Soon I spotted a few more.
Call [...]

A New Track Record!

Hundreds of Boy Scouts from a 4-state area converged on the Indiana State Museum last week, for the 2nd Annual Pinewood Derby, and the World’s Largest Pinewood Derby track did not disappoint …

Spring “cleaning” at the Whitewater Canal State Historic Site

How do you prepare a six-mile section of the Whitewater Canal to turn a wheel, maintain water flow and float a canal boat for the thousands of visitors who want to ride on this unique piece of Indiana history?

And the winner is…

The results are in and the Indiana Art Fair Signature Artist piece has a name. It was tough for this year’s artist to choose among the over 400 suggestions left by Indiana Art Fair visitors in February. But there was one title that 11 contestants all agreed would make a terrific name: “Tile-A-Vision.” Congrats to [...]

Segway Polo on the Museum Lawn

Not a sight I’ve seen before;  a polo match on the front lawn of the museum.  But wait…this one is with Segways…and there, in the thick of it all, Apple Computer co-founder, Steve Wozniak!  Seems “The Woz” calls Segway, “one of my big inspirations in life” and started an international polo league a couple years [...]

“Scales and Tails Fest: A Celebration of Pets”

Despite torrential downpours, Scales and Tails Fest: A Celebration of Pets went off without a hitch at the Indiana State Museum this past weekend. There were at least 50 rescue dogs and kittens, most looking for new homes, plus owls, a yellow-headed vulture, a live skunk, dozens of snakes of varying sizes, and even roosters. All gathered throughout [...]

Indiana Television History

A new exhibit opened recently at the Indiana State Museum, showcasing historical items from RCA, which was ranked No. 1 in the world in electronic production and sales for many years “back in the day”.
The company has a long and significant history in Indiana. RCAbegan producing radios in the state in 1929 and even produced the world’s [...]