Bringing Collections to Life with Unboxed

September 15, 2025

Unboxed is a YouTube video series produced by the Indiana Historical Society that highlights our archival collections and gives voice to Indiana stories. These are short (3-5 minute) videos that are perfect for the classroom or the casual history buff. The series gives an inside look at special collections and how they’re stored in our archives. Work on the series started just about one year ago, so I thought I’d share how the series came to be.

credit: Jessica Baloun

In the Summer of 2024, I was tasked with designing a video series to highlight the IHS collections, with practically full creative control over the process. As a big fan of documentaries and YouTube video essays, I was both excited and nervous to take on the project. Equipped with my childhood experience with Windows 2009 Movie Maker, I first explored the tools needed to develop a web series. Lucky for me, the IHS staff is full of talented people who walked me through using recording equipment, storyboarding, and video editing.

credit: Jessica Baloun

Videos start with a large yellow sticky note on my office wall filled with topic ideas sourced from IHS staff and my own research rabbit holes. Those ideas are then taken to the stacks, where the majority of the Society’s collections are stored. Here I have the absolute pleasure of searching through the shelves with the lovely Maire Gurevitz, Director of Collections Management at IHS. This is where some of the real magic happens. While we often come in with a plan of what to pull and examine, we often find the best materials by accident, simply by opening a box. Over the past year, we have showcased comics on AIDS, bankers in the Russian Revolution, Indiana State Parks, car headlight production and more!

credit: Indiana Historical Society

credit: Indiana Historical Society

A personal favorite of mine is the story of Nurse Safe Sexx, a public health activist and drag queen in Indianapolis. Kenn King designed the character as a way to spread safety information on the looming AIDS crisis and to highlight resources in central Indiana. King’s story is one of grassroots activism and a strong love of community that I love to share whenever possible.

credit: Bohr/Indy Pride/Gonzalez Collection, Indiana Historical Society

credit: Bohr/Indy Pride/Gonzalez Collection, Indiana Historical Society

Besides sharing unique stories, the Unboxed series is also a fantastic way to showcase the work of our library and archives staff. Unboxed viewers have gotten glimpses into collections in cold storage, how processing new collections works, how library staff does research on collections, and where the public can view these collections themselves. While many may be familiar with collections on display, few know that the vast majority of IHS collections are in the archives, waiting for researchers and staff alike to use. Unboxed not only shares amazing Hoosier stories but also provides an inside look on how our state’s history is preserved.

You can view the Unboxed series on the IHS YouTube channel.

Jessica Baloun is an Education & Engagement Specialist at the Indiana Historical Society. She is connoisseur of queer and cemetery history, as well as a proud parent of two adorable cats.

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