Exhibits

Step into three-dimensional re-creations of historic photographs complete with characters that come to life in You Are There, or take virtual journeys throughout the state in Destination Indiana, or pull up a stool at the cabaret and immerse yourself in the music of Hoosier legend Cole Porter in the Cole Porter Room.

Current Exhibits

Now open – The Electric Railway: Indiana’s Interurbans. Indiana is as central to the history of the interurban as the interurban is central to the history of Indiana, as interurbans provided many Hoosiers with transportation across the state and changed the Indiana landscape. With more than 1,800 miles of interurban rail lines, the state was second only to Ohio in rail mileage and produced many of the industry’s leaders such as Charles L. Henry, Arthur W. Brady and Hugh McGowan. In this exhibit, there are several interactive spaces, including a room dressed as the interior of a rural interurban station from the early 20th century with text and hands-on discovery. There will also be a re-created interurban car, where guests will “ride the interurban,” which involves a multi-sensory experience and an immersive video presentation.

Now open – RESIST! At the height of the power of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) in May 1924, they planned a rally in the city of South Bend, Ind. The city was home to many Jewish and Catholic residents and the University of Notre Dame, where many Catholic students attended. This set up a major flashpoint between the KKK and a religious group they had villainized and persecuted. The RESIST! exhibit seeks to help visitors understand key questions and realities around the Ku Klux Klan’s rise to power in Indiana. It also features how people resisted and raised questions about how to combat hate.

Now open – Chuck Taylor All Star. In many ways, Indiana represents the heart of basketball in the United States. Its history has no shortage of iconic moments or people who are famous for changing or contributing to the game, such as Oscar Robertson, John Wooden and Larry Bird. One Hoosier devoted his life to the game whose name nearly every basketball fan in the United States knows, with his fame extending beyond the bounds of basketball. Though few know much about him, the man is Charles Hollis Taylor, better known as “Chuck” Taylor — the man behind the name on that famous shoe — the Converse All Star.

Now open – Hungry Hungry Hoosiers. Hungry Hoosiers all over the state have always enjoyed dining out. To showcase some of Indiana’s dining history, the Indiana Historical Society’s newest exhibit, “Hungry Hungry Hoosiers” explores the past and present of Indiana dining, featuring restaurants like Shapiro’s, an iconic Jewish deli in Indianapolis; Cam Lan, a family-owned Chinese restaurant in Hammond; and Bocanegra’s, a Mexican restaurant in Indiana Harbor in the 1950s, owned by Angela Aguilera and her family.

Now open – Greetings from Duneland: Indiana’s National Park. This exhibit highlights not only the history of the Indiana Dunes but also the people who dedicated their lives and careers to saving them. Located along Lake Michigan in northern Indiana, the Indiana Dunes are an important historical and cultural landmark in Hoosier history. Early development in the area began in the late 19th century, primarily for recreational use. Beginning in the early 20th century, the area was redeveloped for commercial and industrial use.

Cole Porter Room

Come into the Cole Porter Room – designed to evoke the style of New York’s famed Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.

W. Brook and Wanda Y. Fortune History Lab

In the History Lab, go behind the scenes of a real conservation lab and explore the technology used to preserve the IHS collection.