FISHERS, Ind. — Conner Prairie announced $24 million in new capital projects Friday that will offer visitors an enhanced museum, new educational trails and a permanent exhibit that "will tell a more inclusive story of Indiana’s history."
The museum enhancements should provide more space for hands-on exhibits and collections.
Two trails will take advantage of the outdoor museum's natural assets, the White River, prairie and woods, by including up to four "education hubs" featuring the river's role now and in the future, along with other environmental educational opportunities and art displays. One of the planned trails will be fully accessible.
A new, permanent history exhibit set to open in the summer of 2023 called "Promised Land as Proving Ground" will offer an inclusive look at Indiana’s religious traditions, agriculture, music and "the art of the African Diaspora and the African American culture and traditions."
Conner Prairie's theater will be renovated to include more space for historic artifacts.
Visitor access to the museum and Prairietown will reflect a commitment to accessibility for all guests.
Norman Burns, CEO of Conner Prairie, said the enhancements show how “Conner Prairie is taking proactive steps towards telling a more complete and more inclusive story, both in person and virtually. These projects ensure that we’ll be a place where the doors are always open to a diversity of voices and limitless experiences for generations to come.”
Private donations of more than $15 million to the Prairie Pathways Campaign will support the new capital projects, and the museum anticipates the remaining funds will be provided by "partnerships currently in development."