Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites

Providing immersive, one-of-a-kind experiences that center around our visitors — that’s our commitment at the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites. And our first two exhibits of 2025 truly live up to it.

Cardboard Storyland and Dream Tomorrow Today are both interactive, family-friendly experiences that take unique, hands-on approaches that spark visitors’ creativity and curiosity.

Building on the tremendous popularity of our previous cardboard-themed exhibits, Cardboard Storyland puts a new spin on a familiar favorite by adding new elements of storytelling and literacy. This familiar favorite is open Jan. 18-June 1.

“Cardboard has really become a phenomenon in itself — we’ve seen schools use it, we’ve seen maker spaces use it. It’s so accessible,” said Vice President of Programs and Education Engagement Bethany Thomas. “We also love that this is something kids are familiar with. With our cardboard experiences, it’s incredible to see how they really open up creativity with such simple, accessible materials.”

For this experience, children and adults can choose their own adventure as they explore four story settings featuring distinct artwork and unique characters created by Jordan Hillman, one of our gallery interpreters who is also a talented artist. Drawing on his past experience writing and illustrating graphic novels, Hillman designed every detail of this experience to inspire visitors’ creativity.

With the storylines as a starting point, visitors can use everyday materials like yarn, tape, scissors and an unending supply of cardboard to make anything their imagination can dream up.

“The creativity really is so open-ended. You may take your inspiration from something that you see but you can go anywhere with it,” said Thomas. “Plus, everyone has their own favorite stories and their own favorite story characters. To embed that within Cardboard Storyland makes it a magical experience.”

Inside Dream Tomorrow Today, which is open Jan. 25-May 4, families will embark on a dynamic, high-tech adventure where they are at the helm of shaping the future. This immersive traveling experience was developed by the creative minds at The DoSeum and is toured internationally by Flying Fish.

Through hands-on activities and a gamified approach, visitors will use their STEM skills to tackle complex future challenges.

“There’s been a real need in exhibits to be able to address serious problems from positive, solutions-based angles,” said Chief Officer of Engagement Brian Mancuso. “These are hard things to tackle, but Dream Tomorrow Today takes a positive approach so you don’t get overwhelmed by the problem. Instead, you can look at the possibilities and how you can participate to be part of that positive change.”

Throughout the experience, visitors create a digital profile and complete tasks to increase their Planet Power score — a comprehensive metric encompassing health, happiness, nature and equality. All the activities are play-based, so guests will actually suit up and jump into challenges, like cleaning up “trash” in a ball pit “lake.”

“I think our visitors will really like the diversity of experiences that are offered,” said Mancuso. “It weaves in physicality and kinetics with technology. There are costumes, there is a slide, there is a ball pit. There are lots of elements that allow people to go in and really immerse themselves. Plus, getting in a ball pit and going down a slide makes for a really fun afternoon.”