Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites (ISMHS) has been awarded a $196,140 grant by Lilly Endowment Inc. to develop a comprehensive master planning process to guide the ISMHS board of directors and staff on addressing the museum’s role and value to neighboring communities in Indianapolis.

The planning process, which will take place throughout 2021, will serve as a template to inform its approach to future master planning for each of the museum system’s 11 historic sites around the state.

“We are delighted that Lilly Endowment Inc. recognizes the value of this work and has awarded us this generous grant,” said Cathy Ferree, President and CEO of the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites.  “We are a visitor-centric organization whose mission is to serve as a catalyst for informal lifelong learning that connects the stories of real people, places and things.  The master planning process offers an opportunity to have the biggest possible impact by helping us to understand how to best use our resources and serve our expanding and diverse audiences, including surrounding neighborhoods.”

Boston-based TDC Corp., one of the nation’s oldest nonprofit management consulting and research firms, will conduct the study.