Allison Carter

allison.carter@indystar.com

Get ready for lots of changes at the Indiana State Museum -- and lots of exhibit closures while they're underway.

In a press release, the State Museum announced a five-phase "transformation" at both the flagship in Indianapolis as well as 11 historic sites across the state.

“We are boldly transforming our galleries to change how visitors experience Indiana’s history," Tom King, Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites president and CEO said in the release. "We’re creating more immersive, interactive exhibitions, as well as creating spaces that can be changed on a regular basis so that visitors will have something new to enjoy each time they visit.”

The first phase is nearly done. Three renovated exhibits will re-open on Nov. 3: the Natural Regions, Contested Territory and 19th State galleries. Visitors will be able to "crawl into a black bear’s cave, hear the sounds of pre-contact Indiana, pack their own covered wagon, hear Little Turtle’s stirring speech at the signing of the Treaty of Greenville and much more," according to the release.

In phase two, starting in the spring of 2017, will see changes to the Ice Age and Prehistoric Native Americans galleries, plus the Naturalist Lab.

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Phase three will see the closure of the cultural history galleries from 1840-1930 and the Ancient Seas gallery in spring 2018, to reopen in fall of that year.

The What Shapes Us gallery will close in fall 2018 and will reopen in spring 2019 as part of phase four.

Finally, the rest of the cultural history galleries will close in spring 2019, to reopen in the fall. That coincides with the Indiana State Museum and Historic Site’s 150th anniversary.

“By the completion of phase five construction in 2019, guests will get to travel through space and time—from the distant past to the possible future and back, all in a way that’s more interactive, more immersive and hands-on and more relevant to 21st century audiences,” said Beth Van Why, associate vice president of exhibitions.

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Indiana historic sites will also get upgrades. The Levi Coffin House in Fountain City, once a major hub of the Underground Railroad, will open its 5,156-square-foot interpretive center on Dec. 10. Critical updates will be made at all historic sites between now and 2019.

Allison Carter is an engagement producer at IndyStar and misses the old Indiana State Museum at old City Hall, and its weird old dioramas, including one of a Civil War amputation. Follow her on Twitter @AllisonLCarter.