Conner Prairie Blog

Partnering to Support Quality Early Learning Experiences

March 9, 2023

Conner Prairie is a landmark in central Indiana. It is a beautiful example of quality play-based experiences and is a natural partner for Child Care Answers (CCA). Together, we saw…

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Staff Recommendations: Women Who Inspire

March 8, 2023

This year’s national Women’s History Month theme is “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories.” Who inspires you to pursue truth and reflect on the human condition? Is it an inspirational…

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The Lingering Power of Love

January 12, 2023

What comes to mind when you think of Martin Luther King Jr. Day? Is it his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, his contributions to the civil rights movement, or…

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The Powerful Magic of Play at Playtime on the Prairie

December 12, 2022
Children playing at playtime on the prairie -

When was the last time you played? I mean really played. The kind of playing that takes you back to a time and a place in your childhood where you…

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The Importance of Holiday Traditions

December 6, 2022

It’s the most wonderful time of the year as Conner Prairie has been transformed into a winter wonderland for A Merry Prairie Holiday. Our grounds are now full of thousands…

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Inventing the Holidays

December 1, 2022
father and daughter at spark!Lab

As you are decorating your home and wrapping presents, you might begin to wonder about the origins of all the things that make our holidays merry and bright. They, just…

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Reasons the Power of Philanthropy Provides Endless Opportunities

November 14, 2022

Happy National Philanthropy Day! Each year on November 15, community organizations around the country celebrate the importance of working together for the common good. Today, we reflect on the power…

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Wooly Warmth and Comfy Cattle: Winter on the Prairie

November 9, 2022
Photograph of Cattle in winter

There’s a chill in the air and frost covers the ground each morning. The brightly colored leaves have fallen from the trees and the fields have been harvested. The Headless…

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Conner Prairie’s Land and Its Impact on Fishers

November 4, 2022
William Conner House

Known as one of the best living history museums in the country, Conner Prairie is demonstrative of Fishers’ history and Indiana history as a whole. The museum was built around…

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The impact of Native American Heritage Month

November 1, 2022
Image of Lenape Indian camp

Native American Heritage Month became official in the United States in 1990 after Congress and President George H. Bush signed a resolution that designated November as the first National American…

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Who AREN’T We Serving?

October 25, 2022

While planning guest experiences at Conner Prairie, I think about the phrase: “Who aren’t we serving?” When we have a public program or create a new guest experience, I think…

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13 things to do in the fall in Hamilton County Indiana

October 17, 2022

Our Adventure is Everywhere contains affiliate links and is a member of the Amazon Services LLC Affiliate Program. If you make a purchase using one of their Amazon or other…

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Habitat provides nature experience in a new way

August 24, 2022
People experiencing Habitat

One of the coolest things about working at Conner Prairie is being able to experience and enjoy nature daily. I love both stopping to look at the tiniest wildflowers and…

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New Smithsonian-Affiliated Exhibit Cultivates the Power of Ideas

August 8, 2022
Kids at spark!Lab

What if I told you that anyone could be an inventor? What would you say? Some might say, “Oh geez, aren’t inventors, like. . . really, really smart? Don’t they…

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The impact of our new Smithsonian-affiliated exhibits

July 25, 2022

A Q+A with Dr. Richard Kurin Dr. Richard Kurin, Smithsonian Distinguished Scholar and Ambassador-at-Large, focuses on strategic direction, institutional partnerships, public representation, philanthropic support and special initiatives at the Smithsonian.…

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The Power of Field Trips Provide Learning Opportunities

July 7, 2022
Family riding 1859 Balloon Voyage

What do you think of first when you think of field trips? Whatever it was that first came to mind, that is learning. Be it the taste of a sack…

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Investing in the next generation

July 5, 2022
Family playing with the wooden stilts

At Conner Prairie, we strive to inspire curiosity and foster learning for kids of all ages. We invest in the next generation. And we’re able to do that through high-quality,…

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In The Name Of Love, Conner Prairie At Indy Pride

June 17, 2022

Although Conner Prairie is a living history museum, that does not mean that we stay in the past. As a part of Conner Prairie’s mission values, we continually look for…

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The Impact of the Conner Prairie Alliance

June 1, 2022

I joined the Conner Prairie Alliance in 2009. At the time, my daughter Katy was a new youth interpreter, and I wanted to support the museum’s mission, particularly its outreach…

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The Influence of the White River for a Better Tomorrow

May 25, 2022

It starts with a trickle and ends with a roar. The Upper White River Watershed starts its 2,752 square mile journey in Harrisville, traversing sixteen counties and flowing through the…

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Top 5: Strange Brews

May 20, 2022

Americans annually drink, on average, around 30 gallons of beer. That average isn’t much different from 19th century consumption, but the beer being drunk is definitely in a different class.…

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Why Livestock Conservancy is an important leader for heritage breeds

May 17, 2022
kids with sheep

Have you ever wondered why Conner Prairie has heritage breeds? Rare breeds of livestock and poultry are part of our national and cultural heritage. Sure, we want to exhibit animals that…

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Heritage Breeds: Why Should We Care?

May 3, 2022
Tunis Sheep

Conner Prairie’s Heritage Breeds program is an essential part of the work that we do with preservation and education within our Agriculture department. We not only serve and protect these…

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Memory Cafés: A Place of Belonging 

April 22, 2022
Memory cafe members

When you think of the word “dementia,” what comes to mind? Most likely, you didn’t think of many positive words associated with the condition. There is a stigma attached to…

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More Than Just a Cute Face: The Impact of Arapawa Goats

April 15, 2022
goats

Conner Prairie has a long history with agriculture and caring for heritage breed livestock. Currently we are the home of 5 heritage breed breeding herds: American rabbits, Arapawa Island Goats,…

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Autism Acceptance: Where We Have Been To Where We Are Now

April 4, 2022

History, as a whole, is simply a series of relationships. These range from the personal, to the local, to the national, and span from friendships to economic relationships to political…

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Philanthropy is Personal

March 21, 2022

But humility can hold us back, it can keep us from making human connections and telling the stories others need to hear to be inspired by the mission of our community agencies. Now is the time to reshape our humility and to talk about our passions.

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Exciting look at ticket improvements

February 22, 2022

From an upcoming streamlined ticket purchase experience to our digital membership cards, we are upgrading our technology to give you a better way to step into the story.

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How a birthday party became a national holiday

February 18, 2022

The day we celebrate as Presidents’ Day is legally known as “George Washington’s Birthday,” and that is how the holiday originated.

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Black History 365: Understanding the Past in Order to Move Forward

February 17, 2022

Each February the accomplishments and history of African Americans are celebrated in Black History Month. What does that mean? When was Black History Month first recognized? Why was February selected?…

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