Digital Press Kit

The Conner Prairie Site Master Plan lays out a vision and a series of projects for development over the next few decades. The Master Plan addresses not only new exhibits, buildings, access points, and infrastructure projects, but also plans for the green spaces: woodlands, riverbend, wetlands, and the prairie for which Conner Prairie was named. Since its development in 2018, three Master Plan projects have been completed. They are Shen Ho Shi, the Prairie House, and Makesmith Workshop. Now, with the addition of a new Museum Experience Center, an Outdoor Nature Experience, and a new permanent exhibit Promised Land as Proving Ground, Conner Prairie can continue to provide broader, deeper, bolder experiences to its visitors.

Conner Prairie is making a $24 million capital projects investment in its next Site Master Plan initiatives:

• New Museum Experience Center
• Outdoor Nature Experience
• Promised Land as Proving Ground, a new permanent exhibit

In creating our new Site Master Plan, Conner Prairie engaged with more 225 community members and staff. We also partnered with several local urban design, landscape architecture, development, and engineering consultants in the creation of the Site Master Plan.

All of projects are either in the planning or construction stages and are on time.

New, transformative guest experiences including:

• New Museum Experience Center, with more access to space to host a variety of hands-on exhibits, Smithsonian Institution speakers and learning opportunities, a diversified collection, a dedicated youth leadership institute space, and local and global artist exhibits.
• Outdoor Nature Experience, activating Conner Prairie’s largest educational asset – 3.3 miles of the White River and more than 260 acres of prairie and woodland. Two trails, one that is fully accessible, will feature up to four education hubs with evolving content that includes the past, present and future role of the river, environmental science education opportunities, and visual art displays.
• Promised Land as Proving Ground, a new permanent exhibit, a comprehensive, new permanent exhibit set to open in Summer 2023, will tell a more inclusive story of Indiana’s history, focused on the faith and lifeways, religious traditions, foodways, agriculture, music, dance and art of the African Diaspora and the African American culture and traditions. It will cover centuries of history from pre-colonial to present day.

The philanthropic support of Conner Prairie’s capital campaign has also made possible the museum’s two newest exhibits, Habitat and Spark!Lab. Spark!Lab opens August 13, and Habitat will open September 2.

The Prairie Pathways Campaign has a goal of $15 million or more. To date, we have secured more than $11.4 million, or 76% of our goal.

Our transformative educational and experiential experiences are made possible through the generosity of several respected community leaders and private philanthropic foundations. Conner Prairie is pleased to announce the lead gift to the Prairie Pathways Campaign of $3.5 million from Jay and Nancy Ricker, part of their overall $5 million commitment to Conner Prairie. In addition, commitments of $1 million or more have been received from the Allen Whitehill Clowes Charitable Foundation, Steve and Sandy Hageman, the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust, and an anonymous donor.

The museum anticipates the remaining funds will be provided by partnerships currently in development. We also invite our visitors and community members to join Conner Prairie in its efforts to bring broader, deeper, and bolder museum experiences to central Indiana and beyond.