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Transformative, year-round museum will broaden access to history and expand educational engagement
FISHERS, Ind. (March 18, 2026) - Conner Prairie will soon unveil its newly reimagined Museum Experience Center (MEC), a two-floor museum designed to broaden access to history, STEM, and the arts through interactive exhibitions, educational innovation, and inclusive interpretation.
The Museum Experience Center will strengthen how Conner Prairie connects to guests of all ages - expanding opportunities for reflection, inquiry, and discovery before guests step into the museum’s living history environments.
Designed as a year-round destination, the MEC expands Conner Prairie’s ability to engage audiences beyond outdoor experiences while deepening inclusive storytelling and educational impact. As Indiana’s first Smithsonian Affiliate, Conner Prairie remains committed to advancing museum excellence through scholarship, innovation, and community engagement - a commitment reflected in the design of the new Museum Experience Center.
The Museum Experience Center is part of the Prairie Pathways Campaign, which raised $44 million through private philanthropy to support the renovation of the Welcome Center into the MEC, the addition of the Trails at Conner Prairie, and the development of Promised Land as Proving Ground - projects that expand how Conner Prairie shares history and engages the community.
“This is more than a renovation - it is a reimagination of how we welcome our community,” said Norman Burns, President and CEO of Conner Prairie. “The Museum Experience Center will set the tone for a visit that is curious, reflective, and inspiring. It allows us to tell more layered stories, showcase more of our collections, and create meaningful connections for guests of all ages.”
When it opens, the reimagined MEC will introduce six signature experience areas designed to spark curiosity and connection:
- Power of Place - An immersive exploration of how land, environment, and community have shaped identity and belonging over thousands of years.
- Wellspring - An Artscape, part art installation, part playscape, created in partnership with nationally recognized artist Wes Bruce and The Curious Life, blending creativity, reflection, and play.
- TORN: A Family Portrait - A powerful exhibition examining family, resilience, and the complex history of the Lenape people and Conner families.
- Spark!Lab - One of ten hands-on innovation spaces developed by the Smithsonian to engage kids and families in the process of invention while exploring history, science, engineering, and art.
- Caring for Collections - A behind-the-scenes look at artifact preservation and the museum’s collection of more than 20,000 historical objects.
- Traveling Exhibit Gallery - A flexible gallery bringing nationally and regionally recognized exhibitions to Conner Prairie on a rotating basis.
Together, these experiences position the MEC as a welcoming hub for storytelling and discovery - preparing guests to explore the historic grounds with deeper context and understanding.
Accessibility and inclusion were central to the design of the new Museum Experience Center. The building features elevators, stroller and wheelchair accessibility, a dedicated sensory room, sensory kits, and monthly sensory-friendly hours to ensure guests of all abilities feel welcome.
The addition of the Harvest Café and Ricker Prairie Overlook will provide year-round indoor dining and gathering spaces with sweeping views of the historic grounds.
The newly reimagined Museum Experience Center will open to the general public on Friday, April 3, 2026. Conner Prairie members will receive exclusive early access during Member Preview Days on March 31, April 1, and April 2.
Conner Prairie will host an Opening Ceremony and Ribbon Cutting on Monday, March 30 at 10 a.m. Media are invited and encouraged to attend. Members of the media are asked to arrive by 9:30 a.m. for check-in and advance access ahead of the ceremony.
The Museum Experience Center represents a significant investment in Conner Prairie’s long-term vision to remain an innovative, community-centered museum for generations to come.
For more information, visit connerprairie.org.
About Conner Prairie
Spanning more than 1,000 wooded acres in Central Indiana, Conner Prairie welcomes more than 300,000 visitors of all ages annually. As Indiana’s first Smithsonian affiliate, Conner Prairie offers various outdoor, historically themed encounters and indoor experiential learning spaces that combine history and art with science, technology, engineering, and math to offer an authentic look into history that shapes society today. Conner Prairie is a 501(c)3, nonprofit organization – accredited by the American Alliance of Museums – that relies on grants and philanthropic donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations for sustainability and growth. For more information visit connerprairie.org.