The materials to be used tell stories in and of themselves. Limestone, stainless steel, glass and brick each representing an important Indiana industry will figure prominently in the construction of the new museum, added Brown, the project s lead architect. Ralph Appelbaum Associates of New York City will design the exhibits. The museum was housed in the basement of the Indiana Statehouse before moving in 1967 to its current location in the old Indianapolis City Hall. By the early 1970s it was clear that the facility s 80,000 square feet would not be adequate to collect, preserve and interpret Indiana s natural and cultural history.
Officials now lease administrative and storage space in other locations.
DNR Director Larry D. Macklin praised three decades of dedication and commitment from the O Bannons, the General Assembly, museum trustees, the museum foundation and volunteers for making the new museum possible.