OCTOBER UPDATE

Check out upcoming programs and the latest news in the museum field.

Indiana Museums Spotlight

Inside Indiana's New Downtown Archives

The building at 350 W. Ohio St., alongside Indianapolis’ Central Canal, brings together archival storage, conservation and imaging workspaces, exhibits and a public reading room near the Statehouse. With the Indiana Historical Society and Indiana State Museum across the canal and the Indiana State Library nearby, the archives adds to a cluster of institutions where visitors can explore the state’s history within a few downtown blocks.

Behind the new public spaces are four floors of records storage. Staff moved in about 90,000 cubic feet of boxes, said Chandler Lighty, executive director of the Indiana Archives and Records Administration.

Read the full story here.

Newfields to offer a look at the word class art collection owned by Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz

Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields has unveiled its most recent exhibition and undergone a notable transformation in the process. Titled Giants: Art From the Dean Collection of Swiss Beatz and Alicia Keys, the showing, on tour in collaboration with the Brooklyn Museum, offers Indiana residents a chance to see some of the most sought-after pieces of contemporary Black art in the world.

Acquired over decades by Alicia Keys, a Grammy-winning singer-songwriter, and Kasseem “Swizz Beatz” Dean, a notable producer, DJ, and rapper, the showing features over 130 pieces. While comprehensive, comprised of everything from classically inspired portraiture and plein-air landscapes to abstract and conceptual works, the ethos of this assortment of art is summed up in Deans’ maxim: “by the artist, for the artist, with the people.”

Read the full story here.

Museum educators are often told that they need to create field trips experiences that are curriculum aligned, but is that really what brings teachers (and their students) to the museum? A series of interviews with teacher educators, museum educators, and classroom teachers suggests there is more to the story! Come learn about Sarah Junk Hatcher’s study, Places of Authenticity, Connection, and Community: Educators’ Perceptions of the Educational Potential of Museums and the lessons we can draw from it.

Sarah Junk Hatcher currently serves as a visiting lecturer in the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs where she specializes in arts administration and museums. She also serves as the Faculty Chair for the Masters in Curatorship. Dr. Hatcher is a museum administrator, curator, and educator with over two decades of experience in museum settings.

Oct 15, 2026, 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM EST

Zoom

Featured AIM Resource:

Conservation Resources International Archival Discount

AIM members receive 10% off Conservation Resources International’s lowest pricing on archival and preservation supplies. It’s an easy way to save on materials for collections care, storage, and preservation projects.

Not an AIM member yet? Individual memberships are just $20/year.

Learn more about AIM membership and member benefits: inmuseums.org/membership

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