$2.5 million Lilly Endowment Inc. grant will support dynamic new experiences
INDIANAPOLIS (Oct. 29, 2025) – The New Harmony State Historic Site will undergo a multi-year transformation focused on enhancing the visitor experiences, funded by a $2.5 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites.
Lilly Endowment’s support comes through its Religion and Cultural Institutions Initiative, a national initiative supporting organizations as they develop exhibits and public programs that fairly and accurately portray the role of religion and spirituality in the U.S. and around the world. This is one of two plans for development in New Harmony to receive funding from Lilly Endowment, as a separate $2.5 million grant was awarded to support Historic New Harmony, a program of the University of Southern Indiana.
“We’re grateful to Lilly Endowment for funding these two projects and allowing both institutions to work to better serve the community,” said Cathy Ferree, president and CEO of the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites. “This gives us an opportunity at the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites to utilize our knowledge and expertise in producing authentic, visitor-centered experiences to highlight our site and capture the spirit of New Harmony”
The transformation project at the New Harmony State Historic Site, which is still in development and expected to be complete in 2028, will create dynamic, one-of-a-kind experiences that center around engaging visitors with the spiritual aspects of New Harmony.
The centerpiece will be an enhanced interpretive experience at Community House No. 2 that will incorporate interactive technology to reveal unique stories about the town’s past. Founded in 1814 on the banks of the Wabash River, New Harmony was home to two early American Utopian communities – the Harmonists and the Owenites – that shaped the town’s development as it grew into a hub for science, scholarship and spirituality in the early 19th century. Today, the New Harmony Historic District, which covers the New Harmony State Historic Site, Historic New Harmony and other properties, is noted in the National Register of Historic Places for its significance in architecture, performing arts, education and social history.
Renovations inside Community House No. 2 will also support dedicated spaces for public events and programs, private archives and administration. Additionally, the project will include new immersive art experiences at the Thrall’s Opera House, Scholle House and Harmonist Labyrinth.
“The changes to New Harmony State Historic Site will bring new experiences that invite visitors to come and dive into New Harmony’s stories,” said Kelley Morgan, site manager for New Harmony State Historic Site. “I am excited to provide a new and different way for the community and our visitors to interact with this unique location.”
In addition, the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites will use a portion of the grant to support the collection and care of artifacts that reflect Indiana’s religious history throughout the museum and at historic sites statewide.
While the transformation project is under way, visitors can continue to discover the New Harmony State Historic Site through self-guided tours of Community House No. 2 and guided tours of other sites throughout town. Visitors can go to IndianaMuseum.org for tour times and other information and to purchase admission.
About the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites
The Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites is a museum system with 12 locations across the state, offering immersive experiences that resonate long after a visit ends. Each one-of-a-kind destination reveals stories that shaped Indiana’s past and present, helping visitors learn how today’s actions can influence the future. The museum, located in White River State Park in downtown Indianapolis, serves as a central hub where curiosity is inspired and wonder is ignited for visitors of every age and interest — from art and architecture, to history and culture, to science and nature. The historic sites create connections stretching from Rome City in northeastern Indiana to Evansville in the southwest. Learn more at IndianaMuseum.org.
About Lilly Endowment Inc.
Lilly Endowment Inc. is a private foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. While those gifts remain the financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion and maintains a special commitment to its hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana. A principal aim of the Endowment’s religion grantmaking is to deepen and enrich the lives of Christians in the United States, primarily by seeking out and supporting efforts that enhance the vitality of congregations and strengthen the pastoral and lay leadership of Christian communities.
