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In celebration of The Indianapolis Children's Museum's 100th anniversary in 2025, here is a look at how the museum got its start.
In October 1924, Mary Stewart Carey visited the first children’s museum in the United States — the Brooklyn Children’s Museum in Brooklyn, New York. She was so inspired by the museum’s cases of artifacts, its 9,000-volume reference library, and its rooms dedicated to reptiles, birds, insects, and botany that she decided Indianapolis needed a similar gift for its children.
When she got home, she got to work.
In April 1925 — Just a few months after her memorable visit — Mrs. Carey convened a meeting of like-minded people gathered at her home. This led to the
formation of The Children’s Museum Association of Indianapolis, which led to the creation of a constitution, a set of bylaws, and a board of trustees.
After some discussion, it was agreed that the material in this new children’s museum should not be limited in scope, should be informational and of interest to children, and that a child’s viewpoint should always be considered in selecting equipment and installation.
Unlike the Brooklyn Children’s Museum, which had purchased a large group of natural history objects as the foundation of its collection, our brand-new association had neither the money nor the access to collectors. Instead, Mrs. Carey and other board members appealed to the community for donations. From schoolchildren to serious collectors, the public responded with an array of objects ranging from arrowheads and Japanese clothing to early American furniture and dolls.
As our December 1925 opening day approached, the museum had more than 600 objects to display.
Not only did the new museum need a collection to exhibit, it needed a place to exhibit it. Fortunately the Propylaeum, a literary and cultural club for women, had
one — a carriage house behind the group’s main building on North Delaware Street.
Founded in 1888 as a literary and social club for women, the Propylaeum (which means “gateway to higher culture”) bought an elegant brick house at 1410 N. Delaware Street to serve as its headquarters in 1923. Originally built in 1890 by brewer John W. Schmidt, it later housed the family of Joseph Schaf and, briefly, the Indiana College of Music and Fine Arts. But the Propylaeum became its longest-lasting resident; it continues to own the facility today.
Along with the three-story house, the site featured a two-story carriage house located at the rear of the property. Initially home to the Little Theater Society, the carriage house was empty after the Society moved to new quarters, prompting the Propylaeum to offer it to the newly formed Children’s Museum Association.
To read the rest of this story, visit https://www.childrensmuseum.org/blog/propylaeum-carriage-house-museum-origins
The Children's Museum's journey beginning at the Propylaeum is a testament to its rich history and community impact. Such milestones highlight the importance of preserving stories for future generations, much like crafting a compelling thesis. If you're exploring historical topics like this and need thesis writing help, ensuring your work captures depth and detail is key to making your research stand out.