Conner Prairie event celebrates past, looks to the future

By Leila Kheiry leila@youarecurrent.com

Married to George Kehl, retired Police Chief for 38 years. 40 Year Resident

MUSEUMS

About 100 supporters attended the Conner Prairie annual meeting April 17 to hear about the prior year’s accomplishments and the interactive museum’s plans for the future.

President and CEO Norman Burns said Conner Prairie is a unique and historic place, combining hands-on learning, nature and living history exhibits.

“We are expanding the boundaries of our historical natural resources by exploring, celebrating and improving the human experience,” he said.

The keynote speaker for the breakfast meeting was John H. Falk, a researcher and author who developed a method to analyze the value of museum experiences. Falk said that kind of data is essential because lawmakers and other funding sources sometimes need to be convinced that museums are important.

“You see, museums worldwide, particularly in the United States, they’re (seen as) really nice places, but not necessary places. And it was the pandemic that helped to emphasize it. We weren’t going to close hospitals, but we could close the museums,” Falk said. “So, what that said to me is that museums need to work a little harder on defining and establishing the value that they deliver.”

Value can be subjective, though, so Falk wanted to establish a way to make the value of museums more concrete. He started by defining how value would be measured, and that was in its lasting effect on museum visitors’ personal, intellectual, social and physical well-being.

Falk conducted two studies in 2022, when he recruited museum visitors to take a survey a month after their trip to a museum. That survey determined the effect of the visit on the four aspects of well-being. The answers were assigned a numeric value, which was then converted to a monetary value. The average of all the responses showed that a single museum visit was worth about $916, Falk said. That’s not the market value, he stressed, but it’s the economic value of each visit.

That amount then was multiplied by the number of visitors to determine a total value, which then was compared to the cost of the museum. Falk said the end result shows that the average museum provides a service worth more than 2,000 percent of what it costs to operate.

“What we are doing is, we are supporting the basic needs of humans,” Falk said. “We have museums because they support the well-being of our personal, intellectual, social and physical needs. And we’re doing it in a cost-effective manner.”

KEHL4CLERK.COM

Jennifer KEHL

FISHERS CITY CLERK

Falk said the challenge is to take the information from the studies and use it to continue improving museum experiences for the public into the future.

A short video following his presentation gave a rundown of the services Conner Prairie provided over the past year. It in-

KEHL4CLERK.COM

RE-ELECT

Jennifer KEHL

FISHERS CITY CLERK

PAID FOR BY FRIENDS FOR JENNIFER KEHL

KEHL4CLERK.COM cluded art opportunities, interactive experiences, programs for children of all ages and backgrounds, the living history exhibit Prairietown, and the Spark!Lab interactive space developed through a Smithsonian Institution program.

Mother or 2, both graduates of HSE Schools

Former Executive Director of the Fishers Freedom Festival Precinct Committeeman Devoted Volunteer

Burns concluded the meeting with details about what’s planned for 2023. He noted that a new exhibit that partially opened in 2022 — “Promised Land as Proving Ground” — will open fully this summer. The exhibit tells the story of more than 1,000 years of African American history.

KEHL4CLERK@GMAIL.COM

Married to George Kehl, retired Police Chief for 38 years.

40 Year Resident

Mother or 2, both graduates of HSE Schools

Former Executive Director of the Fishers Freedom Festival

“The final phase of this exhibit will allow visitors the opportunity to learn and interact with historic figures from Indiana’s past, as well as the creation of a new building that will allow the museum to explore contemporary African American stories and community,” the printed annual report states.

Precinct Committeeman

Devoted Volunteer

Burns added that the museum is working on a new nature trail, and on plans for renovating and expanding the welcome center into a year-round destination.

Community Focused Professional Experienced Dedicated

For more, visit connerprairie.org.

KEHL4CLERK@GMAIL.COM

Married to George Kehl, retired Police Chief for 38 years.

40 Year Resident Mother or 2, both graduates of HSE Schools

Former Executive Director of the Fishers Freedom Festival Precinct Committeeman

Devoted Volunteer Community Focused Professional Experienced Dedicated

KEHL4CLERK@GMAIL.COM

Current May Fishers Community Calendar

Fishers Agripark Opens In May

The 33-acre Fishers AgriPark opens for the season on May 2. Hours of operation from May through October are:

• Sunday and Monday: Closed

• Tuesday: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Wednesday: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Thursday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• Friday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

• Saturday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

According to the Fishers Parks website, the AgriPark pays homage to Fishers’ agricultural roots, while inspiring future generations of farmers, scientists, agronomists, robotics engineers, chefs and more. The AgriPark has public fields and gardens, managed by Fishers Parks. In the gardens, residents have access to seasonal produce and cut flowers to take home at no charge. Along with providing you-pick opportunities while seasonal produce is available, an animal area gives guests the chance to encounter traditional livestock and farm animals, including cows, a horse, ducks and sheep.

Free Fishing Day Scheduled

The first free pop-up fishing day at Flat Fork Creek Park is set for May 7 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. According to Fishers Parks, people can bring their own supplies, or use one of the department’s fishing poles. Hands-on instruction and advice is available for beginners, but all skill levels and ages are welcome. No pre-registration or fishing license is required for this free event.

Read To A Therapy Dog

Presented by Love on a Leash, children ages 5 and up can bring a favorite book or choose one from the Fishers Public Library collection and spend time reading to a registered therapy dog. Reading to dogs helps kids build self-esteem and confidence as well as reading skills, according to the library. The program is from 11 a.m. to noon on May 13 at the library. Go to the library’s website for event information: hepl.lib.in.us.

Fishers Farmers Market Opens In May

The Fishers Farmers Market is every Saturday starting in May and runs through September. The market is operated by Fishers Parks and is ranked sixth in the state by the American Farmland Trust: Farmers Market Coalition, according to Fishers Parks.

Fishers Family Lego Challenge

The Fishers Public Library is hosting a Lego challenge from 4-5 p.m. May 17 at the library. Participants can work as a group or individually for this fast-paced Lego showdown. Registration for the event opens on May 3. Go to the library’s website for event information: hepl.lib.in.us.

Chop Chop Cooking Club

Children in second through fifth grade can learn about nutrition and basic cooking skills in this fun beginning cooking club at the Fishers Public Library, set for 5-6 p.m. May 18. Participants will use electric skillets, microwave ovens and toaster ovens to prepare simple meals. The materials and food for the event are intended only for the child who has registered. Registration opens on May 4. Go to the library’s website for event information: hepl.lib.in.us.

Community Blood Drive Set For May 23

The Fishers Public Library will host a blood drive from 3-7 p.m. on May 23. Appointments are strongly recommended, and can be made at donate.indiana.versiti.org/donor/ schedules/drive_schedule/159203. Walk-ins will be processed only if time allows, according to the announcement. Healthy donors are encouraged to participate. Donors should bring a photo ID and make sure to eat a healthy meal and drink plenty of water before donating. If you have questions, email Chelsea at cljohnson@versiti.org.

Meet Current in Fishers Managing Editor Leila Kheiry from 10 a.m. to noon each Friday at Launch Fishers, 12175 Visionary Way, Fishers,. Suggest story ideas, ask questions and learn more about Current in Fishers. For more, email leila@youarecurrent.com