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The Institute of Museum and Library Services today announced 30 finalists for the National Medal for Museum and Library Service, and The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis is among them.
The National Medal, the nation’s highest honor awarded to museums and libraries for community service, will be celebrating its 20th year of saluting institutions that make a difference for individuals, families, and communities.
“We are honored to be recognized with this prestigious award for our service to the community, state, region and nation,” said Dr. Jeffrey H. Patchen, president and CEO, The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. “We take pride in creating an extraordinary learning family neighborhood in partnership with our residents, home owner associations, community development corporations, our Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC) and the businesses in our community. Our neighborhood revitalization efforts are an important part of our strategic plan and they matter to our neighbor residents and to all our visitors.”
Since 2001, The Children’s Museum has maintained a Neighborhood Improvement Fund, which was capitalized by $3 million for a revolving loan fund for housing and community development projects initiatives. The funds have helped leverage funding for the construction or rehabilitation of over 50 area homes since 2004. Additionally, The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis serves as the convener of a myriad of community stakeholders in the visioning and implementation of the Quality of Life Plan, a community led planning effort. Free museum memberships are offered to area residents of the six neighborhoods nearest the museum. The museum is also home to a full service branch of the Indianapolis Public Library.
Along with its efforts in its immediate area, the museum also offers free or reduced cost admission opportunities for a diversity of families throughout the city and state. The museum’s Access Pass Program provides Indiana families with limited means with $1 admission to the museum as well as to six other cultural institutions who have signed on as partners in the program. Foster families state-wide can register for free museum memberships. Finally, Central Indiana families can visit the museum each month for free at Target Free First Thursdays. For the past twenty years, the museum has provided high quality out of school time programming to children aged 6-18 through its Museum Apprentice Program (MAPs) and Starpoint Summer Camp.
“Museums and libraries serve as civic engagement centers, providing invaluable educational, social, and skill-based resources to their communities,” said Susan Hildreth, director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. “The 2014 National Medal finalists have gone above and beyond to create an environment that allows individuals to learn, play, connect, and remain curious.”
IMLS is encouraging those who have visited finalist libraries and museums to share their story on the IMLS Facebook page. You can also visit that page to learn more about how these institutions make an impact. Ten National Medal winners will be announced this spring and will participate in the National Medal ceremony in Washington, D.C.
Other 2014 finalists of the National Medal for Library Service include the following libraries: Pima County Public Library (Tucson, Ariz.), Los Angeles Public Library (Los Angeles, Calif.), Sacramento Public Library (Sacramento, Calif.), Hartford Public Library (Hartford, Conn.), Otis Library (Norwich, Conn.), Athens-Clarke County Library (Athens, Ga.), Chicago Public Library (Chicago, Ill.), Booth Library (Eastern Illinois University) (Charleston, Ill.), Cecil County Public Library (Elkton, Md.), Yiddish Book Center (Amherst, Mass.), Mid-Continent Public Library (Independence, Mo.), Las Vegas-Clark County Library District (Las Vegas, Nev.), Octavia Fellin Public Library (Gallup, N.M.), Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, The New York Public Library (NYPL) (New York, N.Y.), Bertha Voyer Memorial Library (Honey Grove, Texas).
Other 2014 finalists of the National Medal for Museum Service include the following museums: Children's Museum at La Habra (La Habra, Calif.), Mattatuck Museum (Waterbury, Conn.), Mystic Aquarium (Mystic, Conn.), National Veterans Art Museum (Chicago, Ill.), Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum (Chicago, Ill.), Brooklyn Botanic Garden (Brooklyn, N.Y.), North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences (Raleigh, N.C.), Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History (Norman, Okla.), Carnegie Science Center (Pittsburgh, Pa.), Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens (Pittsburgh, Pa.), Amazement Square (Lynchburg, Va.), Children's Museum of Tacoma (Tacoma, Wash.), Seattle Art Museum (Seattle, Wash.), Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience (Seattle, Wash.).
Celebrating 20 Years
This year, IMLS celebrates the 20th anniversary of the National Medal for Museum and Library Service. For the past two decades, the National Medal has honored outstanding institutions that make significant and exceptional contributions to their communities. Including 2013 winners, 132 institutions have received this honor, and ten additional institutions will be awarded in 2014.
About the Institute of Museum and Library Services
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. Our mission is to inspire libraries and museums to advance innovation, lifelong learning, and cultural and civic engagement. Our grant making, policy development, and research help libraries and museums deliver valuable services that make it possible for communities and individuals to thrive. To learn more, visit http://www.imls.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis is a nonprofit institution committed to creating extraordinary learning experiences across the arts, sciences, and humanities that have the power to transform the lives of children and families. For more information, visit www.childrensmuseum.org, follow us on Twitter @TCMIndy, Facebook.com/childrensmuseum and YouTube.
