President's Welcome
Ellen M. Rosenthal, President and CEO
Hello, and thank you for sharing an interest in Conner Prairie, an institution that strives to spread excitement about education by engaging and enlightening each guest who visits. Irish poet William Butler Yeats said, “Education is not filling a bucket, it is lighting a fire.” At Conner Prairie we’re already sparking embers, but as we continue to move forward we will work even harder to get kids and adults excited about history.
This is an exciting and important time in Conner Prairie’s history and I am so proud to be part of it. Conner Prairie is envisioning a new model for the outdoor history museum where our legendary first person interpretation is complemented by new educational facets all explored through the lens of history, including topics such as, science, the natural environment and cultural traditions of Indiana’s diverse people.
An excellent example of this new direction is shown in the exhibit we are opening early this summer. 1859 Balloon Voyage is an immersive and hands-on learning exhibit based around the first air mail delivery, an historic event in Indiana’s aviation past and the earliest chapter in the history of flight in America.
Our passion is to become a center where intergenerational families can learn, create memories and make family connections. I hope this area makes it easy for you to send me your ideas as well as your concerns. While I cannot promise a personal response to every message, I can promise that every message will be read, considered and appreciated.
Ellen M. Rosenthal
President and CEO
Conner Prairie