Angel Mounds was one of the largest and most complex Indigenous communities ever built in what is now Indiana. Photo from Indiana University.

By Joe Ulery
Indiana News Service

BLOOMINGTON — Hoosiers can now step into the past. A new exhibit opens this weekend at the Indiana University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in Bloomington.

The exhibit, called the City on the River, tells the story of Angel Mounds, a thriving Indigenous city. People lived there more than 1,000 years ago.

Brandie Macdonald, museum executive director, said the voices behind the exhibit make it unique.

“What you’ll see within the exhibit is, the reason the exhibit is called ‘City on the River’ is that we’ve a native advisory council that we’ve been working with,” Macdonald explained. “They wanted to make sure that this exhibit was a direct reflection of that community, which was a thriving community located on the river.”

Museum staff built the exhibit with help from Native descendants. They shaped the story from their history and traditions. Visitors will see ancient tools and pottery, along with modern Native art. One highlight is a virtual reality dome showing life in 1250 AD.

Macdonald noted Angel Mounds still speaks to all of Indiana.

“Angel mounds was directly named after some farmers who were the angels that lived in that space because it was a thriving city on the river down in Evansville as we know it today,” Macdonald pointed out.

The museum will open the exhibit Saturday, May 31.