About The Museum

30 YEARS IN OUR NEW BUILDING!

November 8th marks the 30th anniversary of the day The History Museum opened its new building to an excited public after 88 years on South Lafayette Boulevard in downtown South Bend. Since then, through its exhibits, historic house tours, programs, special events, archival research, facility rentals, and more, the museum has provided over one million educational experiences to residents, school students, and tourists. Read more in an article published October 18, 1994, in the South Bend Tribune by clicking the button below:

Ground was broken for The History Museum’s new building on September 1, 1992. Plans for the 41,580-square-foot facility included a 5,000-square-foot gallery for changing exhibits, a 10,000-square-foot gallery that would house permanent exhibits about local history, an auditorium, an interactive children’s area to be called Kidsfirst, a library and archives, and much more.

SPECIAL OFFER FOR FIRST TIME MEMBERS!

Now through November 30, to celebrate our 30th anniversary of opening The History Museum’s new building, we’re offering 30% off all new History Museum and Campus memberships. Offer valid on new memberships only. Cannot be combined with any other offers.

MISSION STATEMENT

The History Museum provides knowledge to make a positive impact on the future by collecting, preserving, and interpreting our region’s heritage.

VISION STATEMENT

We envision a community engaged in discovering and understanding the history of the St. Joseph River Valley in Indiana and Michigan to learn from the past, inform the present, and inspire a better future.

Welcome

The History Museum began as the Northern Indiana Historical Society in 1867 which makes it the second oldest historical society in Indiana. For years the Northern Indiana Historical Society museum was located in the old 1855 St. Joseph County Courthouse in downtown South Bend. In 1988 we were given Copshaholm, the Oliver Mansion and built a new museum facility on the mansion’s property in 1994. We moved from the 1855 courthouse to our new facility in the West Washington Street Historic District in 1994.

In the 1990s our operating name was changed to the Northern Indiana Center for History (later shortened to Center for History). In December 2014 our operating business name was changed to The History Museum.

Since we started collecting our community’s history we have accumulated photographs, architectural drawings and blueprints, manuscripts, personal papers, ethnic/immigrant papers, and documents, business/industrial papers and documents, advertising, locally published newspapers dating back to 1830, scrapbooks, military records, bound volumes, and audio, video and film footage. Our archives is expansive and we are also the national archives for the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL).

Accreditation

The History Museum was awarded accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums in October 2015 for its demonstration of the highest professional standards for education, public service and collections stewardship, and its commitment to continued institutional improvement. Accreditation places The History Museum at the very top of the continuum of excellence and among a group of fewer than five percent of American museums so honored.

First Time Visitors

When you arrive, please let our Visitor Services staff member know that you are new to the museum. He or she will be ready to answer all questions and cheerfully provide you with whatever information will be helpful to make your visit a wonderful experience.

Make sure you get information about becoming a member, because once you visit The History Museum, we hope you’ll return again very soon!

Kids & Families

The cheerful sound of families exploring history at our museum is a welcome one. Families find that the historic houses and exhibits at The History Museum are intriguing and fun. Visits to our museum is very affordable for families because special rates apply to youth 6 – 17, and children 5 and under are free. With free, convenient parking and other amenities, a family visit has much added value. Studebaker National Museum is adjacent to The History Museum, creating an opportunity for a full day of fun. And virtually within blocks are three other museums and several other attractions, providing out-of-town visitors with ample experiences from which to select.

Seniors