Home – Hendricks County Historical Museum

Mission Statement

“The mission of the Hendricks County Historical Museum is to collect, preserve and interpret items relating to the people, places and events of Hendricks County and to stimulate public interest in the heritage of the county through education, exhibits and special programs.”

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Christmas on the Square, is a Danville holiday tradition, This free, family-friendly evening filled with holiday cheer is the perfect way to usher in your Christmas season. Be sure to visit the Hendricks County Museum, decked out in its holiday splendor! The rooms have been filled with old-fashioned Christmas fun, and we welcome you in for a look. The museum will be open Friday from 11a-3p and then also at 6p – 8p. After your visit, venture to the square for the lighting of the tree at 6:30pm.
Friday, November 29, 2024

Thanks to our 2024

dancers!
And congratulations to our winner Harish Nair!

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Explore the museum’s digital collections online
by browsing via the PastPerfect Online Gateway.

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Click here to watch Highlights of Dancing With the Hendricks County Stars 2023

Our 2024 Title Sponsors for Dancing with the Hendricks County Stars:

Special thanks to the Hendricks County Fairgrounds and Arthur Murray Studios for their generous support with this event.

We appreciate the community’s support in helping keep the Hendricks County Museum going strong!

Take a Virtual Tour of the Museum!
Click here

Thanks to Visit Hendricks County for providing this video
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The Museum is open March – December. Closed January and February.
Hours: 11:00am – 3:00pm
Fridays and Saturdays.

We are happy to accept your research questions. However, due to the limited staffing resources, we may not be able to guarantee research time spent or results.
Please allow several days for proper handling of your question.

The Hendricks County Museum is at 170 S. Washington Street in Danville, just one block south of the courthouse square in the building that served from 1868 to 1974, as the Hendricks County Sheriff’s home, with the jail in the basement. It is furnished as it would have been in the late 1800s.

For more information, contact us at: hcmuseum@co.hendricks.in.us or (317) 718- 6158.

About Us

The museum is located in the former Sheriff’s Residence and jail. Built in 1866 at an approximate cost of $30,000, it served as the county jail until 1974. The building is owned and maintained by the county. The museum staff is responsible for the contents and display of the collections.

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Events

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Tours

If you’re interested in having a tour of the museum, click the link below and fill out the form on the tours page.

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Collections

The Hendricks County Historical Museum is a fascinating place filled with artifacts dating back to 1866 when the Museum served as the Sheriff’s Residence and jail. There are several rooms decorated in the period of early 1900’s, including the kitchen, parlor and bedrooms. Come and experience the rich history of Hendricks County, Indiana.

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