State Museum Exhibit Focuses on Opioid Crisis

The Indiana State Museum in downtown Indianapolis has opened a unique exhibit that tackles a tough topic. The year-long exhibit, called “Fix: Heartbreak and Hope Inside Our Opioid Crisis” aims to help Hoosiers view the opioid crisis through a new lens. Cathy Ferree, president and chief executive officer of the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites, says the goal is to reduce the stigma surrounding opioid use disorder.

In an interview with Business of Health Reporter Kylie Veleta, Ferree said the topic of the opioid crisis can be isolating.

“We want to have a place where people can come and ask questions and be curious and get answers without being judged and feel like it’s a safe environment,” said Ferree. “We had 16 very brave Hoosiers come forward and tell their stories so you can see people just like yourself who’ve been through this and understand it or you can look into the science to understand it or the data. Depending on what you’re really interested in, we can bring you into a topic that you might not know a lot about and then move you through the larger story.”

Ferree says the exhibit looks to help people get a better idea of the opioid crisis from a positive point of view with a message of hope.

“With the lack of information, people just make up things (such as) what they read in a book or they saw on TV and most of those things are fiction. So what we’re hoping is that people will walk out with a deeper understanding of what opioid use disorder looks like and how they might be able to make a difference.”

Ferree says the museum also hopes to take the message statewide. The museum has 12 historic sites throughout the state and aims to host “courageous conversations” and bring community members together to help them have a better conversation about opioid use disorder.