A Peek at the Past: The Polklore Micro-Museum

If you’re looking for an easily accessible cultural jaunt — an artistic amuse-bouche, if you will — consider dropping in on the Polklore Micro-Museum (1533 Lewis St.).

The creative venture is managed by The Harrison Center (1505 N. Delaware St.) and features heirlooms gathered by residents of Indy’s historic Martindale–Brightwood neighborhood. Polklore, which opened in June 2024, also showcases work by local artists like Shamira Wilson and Courtland Blade.

Artifacts donated by Martindale–Brightwood residents will tell, in a way, their stories through the use of technology. A quick scan of an object with a smartphone will prompt a video, narrated by the item’s owner, to play. The thrill of visiting a museum and soaking up a bit of history is only made better when the heirloom is given a backstory and proverbial voice.

The artifacts in the Polklore space are also part of a larger collage that brings together an object, its story and its connection to other pieces in the museum. The intimacy, design and artistry of the space fosters one of the best results of creating and collecting art: Human connection. Here you find treasured belongings as well as the emotions behind their preservation.

In keeping with a theme, Polklore shares its location with the Polk Stables COhatch, a co-working space in the building that once housed the Polk Sanitary Milk Company. Working near a collection of beloved and storied heirlooms can only be a boon to a digital nomad!

At present, tours of Polklore Micro-Museum are by appointment only. Visit The Harrison Center’s webpage to schedule a 30-minute tour on their online calendar. Tours of the COhatch working spaces throughout Indy are also available.

For more information about the Harrison Center, its other contributions to local art and community, and details about future events at the Polklore Micro-Museum, call 317-396-3886.