The Indiana Historical Society laid off 11 workers on July 24 from departments that oversee exhibits, education, and library services. The historical society confirmed the layoffs in an emailed statement, citing a broader effort to position the organization for long-term stability and success.

Layoffs Impact Public-Facing Teams

Current and former employees reported that the layoffs most heavily affected the teams in charge of exhibits and education. One laid-off worker, who requested anonymity out of fear of retaliation, said those teams are usually the most public-facing parts of a museum, making the layoffs feel like the organization was “gutted from the inside out.” Chloe Redman, a 28-year-old reference librarian, was among those laid off. Redman said it was common knowledge within the historical society that some cuts might happen, partly due to Republican Gov. Mike Braun’s decision last year to end a contract that allowed the organization to lease land from the state.

Redman, who worked at the historical society since early 2024, said the 11 layoffs came as a shock. “We didn’t expect just a sudden ‘whoosh,’ come through and take out so many people,” she said. Redman, who’s working on her master’s of library science at IU Indy, said she has to withdraw from classes because she can’t afford to attend after being laid off.

Original reporting: Mirror Indy — read the source article.