Indy's Teeny Statue of Liberty museum to find new home

Indy’s Teeny Statue of Liberty Museum will close at the end of this year, but an agreement is in the works to move the collection to a new home.
  
The teeny museum has operated on Indianapolis's near east side for more than six years. It costs 50 cents to see over 650 pieces depicting Lady Liberty in a tiny storefront room.

Tim Harmon spent 45 years acquiring the collection.

“We've had people from all over the world come in. We've just had a lady from Rome, Italy, a couple weeks ago. We had people from Nevada, from Kansas, from China, from Germany, from Sweden, from Ireland. We're on our second guest book.”

The 10 by 16 foot room where the museum is housed is connected to Harmon’s salvage store.
Unexpected health problems have forced Harmon to put the building up for sale. All of its contents, including local antiques, are for sale at a deep discount.

News that the museum would have to find a new home reached Robin Knop. Her love for the tiny museum started when her young son found a Statue of Liberty figure at Goodwill.

“Next thing you know we were driving down 10th Street to deliver it to the museum, and that’s really how I started falling in love with all of the unique and interesting things,” Knop said.

Knop has agreed to take ownership of the collection, donated by Harmon.

Local developer Larry Jones agreed to donate a small space for the museum at the newly renamed Factory Arts District. Previously known as the Circle City Industrial Complex, the large building on the near east side has been repurposed to house artists, retail, restaurant and entertainment space.

Knop, who is a local educator, said she will apply for nonprofit status to help sustain the museum. She also hopes to establish an empowerment program for young women based on the legacy of Lady Liberty.

A ribbon cutting is planned for spring of 2025.

Contact WFYI Managing City Editor Jill Sheridan at jsheridan@wfyi.org.