Smithsonian Traveling Exhibition Examining Democracy in America Coming to Columbia City

The Smithsonian’s Museum on Main Street, in cooperation with Indiana Humanities, presents “Voices and Votes: Democracy in America.” The exhibition examines the nearly 250-year-old American experiment of a government “of, by and for the people,” and how each generation since continues to question how to form “a more perfect union.” Opening at the Community Foundation of Whitley County on January 30, 2027, “Voices and Votes” will be on view through March 14, 2027. 

The Community Foundation of Whitley County and the surrounding community has been chosen by the Indiana Humanities to host “Voices and Votes” as part of the Museum on Main Street program—a national/state/local partnership to bring exhibitions and programs to rural cultural organizations. The exhibition will tour seven communities in Indiana from March 2026 through March 2027: 

• March 28-May 10, 2026: City of Angola (Angola)
• May 16-June 28, 2026: Orange County Convention and Visitors Bureau (French Lick)
• July 4-Aug. 16, 2026: Rush County Arts and Cultural Council (Rushville)
• Aug. 22-Oct. 4, 2026: Upland Historical Society (Upland)
• Oct. 10-Nov. 20, 2026: The Prindle Institute for Ethics at DePauw University + Association for Practical and Professional Ethics (Greencastle)
• Nov. 28, 2026-Jan. 10, 2027: Jennings County Historical Society (Vernon)
• Jan. 30-March 14, 2027: Whitley County Community Foundation (Columbia City) 
   

“Voices and Votes” explores the action, reaction, vision and revision that democracy demands as Americans continue to question how to shape the country. From the revolution and suffrage to civil rights and casting ballots, everyone in every community is part of this ever-evolving story—the story of democracy in America. Exhibition sections explore the origins of American democracy, the struggles to obtain and keep the vote, the machinery of democracy, the right to petition and protest beyond the ballot and the rights and responsibilities of citizens. “Voices and Votes” features historical and contemporary photos; educational and archival video; engaging multimedia interactives with short games; and historical objects like campaign souvenirs, voter memorabilia, and protest material.

“‘Voices and Votes’ allows us to reflect on Whitley County’s history and explore what it means to be an active participant in the governance of not only the country but also this community,” said September McConnell, CEO of the Community Foundation of Whitley County. “We will convene conversations, develop local exhibitions, and public programs to complement the Smithsonian exhibition. We look forward to collaborations with the Whitley County Historical Museum and Columbia City Connect to bring this to our community.”
Designed for small-town museums, libraries and cultural organizations, “Voices and Votes” will serve as a community meeting place for conversations about democracy, the freedoms and responsibilities of citizens, participating in government, and more. With the support and guidance of state humanities councils, these towns will develop complementary exhibits, host public programs and facilitate educational initiatives to raise people’s understanding about their own history, the joys and challenges of living rural, how change has impacted their community, and prompt discussion of goals for the future. 

“Voices and Votes” is based on an exhibition currently on display at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History called American Democracy: A Great Leap of Faith. The exhibition is part of Museum on Main Street, a unique collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), state humanities councils across the nation and local host institutions. To learn more about “Voices” and other Museum on Main Street exhibitions, visit museumonmainstreet.org.