Capital Campaign for Museum Expansion

Before Milan High School captured the hearts and minds of people everywhere.

Before the town of New Castle, Indiana built the largest high school gymnasium in the country.

Before shouts and chants from fans of names like Robertson, Bird, Bailey, and Zeller; seven boys and a coach from Crawfordsville High School won a game. Since that day, basketball has become synonymous with Indiana and the love story between the two flourished. 

In 1962, the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame was established to honor the history of men and women who wrote Hoosier Hysteria. Past champions and greats have been celebrated through induction banquets and displays in our museum. The next generation of Indiana stars have been supported through our Gifts of the Game Scholarship and highlighted at our Hall of Fame Classic. The museum has grown into a 14,000 square foot facility showcasing some of the most precious pieces of Indiana basketball history and utilizing interactive exhibits to memorialize some of its greatest stories, heroes, and achievements. However, we have reached capacity in that space.

It is time to honor the past and celebrate the present, for generations to come. 

Past & Present, Forever

The Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame displays artifacts and hosts interactive exhibits which tell the story of Hoosier Hysteria. We open our doors to fans throughout the state, across the country, and around the globe to experience the pageantry of Indiana’s game.

Those with Indiana ties search for their high school’s name throughout the 14,000 square foot museum and relive the legacy of their own Hoosier Hardwood story. Due to size constraints, not all artifacts are on display and some must wait their turn in our archives. The goal of the museum is to tell the game’s story, we cannot do that when part of its tale is inaccessible, and fans leave without feeling its impact.

The Past & Present, Forever Campaign will add 6,600 square feet of needed space to preserve the history of Indiana basketball and bring the Hall into the future.

The new space will feature:

  • New interactive exhibits throughout the museum and needed renovations on current exhibits
  • Expansion of current enshrinement hall to ensure space for inductee portraits for years to come
  • Additional artifact storage space to ensure preservation of Indiana basketball history for years to come
  • Administrative offices for staff and enclosed gift shop, opening additional event space for upcoming celebrations

The new space on the upper floor features the new administrative offices for staff and redesigned gift shop to ensure security and provide easier access to additional items.

Additional open space is provided for event hosting on the main level. Opening the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame logo on hardwood floor, ideal for lasting pictures and welcoming guests from around the globe.

Easier access to our library and historical records ensures communication of its history.

The bottom floor expansion will feature additional space for future exhibits in addition to restoration and maintenance of the current displays and exhibits.

With 20% of artifacts on display, expanded storage and preservation technology will be added to ensure the physical embodiment of Indiana Basketball’s legacy will be preserved for years to come. We will also be adding additional space in the enshrinement hall for upcoming inductees.

Campaign Details

Through the support of Henry County and donors like yourself, we are currently just north of $2 million dollars raised for the Past & Present, Forever Campaign with a goal of raising $4 million. We at the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame are in need of donors like you to support this endeavor.

Through the different capital campaign clubs listed below, you too can be a team member. Each donation scores a crucial point toward victory, preserving the pageantry of Hoosier Hysteria’s past and present, forever.

All contributors to the Past & Present, Forever campaign who contribute to a club below will be invited to the grand opening of the expanded museum and receive special recognition on the museum’s website and welcome display alongside their respective clubs.

Those who donate $2,500 or more at the Varsity Club or Captain’s Club will receive a customizable plaque to be hung outside the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.

A contribution of $15,000 or more will qualify a donor to be part of the Legends Club and receive a piece of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame Hardwood in a commemorative display for your home or office. In addition, they will qualify for a 7×10 inch customizable plaque to be displayed in the entryway courtyard.

To make your contribution online, please fill out the form below and click Give Now. Checks can be mailed to: One Hall of Fame Court, New Castle, IN 47362 (please write ‘Capital Campaign’ on the memo line). For those who qualify for a plaque, please use the link below to see character limits and restrictions for your respective size.

For questions regarding a gift, please contact Development Director Cory Criswell at 765-529-1891 x7 or cory@hoopshall.com.



Additional Ways to Contribute

Employee Matching Donations

The Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame, Inc. is a registered tax-exempt charitable organization with 100% of gifts tax deductible. For those interested in having a greater impact on this capital campaign, they should reach out to their employer for their company’s matching gifts opportunities.

Those interested in learning more about employer matching gifts can do so by following the button below.

Join Warrick Society – Deferred Giving

Estate and planned gifts secure your legacy and the future of the museum. Those who commit a planned gift become members of the Warrick Society, an exclusive group honoring those who continue to make an impact after their game clock expires. Contact Development Director, Trip Lukemeyer, for additional questions or to make the commitment.

Hall of Fame Matching

Every donation towards the preservation of the history of Indiana basketball and supporting those who are writing the next chapter are appreciated. Those who contribute towards the Past & Present, Forever campaign will have their donation matched by the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.

Make a Challenge

Basketball relies on competition, and as fans we root for our team to win. Similarly, we encourage you to get your personal network, family, or company involved with Challenge Gifts.

By working with the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame to set up a challenge gift for the Past & Present, Forever Campaign, we can incentivize others to take part in this campaign as well. Typical challenge gifts revolve around committing funds based off the quantity of gifts from a specific group, if a group reaches a certain monetary goal, or other actions such as attending high school basketball games or charitable acts in their community.

Learn more about Challenge Gifts and how to implement them by clicking the button below.

Sponsorships and Partnerships

Through the support of both families and organizations, critical funding for this capital campaign can be provided through the sponsorship and partnership of an exhibit or event. This type of support provides exposure and good-will for those who experience the museum towards a business, other organization, or mission of a private group. These opportunities include naming rights to exhibits, event spaces, programs, and more!

To learn about current and upcoming sponsorship and partnership opportunities, contact Development Director, Trip Lukemeyer, at 765-529-1891 x107 (office), 317-983-4667 (cell), or trip@hoopshall.com.