Indiana State Museum to host exhibit exploring opioid crisis

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - The Indiana State Museum is planning to host an exhibition exploring the opioid crisis that aims to remove the stigma surrounding addiction.

"Fix: Heartbreak and Hope Inside our Opioid Crisis" will showcase displays on the biology behind addiction, the history of health crises in America, and personal stories from addicts and families. More than 1,700 people in Indiana died from drug overdoses in 2017, a 75% increase from 2011. The majority of those deaths were linked to opioid abuse, the Indiana Business Journal reported.

"Our goal is to remove the shame and isolation surrounding this disease, showing how all of us can play a pivotal role in finding solutions to this devastating crisis," the museum said on its website.

The 7,000-square-foot exhibition will contain multimedia displays, hands-on installations and interactive artwork to provide information on opioid addiction and treatment.

Visitor will be encouraged to walk inside a giant brain to observe how substance abuse affects the organ. Video kiosks will showcase people telling of their own experiences with addiction. The museum will also host an adaptation of a theater production called "Love Over Dose," telling the story of teenage overdose and its impact on friends, family and community.

"Museums are a place to have big conversations about ways we can all influence the present and future," Cathy Ferree, president and CEO of the Indiana State Museum," said in a letter. "Museums should broaden perspectives through real stories and artifacts, and they should also address the topics of today that are relevant to visitors."

The exhibit opens Feb. 1 and will run for a year.

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Information from: Indianapolis Business Journal, http://www.ibj.com