Voices and Votes

About Voices and Votes

Voices and Votes: Democracy in America is a traveling exhibition from the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum on Main Street program, on display at the Prindle Institute for Ethics from October 10 through November 20, 2026. The exhibition traces the history and ongoing tensions of American democracy across five thematic sections, from the founding ideals that shaped the Constitution to the long struggle for voting rights, the informal machinery of campaigns and parties, the role of protest and petition, and the contested question of what citizenship means. Together, these sections ask visitors to consider a question as relevant today as it was in 1776: Who are “the people,” and how do they make their voices heard?

The exhibition is open to the public Monday through Friday, 9AM to 4PM, with extended evening hours on Mondays and Thursdays until 7PM. Weekend hours are Saturday, 12PM to 4PM. Local organizations are invited to host group visits and meetings at the Prindle Institute during open hours. We also encourage area schools to bring students for a field trip experience that connects history, civics, and ethics in a way that goes well beyond the textbook. To arrange a group visit or school field trip, use the forms below or contact us at prindleinstitute@depauw.edu.

EXPLORE ➔

Events

The Prindle Institute is hosting a full slate of public programming throughout the exhibition’s six-week run. The exhibition opened October 10, and the weeks ahead include movie nights, kids’ story hours, an Election Night results watch party, a civic dialogue workshop, adult and young adult book clubs, an undergraduate leadership conference, and Dinner & Democracy with Lindsey Cormack. The exhibition closes with a reception on November 20 featuring Indiana Poet Laureate Curtis Crisler.

FULL EVENT CALENDAR →

Get Involved

Voices and Votes: Democracy in America is now open in Greencastle, and the community has already made it something special. Thank you to everyone who has visited, volunteered, and joined the conversation.

We still have room for a few more volunteer docents. Docents welcome visitors, share the stories the exhibit tells, and help spark the conversations democracy asks us to have. Shifts are 3-4 hours, with openings mornings, afternoons, evenings, and weekends through November 20. No special background is needed, just a love of community. New volunteers complete a brief training before their first shift, and we’ll share details when you register. Current openings are listed on the Volunteer Dashboard.

We also want to hear from you. The Prindle Institute is committed to an exhibit that reflects Putnam County’s own stories, voices, and civic life. If you’ve visited, tell us what stayed with you, what sparked a conversation, or what we could do better. Please reach out to project directors Alex Richardson and Kristen Fuhs Wells at prindleinstitute@depauw.edu.

VOLUNTEER DASHBOARD →

Press

“Exhibit, programs on American democracy coming to Greencastle,” Greencastle Banner Graphic

“Democracy on Display: Smithsonian’s ‘Voices and Votes’ Exhibit Coming to 7 Hoosier Towns and Cities,” The Indiana Citizen

“Coming Soon: Voices and Votes Exhibit in Seven Small Towns Across Indiana,” Indiana Humanities

PRESS KIT →    MEDIA REQUEST →   SOCIAL KIT →

Partners and Sponsors