The Beginnings of SullivanMunce Cultural Center

Home

Beginnings

Classes &
Programs

EXTENDING THE GIFT
OF 35 YEARS

Sunbeams by ct spalding©

The P.H. Sullivan Foundation was formed in 1966 as a result of a bequest from Iva Etta Sullivan, the great-granddaughter of Patrick Henry Sullivan. Mr. Sullivan was one of the first settlers in Boone County and the town of Zionsville. Miss Sullivan granted the generous bequest in his honor to preserve the artifacts and community records of Zionsville and Boone County. Miss Sullivan grew up just south of Zionsville in Marion County. After

Iva Etta Sullivan (left)
graduating from Zionsville High School and Indiana University, she became a librarian and eventually moved to Los Angeles to assist with historical research for Cecil B. DeMille. She later moved to Washington D.C. where she lived until her death.

In 1973, the Foundation dedicated its first building: the P.H. Sullivan Museum and Genealogy Library. The museum houses exhibition galleries, a genealogy library, and archives and is available for meetings for community groups. The museum and library are important repositories of the heritage of Zionsville, Boone County, and the Hoosier state; they safeguard and protect the important cultural remains of the citizens of this area. As such, the mission states that they are dedicated to increasing the appreciation, awareness and understanding of the history and culture of Boone County and Indiana. To accomplish this mission, the goals of the museum and library are: to collect, preserve and make available genealogical resources, and to develop exhibits and programs that are educational and entertaining. The genealogy library began modestly but today, its more than 5,000 volumes provide research materials in the areas of history and genealogy. Other items are referenced by microfilm, microfiche, and computer files.

The Munce Art Center opened in 1981 as a result of a bequest by Mary Elizabeth Hopkins Munce who bequeathed money to the P.H. Sullivan Foundation in 1974. Mary Elizabeth Hopkins grew up in Zionsville, the only daughter of Willard and Nora Hopkins. She married Thomas Munce, a veterinarian who worked for Pitman-Moore and they were transferred to
Elizath Hopkins Munce
Mary Elizabeth Munce (center)
Sioux City, Iowa in 1931. Although Mrs. Munce never returned to Zionsville to live, she felt a strong connection to her hometown.

The Foundation established the art center in a 1920's bungalow next door to the museum. Today, the newly updated Munce is dedicated to presenting and promoting the arts in Boone, Hendricks, Hamilton, Hancock, and Marion counties. It exhibits and sells works of art from the local and regional community by holding six professional art shows and two community shows a year. In addition, the art center offers art instruction for students of all ages and summer day camps for children, ages 7 through 12.

In 2003, a new name, a new logo and a new look was introduced. The new name, SullivanMunce Cultural Center, continues to honor the two respective benefactresses and their insightful vision while allowing for a broader emphasis on educational and artistic opportunities. This fresh new step is part of a larger vision that will continue to unfold over the next few years making the SullivanMunce a leading historic, artistic and cultural influence within the community.