Battling over dead bodies

What happens when there is the potential to have too many dead bodies in one place at one time? Ultimately, someone is going to have to fold. And this time it's the Indiana State Museum in Indianapolis, who, in this weird little story, was set to bring the extremely popular, museum cash cow that is the traveling "Body Worlds" exhibit, only to decide to cancel it, likely because of the competing dead body show across town at the "Bodies...The Exhibition" in the Claypool Court museum.

"There are a lot of thing that go into a major exhibit like that. It just didn't see like the time was right for us," said Kathi Moore, the museum's communications director. The museum's decision, she added, wasn't a breach of contract.

"I can't say the museum isn't disappointed...but contractually it wasn't an issue."

Moore said the museum was working to “extend the life of our better exhibits,” including “Footprints: Balancing Nature’s Diversity.” The display centers on humans’ effects on Indiana wildlife and their habitats and examines our interdependency with wildlife.

The museum also is negotiating an exhibit from the largest privately held archive of African-American photographs from the 1840s to the 1970s, focusing on slavery, rural life and culture.

“I think it will be very interesting. … It’s pretty fascinating. Just the fact there are photos from (that long ago) is amazing,” Moore said.

Museum officials hope to have that display up and running by Martin Luther King Jr. Day.