INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Giggles were often heard in the gallery of the Indiana State Museum a couple of weeks ago as visitors caught themselves saying, “It’s amazing” – as per the title of a new exhibit.

“Amazing Maize: The Science, History and Culture of Corn,” is now open to the public, following a recent ribbon-cutting and reception for industry leaders. The exhibit showcases the 10,000-year global genetic journey of corn, considered the most productive domesticated plant and the greatest plant breeding achievement in history.

“When we look at telling the story of Indiana agriculture – past, present and future – there’s no doubt corn is one of mankind’s most significant and impactful crops,” said Indiana Director of Agriculture Joe Kelsay. “In addition to the leverage it gives our state on a global economic level, it’s a product that has an enormous impact in our daily lives.

“This kind of hands-on education becomes even more important as all of us strive to understand and meet the growing demands of food, clothing, shelter and energy that agriculture will supply.”

Not only does the exhibit highlight corn’s place in history, but also its place in the future, as agriculture strives to feed more people. “We invest a lot of time, energy and passion into feeding this growing world,” said William Wales, vice president of Indianapolis-based Dow AgroSciences, a national exhibition sponsor along with Case IH, Ford and National Starch.

“The protein demand in the developing world puts pressure on corn production. We will have to produce as much food in the next 40 years as we did in the past 10,000 years. Corn is and will continue to be our key in feeding the world.”

Wales also commented on the timeliness of the exhibit in Indianapolis, saying, “Who knew it would be open during the Super Bowl period?”

Jane Ade Stevens is executive director of the Indiana Corn Marketing Council, a local sponsor of the exhibit along with Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance. She said Indiana farmers continually produce more on less acreage, while still keeping an eye on soil conservation. She said it has been a fascinating growing season because of weather, and harvest will be interesting.

“Weather is our partner,” she said, holding up a five-inch and a 12-inch ear of corn harvested this year in the same field. “We’re glad the Indiana State Museum realizes how important corn is to our state, country and world.”

“Amazing Maize” is a 5,000 square-foot exhibit that has been years in the making, collaborating with industry leaders in the production of and utilization of corn. Those industries include agriculture, food, fuel, plastics, textiles and automobiles. Six sections make up the interactive exhibit and take visitors on a journey from ancient times through today’s modern technology and innovative uses of corn.

Following the ribbon-cutting, visitors were immersed in a sea of sights and sounds, including global journeys of the corn plant, a giant mortar and pestle for grinding corn, a giant 3-D structure of corn DNA, the development of hybrid corn, the corn “gospel train,” horsepower and modern equipment and the thousands of uses of corn.

Mike Buis of the Indiana Farmers Union took the driver’s seat in a Case IH combine simulator, which allows visitors to see how GPS positioning helps farmers in the field. The cab is from an 8010 Axial Flow combine, which was launched in 2004 as the highest capacity combine at that time.

“We have producers today harvesting corn over 5,000 bushels per hour, some harvesting 60,000 to 70,000 bushels per day,” said Leo Bose, manager of commercial training for Case IH Agriculture.

Purdue University students helped integrate the right-hand display and monitor with real-time harvesting data to simulate the harvesting experience without having the actual combine with crop flowing through it.

“With the maize exhibit, Case IH took it one step further by adding the visual and audio experience of the harvest,” Bose said, “to ensure people know how crops are harvested in the 21st century.”

Linda Lawson works in the Indiana office of the USDA’s National Agriculture Statistics Service and helped provide data for the exhibit. She especially liked the historical and archaeological portions. “There is a good variety,” she said, “from the Indians to the high-tech exhibits.”

The exhibit runs through January 2013 and will be a focal point of the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis. For more information and a downloadable teacher’s guide, go to http://indianamuseum.org/ visit/exhibit/exhibitfeatured.asp