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'Timeless Treasures' of music history go on display

1/21/2026 12AM


Free temporary exhibition features artifacts from stars including
Andy Williams, Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett and Judy Garland

 

CARMEL, Ind. – Following a successful display of artifacts related to the classic musical White Christmas, the Great American Songbook Foundation is offering visitors a rare opportunity to view more seldom-seen items from its Songbook Library & Archives in a free temporary exhibition open through Feb. 27.

 

A shiny gold Emmy Award stands in front of a soft-focus photo of singers Eydie Gormé and Steve Lawrence.

This Emmy Award was presented to singers Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gormé for their 1978 television special Celebrating Irving Berlin.

This specially curated display showcases some of the most noteworthy pieces in the Foundation’s collections. Representing iconic vocalists, composers, lyricists and music industry professionals active from the 1920s through the 1960s, these artifacts come together to tell the story of the Great American Songbook and its lasting impact on music and American culture across generations.

 

The exhibition, Timeless Treasures, is displayed in the Traditions Senior Communities Songbook Gallery, located in the Payne & Mencias Palladium at Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts. Rarely shown to the public, the artifacts include costumes, awards, original materials from Broadway shows, and musical arrangements of historical significance in shaping popular music.

 

Highlights include a newly uncovered musical arrangement performed by Ella Fitzgerald in her final career recording, an Academy Award presented to director Vincente Minnelli (on loan from Liza Minnelli), and costumes worn by performers like the McGuire Sisters and Steve Lawrence.

 

The gallery is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and also will be open to ticketed patrons prior to three Center Presents performances at the Payne & Mencias Palladium during the exhibition’s run: CeCe Teneal’s Divas of Soul on Jan. 31, Wayne Newton: Mr. Las Vegas – Memories & Melodies on Feb. 14, and Great American Crooners: A Jazz at Lincoln Center Presents Production on Feb. 25.

 

Admission is free. Tickets are available on arrival or may be reserved in advance online at TheSongbook.org/TimelessTreasures, by phone at (317) 843-3800, or in person at the Fifth Third Bank Box Office at the Payne & Mencias Palladium, 1 Carter Green, Carmel.

 

Tours for senior, school and community groups may be scheduled in advance by emailing info@TheSongbook.org or calling (317) 844-2251.

 

Exhibit highlights include:

  • Original subway poster for the musical Mame from Jerry Herman
  • Datebook and Academy Award of Vincente Minnelli on loan from Liza Minnelli
  • Emmy Award presented to Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gormé
  • Musical arrangement and performance costume of Ella Fitzgerald
  • Andy Williams musical arrangements for “Moon River” and “Sleigh Ride”
  • Autographs and memorabilia of the Andrews Sisters

 

About the Songbook Library & Archives

The Songbook Library & Archives preserves cultural materials with enduring value to the historical documentation of American popular music. The Songbook Foundation’s collections house more than 500,000 documents, images and historic artifacts, with highlights including the papers of The Music Man creator Meredith Willson; the musical arrangements of Natalie Cole, Rosemary Clooney, Sammy Davis Jr. and Andy Williams; a growing library of books and audiovisual materials; and Hy Zaret’s original lyrics for “Unchained Melody,” one of the 20th century’s most recorded songs.

 

About the Great American Songbook Foundation

The mission of the Great American Songbook Foundation, founded in 2007 by five-time Grammy® Award nominee Michael Feinstein, is to inspire and educate by celebrating the foundational era of American popular music. Headquartered at Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel, Indiana, the Foundation advances this rich legacy by curating physical artifacts of its creators, performers and publishers; operating a multimedia exhibit gallery; overseeing the Songbook Hall of Fame; offering programs for the public and research opportunities for scholars and artists; and providing educational opportunities for student musicians, including the annual Songbook Academy® summer intensive. The Foundation is a Cultural Affiliate of the Los Angeles-based Grammy Museum®. More information is available at TheSongbook.org.