Carmel Live

About

The Antique Fan Museum is a collection of more than 2,000 ceiling and desk fans, on show at the headquarters of the fan maker Fanimation in Zionsville. The fans are on loan from members of the Antique Fan Collectors Association, and they come from more than 140 manufacturers.

Some of the fans go back to the 1880s. You'll see fans run by steam, water, alcohol, batteries, belts and wind-up mechanisms, along with rail car fans and hundreds of hand fans printed with ads for stores, politicians and movie stars.

Fanimation founder Tom Frampton said in 2024 that children on the autism spectrum were its top visitors from day one, and the company set up a private Facebook group for them and their families.

History

The collectors' group has run a museum since 1997. Vornado Fan Co. hosted it near Wichita, Kansas, until it had to move. Fanimation offered space, and the museum opened in Zionsville on July 23, 2009. The association held its 7th annual Museum Meet here in September 2025, and WFYI's Across Indiana featured the museum in March 2026.

When to go

Visits are by appointment. No regular hours are posted, so call first.

Check today's hours →

Good to know

This is inside a working company, not a stand-alone museum. Fanimation's own museum page now forwards to its home page, so the phone is the best way to reach someone.

Price

No admission price is posted. Ask when you call for an appointment.

Prices checked November 2026 on the website of Antique Fan Collectors Association. They can change, so check before you go.

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