Purdue alum directs tech at The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis

Jonathan Bailey began his career touring with Kenny Chesney, Luke Bryan, Eric Church and the Eagles before coming to Indy

Purdue is proud to sponsor The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis during its centennial anniversary — together, we celebrate 100 years of joy, wonder and curiosity. 

What’s it like to be behind the scenes where the most fun memories are made? 

It’s definitely not a typical desk job. Jonathan Bailey is usually running around, building exhibits and managing tech for the world’s largest children’s museum.   

Before he joined The Children’s Museum, he began his career operating cameras for some of the biggest names in music. Opportunities to tour with recording artists Kenny Chesney, Luke Bryan, Eric Church and the Eagles came from the connections he made during his time on campus.  

“I wouldn’t have been able to do this if I hadn’t gone to Purdue,” he says. “I got plugged into this network because of the friends and professors I met and the skills I learned.”  

Getting that first gig (for Alan Jackson) 

Attending Purdue was an easy decision for Bailey, who grew up hearing stories about the university from family and visiting during the summers for 4-H programs.  

Because of his interest in movies, he decided to pursue a degree in film and video studies in the College of Liberal Arts. A lot of his classes focused on live events, and he found himself doing video shoots for the Big Ten Network. He was on the sidelines of basketball and football games with friends from the same major. What started out as coiling cables behind the camera guy soon turned into something bigger than he could have predicted.

An instructor, Bill Callison, asked Bailey and one of his best friends if they’d be interested in running cameras and cables all day for a concert. This show had its own unique set of parameters — it was a lakeside performance by country music legend Alan Jackson. The stage was on the edge of the water and the audience was on boats. It was a long day of hard work, but Bailey experienced an energy you can’t get anywhere other than from a live performance.  

During his senior year, he decided to pick up a second degree in communication and added an extra semester. That summer, he was working a job cleaning apartments (and ended up meeting his wife!) when he heard from a friend and fellow film and video studies major, Austin Smith. There was an open spot on one of Kenny Chesney’s tours. Was he in? 

Touring the world full time 

Joining three Purdue grads, Bailey became a part of Chesney’s “Brothers of the Sun” tour. He loved it and met even more alumni on the road, including Chesney’s longtime video director Jay Cooper. An awesome crew, unbelievable venues and that inimitable live-band energy were the components of a dream job. After the last show of the tour, he was on one of the buses going back to Nashville and cracked open a book to finish his homework. 

“It was a surreal feeling,” he says. “They offered me a position on the next tour, and I knew then exactly what I wanted to do after I graduated.”

I wouldn’t have been able to do this if I hadn’t gone to Purdue.

Jonathan Bailey 

BA film and video studies, BA communication ’12 

He worked as a camera operator for shows in all 50 states and in different countries, visiting every major arena and stadium imaginable. It was strenuous work, using over 20 trucks at times to haul everything needed and having to set up all the video gear, like LED screens, cameras, cables and video processing equipment. 

It was also a ton of fun. Chesney treated people well, taking everyone on the crew plus their significant others to the Virgin Islands several times. Whenever there were two shows in a row somewhere and they didn’t have to pack up right away, the stage manager would have a grill onstage for a crew party. “The crew becomes your second family,” Bailey says.  

After six years of touring, including working with Luke Bryan, Eric Church and the Eagles, Bailey and his wife wanted to move back to Indiana and find a career that didn’t involve as much travel. That’s when the opportunity at The Children’s Museum opened up.   

Joining The Children’s Museum staff 

The Children’s Museum goes beyond dictionary definitions of what a “museum” is — instead, it’s a place for immersive, innovative indoor exhibits; acres of outdoor sports experiences; and countless special events. While the job is more rooted than his previous role, it’s anything but traditional. 

Coming on board at a managerial level, Bailey arrived at the museum to help lead AV services. He’s since been promoted to the director of AV and creative technology design and development. His team is in charge of the sound, lighting and interactive tech in galleries and during events.  

A lot of skills from time on the road have directly applied to what he does now. Many departments have to work closely together to hit deadlines and troubleshoot problems as they arise. “It’s been a good transition,” he says. “The museum has a family vibe just like what I experienced before this — a lot of people stay here for years. We all rely on each other.”

Since the museum is constantly rotating galleries and hosting events, he’s always engaged in what’s happening now (and what’s happening next). One of his most memorable projects was renovating the Dinosphere® exhibit in 2021, where teams turned a space that wasn’t built for galleries into a captivating exhibit to spotlight two dinosaurs the museum found at its dig site.  

As the museum celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2025, Bailey has a lot to look forward to and oversee. Even though he’s a director, he still likes to get out on the floor, install tech and do hands-on work. 

Next up is the new Take Me There®: Peru exhibit, which changes countries every four to five years. A team of people visit a country to establish contacts with families and study the culture. Then they return to Indianapolis to create an interactive experience reflecting that destination. Starting this summer, the space will highlight Peru, complete with a captivating rainforest simulation and detailed sound and light show.  

The best part? When Bailey takes his 2-year-old daughter with him, he gets to see the museum through her eyes. Generations of visitors have enjoyed everything the museum has to offer, and he’s ensuring future visitors of all ages are just as inspired. “The most rewarding thing is when I can watch other people get excited in the galleries,” he says.