'Star Trek' Captain Kathryn Janeway's birthplace monument: What you need to know

With the launch of the new "Star Trek: Prodigy" series, which features Kate Mulgrew as Captain Kathryn Janeway, here's a look at the monument to Janeway in Bloomington.

Mulgrew reprises her role from "Voyager" in the new animated series, which began streaming on Paramount+ in late October, 2021.

Where is the Captain Janeway monument?

The Captain Kathryn Janeway statue and information table is on the B-Line Trail in Bloomington, Indiana, near the WonderLab Museum of Science, Health & Technology.

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Why is it in Bloomington?

On multiple occasions during the run of "Star Trek: Voyager," Janeway says she's from Bloomington, Indiana. Jeri Taylor, a writer on the show, also is a Bloomington native and Indiana University graduate. IU's Lilly Library is home to a collection of Taylor's papers, including scripts, notes and more.

It's estimated that Janeway's birth date in Bloomington will be May 20, 2336.

Who created the Janeway statue?

Over the years, many grassroots efforts have tried to get a monument created in Bloomington, inspired by a Captain James T. Kirk statue in Riverside, Iowa. Bloomington's former assistant director for the arts, Sean Starowitz, told The Herald-Times in 2019 it had come up several times in the three years he'd been in the position.

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Honoring Janeway, Mulgrew and Taylor was a popular idea. The challenge? Organizing and seeing the project through.

Locals Peter and Mary Beth Kaczmarczyk begin an effort in 2019, around the same time as another discussion began on the Bloomington subreddit, where fans agreed it was time. By August of that year, interested locals had joined forces with nonprofit organization Artisan Alley to form the Captain Janeway Bloomington Collective. They began fundraising for the project, hoping to meet a goal of $12,500.

By December, the group had reached its crowdfunding campaign goal. Along with matching funds from a grant, they had enough money to build the monument. They also had the permission of CBS.

About $52,000 had been raised for the monument by 2020, helping ensure funds for the future maintenance of the monument.

Janeway's birthplace monument went through design changes before the final rendering was created with a limestone base, bronze bust and information table including details about Janeway, Taylor and "Voyager."

The collective broke ground on the monument in June 2020.

When was the Janeway statue unveiled?

The statue's unveiling, initially planed for Janeway's fictional birthday on May 20, 2020, was delayed during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was finally revealed Oct. 24, 2020, in an in-person ceremony with strict safety measures. Kate Mulgrew attended virtually, and a video was shown featuring fellow actor Robert Picardo.

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Additional speakers in attendance included Susan Sandberg, Bloomington City Council member; the Kaczmarcyks; Mary Ann Macklin, senior minister at the Unitarian Universalist Church; Adam Nahas of Artisan Alley; bust sculptor Aaron Eby; and Melissa Kocias as master of ceremonies.

What did Kate Mulgrew think?

Mulgrew was involved in the process through CBS, according to Janeway Collective members. Peter Kaczmarcyk told The Herald-Times in December 2020 that Mulgrew was asked to sign off on the bust design, and the group was asked to use her preferred Janeway hairstyle: The shorter style with a side part, not the bun.

At the unveiling ceremony, Mulgrew lauded the sculptor, Aaron Eby, who created the bust, calling him an "exquisite artist."

“On behalf of Janeway herself, who will not be able to see herself for some time to come, I can assure you that she will be stunned,” she said. “It’s an extraordinary likeness.”

Mulgrew tweeted in August 2022 about her plans to visit the statue in October, promising not to cause any temporal anomalies during her time in Bloomington.

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In October, 2022, Mulgrew visited the monument to her character for the first time.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Star Trek Voyager, Prodigy's Janeway has a monument in Bloomington