The Biggest Children’s Museum in the World!
The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis stands as the world’s largest! This amazing place boasts both indoor and outdoor displays that kids of all ages will enjoy.
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The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis
My family visits a lot of museums. In fact, just last year, we had the “year of museums” and wound up visiting over 20 in several different states! The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis was one of the highlights, so much so that we found a reason to visit it twice in less than a year. Even with a wide age range, everyone can find a way to enjoy themselves here.
The Exhibits
The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis has over 16 indoor exhibits available year-round. The 11 outdoor exhibits are open mid March-early November and are weather dependent. The museum also has visiting exhibits each year.
Indoor
Dinospere®: Now You’re in Their World
Beginning with the outside, (see the first photo on the post) dinosaurs are a huge part of the Museum. The Dinosphere® exhibit extends to more than one story of the building. There is even a display about prehistoric sea creatures.
Carousel Wishes and Dreams
This area of the museum includes an operational carousel. Rides are an additional $2 per rider aged 2 and up. Adults over the age of 17 are permitted to stand next to their child or sit on a bench, but may not ride on a carousel animal. The carousel is a designated National Historic Landmark.
If carousel rides aren’t your thing, there is also an indoor play area for the kids that includes a treehouse and a restaurant. My older kids enjoyed the game exhibit that is located nearby while my younger explored the treehouse. There is also a lights and mirrors area that is very easy to lose a child in, so be sure to hold them close as you go through!
Playscape®
The Playscape®area on Level 3 is only for children ages 5 and under. It has areas for art, water play, blocks and more.
Fireworks of Glass
This exhibit begins in the center of the museum around the central ramp. A show-stopping, 5 story Dale Chihuly piece begins in what I call an observation lounge. Big seating areas are reclined, allowing museum goers to lay back and admire the glass sculpture above.
There are also plastic replica pieces of the sculpture for children to arrange into their own works of art. This is the perfect place to regroup or take a small break during your day.
ScienceWorks
The ScienceWorks exhibit houses a large water table, exhibits on farming, underground animals, weather, gems, as well as the STEM lab.
The main draw here is the water table. There are step stools for the smaller kids and plenty of plastic boats to go around. The main lesson available is learning how locks work. My kids also always have to try out the small rock climbing wall.
STEM Center
The STEM (Science Technology Engineering Math) Center is tucked into the back corner of the ScienceWorks exhibit. Only open during certain hours throughout the week, the center is a quiet space filled with coloring pages, picture books, a light table, and sometimes a scientist!
During our visit we were lucky enough to happen upon the Center right before a class was going to begin. The whole family was able to participate in a short lecture from Dr. Carlotta Berry. She introduced everyone to the idea of circuts, specifically circutry in robotics. We participated in a Minecraft themed lab, making a Creeper who’s eyes light up.
This hands-on experience was a highlight of our day. Dr. Berry made her rounds and answered questions. We really enjoyed learning from her and I would urge you to check out her websites and Instagram!
Stories from our Community: The Art of Protest
According to the Museum’s website, “The Art of Protest focuses on the August 2020 creation—and subsequent vandalism—of a piece of public art in Indianapolis by 18 local Black artists in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.”
Also available online are interviews with the artists.
Beyond Spaceship Earth
First of all, my Disney people will be dissapointed that there is no giant golf ball or Dame Judi Dench to be found here (IYKYK).
Secondly, this very cool exhibit features info on NASA’s Project Mercury. Explore the International Space Station and finish your space journey in the Planetarium.
The Power of Children: Making a Difference®
This area of the Museum tells the stories of four children from the 20th century-Anne Frank, Ruby Bridges, Ryan White, and Malala Yousafzai. Given the subject matter it is recommended for ages 8 and up.
National Geographic Treasures of Earth
Have you ever wanted to watch real archeologists at work? You can do it in the Treasures of Earth exhibit! Other areas to explore are a play area of Kidd’s possible shipwreck, the Terra Cotta Warriors and the tombs of Ancient Egypt.
Mini Masterpieces
This area features-you guessed it-minitures. It is more of an area that you walk by then an actual exhibit. Encourage your child to pick a miniature and tell you a story about it!
The Lilly Theater
The Lilly Theater hosts live theater experiences for children. Show times vary and different plays rotate through the theater. This is also included in the admission price! Check online for show times.
American Pop
The American Pop exhibit is another family favorite. It displays items from America’s pop culture throughout the years. If any fellow millennials would like to feel terribly old, there’s the N* Sync boardgame to look at…
There are plenty of hands-on opportunities here too. Burgeoning fashion designers can create a new look or little artists can create their own superhero, all while early readers enjoy a huge version of Eric Carle’s Brown Bear, Brown Bear.
Picture Book Activities for Kids
If You Give a Dog a Donut
Corduroy
Ten Apples Up on Top
All Aboard
As you can guess, this exhibit is all about trains. Practice operating train signals, play at the train table or just enjoy looking at the Reuben Wells locomotive from the 1800’s.
Take Me There!
This exhibit is under construction at the time of this writing. The new exhibit will take children on an adventure to Peru! Prior to this, the display was dedicated to Greece. Children will board a flight and fly off to distant lands to explore the culture of a new country.
During the Greece exhibition, children were shown the unique jobs of the country, popular foods and the animals of the region. Kids pretended to be fishermen, rescued turtles and then learned how olive oil is produced.
A pretend restaurant allows children to prepare traditional Greek food while another person orders through a window and then can enjoy their “meal” at a table outside a Grecian building.
This area of the Museum is a great place to stop and watch a presentation. Presentation schedules are available daily on the website. On this day we learned more about the Greek food. The Peru exhibit is slated to open in July of 2025.
Riley Children’s Health Sports Legends Experience
While the Museum has an amazing sports complex outdoors, they also have quite an indoor sports area as well. There is the National Art Museum of Sport as well as The World of Sport hands-on area.
The World of Sport-NCAA Sports Legends Training Facility
Enter through Nitro, the Indy Fuel Professional Hockey team’s mascot, and find yourself ready to train for your own hockey dreams. Practice ice skating without ever lacing up a skate, perfect your slapshot and check your balance.
Other things to explore in the World of Sport:
- Be a newscaster
- Basketball free throws
- Balance beam
- Rowing Machine
- Church Brothers Collision Repair Motorsports Garage
Church Brothers Collision Repair Motorsports Garage
The Motorsports Garage gives you the chance to be in the pit. Practice giving a racecar a new tire or just sit in the Lego model car!
So long as the weather isn’t too hot, too cold or rainy…you are now ready to explore the rest of the Riley Children’s Health Sports Legends Experience.
Outdoor Exhibits
You could easily spend half a day or more playing in the outdoor areas. The following sports are represented with kid-sized fields or courts to use:
- Soccer
- Field Hockey
- Football
- Tennis
- Basketball
- Baseball
- Track
There is also a full minature golf course as well as a pedal car race track. Racers must have closed toe shoes.
There is also the ‘Tree of Sports’. This is a giant treehouse in the center of the outdoor area with sports themed carvings. The tree even has a lift to make it accessible to little ones of all abilities! Parent be warned- this is another excellent place to lose a preschooler.
FAQ’s about the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis
Hours of Operation & Admission
The Museum is open 7 days a week from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM from May through September. Hours and days will vary outside of those months. The outdoor space is open from mid-March to early November. It is extremely weather dependent. For example, we were there on a 95 degree day and they closed off the area due to heat. If visiting the outdoor area is important to you, be sure to check the weather ahead of time and schedule your day around when the area should be open.
Tickets are available for purchase in person or online. You can usually save a few dollars by purchasing through their website at least 2 weeks in advanced.
Parking
The Museum has its own parking garage! Parking is free in the garage and there is a sky bridge for convenient walking to the entrance of the building. When we visit we arrive at opening (10AM) and have never had an issue finding a spot.
Accessibility
The Museum takes accessibility very seriously. As I mentioned above, even the outdoor treehouse has a lift for those who can’t do stairs! The indoor portion of the Museum also has elevators as well as a huge ramp for accessing the different levels. The website has a sensory map and a wealth of other information available. Check out www.childrensmuseum.org/visit for all of the details.
Strollers and lockers are available for rent daily.
Food & Drink
The Museum has its own cafeteria as well as snack counters both inside and outdoors. While there are several choices for even the pickiest eaters, be prepared to pay theme park prices. The ordering is also done at several different counters. If one child wants a slice of pizza and another wants chicken tenders, be prepared to stand in two seperate lines as well as a third to pay.
Due to the prices and chaos, my family chooses to bring our own food to the Museum. Patrons are welcome to bring in food with the exception of glass and/or alchoholic beverages. No food may be eaten in the exhibits.
Museum Programming
Each day there are several special programs and demonstrations throughout the complex. The Museum is huge and really can’t be done all in one day. Add in a show and a lecture and you will have to make some decisions as to what your ‘Must-Dos’ are for the day.
While the Museum’s website has the schedule for each day, I’ve found it can often change by the day of your visit. Be sure to keep your phone handy or ask a museum staff member to check the day’s events.
If you have a little one the lobby dance parties are a can’t miss!
The Chaos Manager’s Tips
Having visited twice in one year, here are my tips for a successful day at the world’s largest children’s musuem-
- Arrive at Museum opening at 10:00 AM
- Plan your top 5 “Must-Do” exhibits ahead of time
- Check the website ahead of time to see what temporary exhibits are at the Museum and when they will leave.
- If you have little ones under the age of 5 bring a stroller
- Bring in your own refillable water bottles
- Family restroom and nursing rooms are available
- The gift shop is pretty hard to avoid, discuss whether you will be going in ahead of time with your kids. It is very big but often has items that can be found at any nice toy store.
- If you are still at the Museum at 4:45 PM, go to Level 4 and join the end of day parade!
Please comment if you have more questions about the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis and I’ll do my best to answer!
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