We hadn’t been to the Indianapolis Children’s Museum since our kids were young—and they’re now grown with children of their own. It was a great museum then, but its even better now. Four floors of exhibits include everything from dinosaurs to a 1917 carousel. And new added in 2017 is the 7.5 acre outdoor Sports Legends Experience, created for all ages, from preschoolers to adults.
Thank you to the Indianapolis Children’s Museum for hosting us at the museum.
This article may contain affiliate links, through which we may receive a small commission. Read our Privacy Policy for more information on affiliate links.
[expand title=”Click here to read the transcript”]
Skip: Welcome to Midwest Wanderer. I’m Skip.
Connie: I’m Connie
Skip: Today we’re going to the world’s largest children’s museum, the Indianapolis Children’s Museum.
Connie: But you know what? It’s not just for kids. I had a blast there.
Skip: We both did.
Connie: I think you had as much fun as I did, though. I know you enjoyed the trains
Skip: That was one of my favorite things.
Connie: And the weather exhibit. The PAW patrol special exhibit, too, for that matter.
Skip: My niece and I are big fans. And there was a Star Trek special exhibit.
Connie: They actually had some of the props and costumes from the Star Trek television show—and some fun photo ops
Four floors of exhibits
Skip: With four floors of exhibit space, the Indianapolis Children’s museum covers so many topics: from paleontology, where you can watch paleontologists at work and even chat with them, to the sad, but heroic, stories of three children who made a difference. Anne Frank, the Jewish girl who kept a diary during her time in hiding from the Nazi’s until she and her family were arrested by the Gestapo and put into a concentration camps, where they died… six-year-old Ruby Bridges, the first black student to integrate an elementary school in the south… and Ryan White, who contracted AIDS as a result of a blood transfusion.
Connie: Very sad, but impactful stories. On a lighter note, I really liked the Dale Chihuly exhibit. Fireworks of Glass stands 43 feet tall. Kids can create their own Chihuly masterpiece, too, and if you look up from that spot, you can see the Chihuly ceiling. Gorgeous!
Another thing I couldn’t resist was the carousel.
Skip: You never can resist a carousel.
Connie: Because they’re fun! And this one dates back to 1917.
Sports Legends Experience
Connie: You know what else was fun? All the outdoor stuff, the Sports Legends Experience, which was new as of 2017.
Skip: Let’s take a look at it.
Connie: Seven-and-a-half acres with basketball, baseball, soccer, car racing, a fitness track, and more. And with varying levels, like short basketball hoops for little ones, up to regulations size for older kids. And coaches are at each station to help out or to lead challenges…or to pitch. For the race course, there’s both a drag strip and an oval track. The pedal cars come in different sizes, too, so the kids can challenge their parents to a race.
Skip: You haven’t talked about the golf courses.
Connie: Oh yeah, how could I forget those? There are actually two courses, one for younger kids and a more challenging one. I tried the challenging course.
Skip: That course was designed by the famous golf course designers, Pete and Alice Dye. Each hole is a miniature replica of a hole on one of their courses from around the world.
Connie: The first hole is a replica of Hole 10 at Mystic Hills Golf Club in Culver, Indiana. I should have stuck with the course for the little kids.
Oh, and one more thing—the tree house. Okay, technically not a sport, but it is activity.
Skip: Made of carved concrete and inspired by Disney’s Tree of Life.
Connie: You have to climb up ladders, and then at the very top is rope mesh.
There’s so much more to the museum. Like we said, four floors and so many exhibits.
Skip: Definitely more than you can cover in a day.
Connie: Yeah, we didn’t even have time to go down the chocolate slide!
Skip: Learn more about the Indianapolis Children’s Museum at http://www.ChildrensMuseum.org.
Skip: And to learn about other attractions throughout the Midwest—and beyond—visit our website at https://www.midwestwanderer.com. Safe travels.
Connie: And happy travels.
[/expand]
If you go…
The Indianapolis Children’s Museum is located at 3000 N Meridian Street in Indianapolis, Indiana. Visit the website for hours and admission rates.
Tip: Purchase your tickets online in advance for the best value.
Accommodations
During our visit to the Indianapolis Children’s Museum, we stayed at the Crown Plaza Indianapolis Downtown. Check rates and reviews on TripAdvisor
Pin It!
