A five-story dinosaur greets you at the mecca of all children’s museums, located just 10 minutes north of downtown Indianapolis. The museum has grown exponentially since my first visit decades ago, and it just keeps getting better. A day at the museum will transport your kids to other countries (and planets), help them uncover the physics of flight, and turn them into mini-adventurers as they climb to the top of the museum’s rock climbing wall. History lessons on famous children like Anne Frank, Ruby Bridges, and Ryan White and one of the country’s largest dinosaur fossil collections are interesting and informative for adults, too. Kids will also love seeing the 16-foot tall “Bumblebee” Transformer that the museum acquired from the movie’s producers. Art-loving parents will enjoy Dale Chihuly’s 43-foot tall “fireworks of glass”—the largest permanent Chihuly installation in the country.
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Choose Your Own Adventure at the Children's Museum of Indianapolis
A five-story dinosaur greets you at the mecca of all children’s museums, located just 10 minutes north of downtown Indianapolis. The museum has grown exponentially since my first visit decades ago, and it just keeps getting better. A day at the museum will transport your kids to other countries (and planets), help them uncover the physics of flight, and turn them into mini-adventurers as they climb to the top of the museum’s rock climbing wall. History lessons on famous children like Anne Frank, Ruby Bridges, and Ryan White and one of the country’s largest dinosaur fossil collections are interesting and informative for adults, too. Kids will also love seeing the 16-foot tall “Bumblebee” Transformer that the museum acquired from the movie’s producers. Art-loving parents will enjoy Dale Chihuly’s 43-foot tall “fireworks of glass”—the largest permanent Chihuly installation in the country.
Visit China in Indiana
Take a trip from Indianapolis direct to Beijing as part of the “Take Me to China” exhibit at the Children’s Museum, the largest in the world. Families can learn about calligraphy, martial arts, traditional medicine, and the art of tea. Kids can work in a Chinese restaurant to learn about different foods and customs, or be a keeper in the panda nursery. Continue your travels to other countries in the museum’s collection of world cultures, which includes objects like Samurai armor and an ancient Egyptian tomb figure, no jet lag or time machine required. “Take Me to China” is a temporary exhibit planned for several years’ residence, look out for special additions and events.
