The Children's Museum of Indianapolis

Indianapolis sits in central Indiana, in a region that is the homeland of the Miami (Myaamia), the Lenape (Delaware), the Potawatomi, and the Shawnee. The Lenape in particular held villages along the White River valley in the early 1800s before treaties and forced removals opened the land to the new state capital laid out in the 1820s.

The Children's Museum was founded in 1925, one of the earlier children's museums in the country, and grew over the decades into the largest in the world. Its guiding belief is that children absorb the most when they can touch, build, and explore, and its exhibits are designed to be handled rather than merely viewed, blending play and learning at every turn.

Dinosphere immerses visitors in the world of dinosaurs, with real fossils, working paleontology labs, and a dramatic sculpture of a dinosaur seemingly bursting through the building's exterior. It is many families' first stop and a favorite of dinosaur-obsessed children.

At the museum's heart, a spectacular blown-glass sculpture by Dale Chihuly rises through the atrium, a burst of color visible from every floor. Elsewhere the museum holds a real 1868 steam locomotive and a beautifully restored antique carousel that still turns, treasures that anchor the history galleries.

The museum ranges far beyond dinosaurs. Galleries explore world cultures, American history, and science, and the powerful 'Power of Children' exhibit tells the stories of young people who changed the world, including Anne Frank, Ruby Bridges, and Ryan White, an Indiana teenager whose fight against discrimination during the AIDS epidemic became national news.

Outside and adjoining the main building, the Sports Experience offers indoor and outdoor spaces where children can try baseball, basketball, hockey, racing, and more, combining physical play with lessons in science and health. It reflects a city long defined by its love of sport.

The museum is vast, so families do well to arrive with a plan, pick a few must-see areas, and build in rest, especially with young children. It draws large crowds on weekends and school holidays, so an early start makes for a smoother day.

Its location just north of downtown puts it within easy reach of the rest of Indianapolis, including the museums and attractions of White River State Park, the Eiteljorg Museum, and the monuments and canal of the city center.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis, in Indianapolis, Indiana, is the largest children's museum in the world, a beloved and acclaimed destination filled with immersive, hands-on exhibits for families. The enormous museum offers a remarkable range of exhibits across many floors, from dinosaurs and a real fossil dig to space, science, world cultures, a carousel, an outdoor sports experience, and much more, all designed to delight, engage, and educate children and families. Its vast scale and wonderful exhibits make it a premier family destination. A magnificent and family-friendly museum, it delights visitors. With its exhibits, The Children's Museum offers a compelling destination in Indiana.

You can explore immersive, hands-on exhibits across many floors, including dinosaurs and a fossil dig, space and science, world cultures, a historic carousel, an outdoor sports experience, and much more, all designed for children and families. The dinosaurs, the science and space exhibits, the carousel, the sports experience, and the sheer variety are the draws, making it a wonderful and full day of discovery. The dinosaurs and hands-on exhibits especially delight kids. With its exhibits, The Children's Museum offers a rewarding visit in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis is special as the largest children's museum in the world, with an extraordinary range and scale of immersive, hands-on exhibits that few other museums can match, from dinosaurs and a fossil dig to space, culture, and sports experiences. Its size, quality, and dedication to engaging and educating children make it a premier destination for families from near and far. Its scope sets it apart. This distinction makes The Children's Museum of Indianapolis a delightful destination in Indiana.

As a mostly indoor museum, The Children's Museum is enjoyable year-round in any weather, making it a great stop in any season, with weekdays generally less crowded than busy weekends and school holidays, and allowing plenty of time, even a full day, is wise given its scale. Because hours and exhibits can vary, checking current information before you go helps. Because it is largely indoors, The Children's Museum makes a rewarding stop any time of year in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis is in Indianapolis, Indiana, within reach of Newfields and the Indianapolis Museum of Art, the Eiteljorg Museum, White River State Park, and the other attractions of Indianapolis. That makes The Children's Museum a compelling stop to combine with the other attractions of Indianapolis on a visit to Indiana.