20 Indianapolis Museums for Kids to Explore

Beth Wood:  Plan a trip to the National Model Aviation Museum in Muncie, Indiana to explore a 1950's era model shop, relive moments in aviation history, explore modelings ties to pop culture and interact with hands-on exhibits and simulators. The museum houses about 9,000 artifacts in its collection, including model airplanes, radio systems, engines, building tools and equipment, and memorabilia such as patches, stickers and clothing.

Beth Wood:  The Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame and Museum in New Castle, Indiana offers 14,000 square feet of basketball! From the beginnings of basketball in Indiana in the 1890s to modern times, visitors will receive a history lesson on the tradition, passion, and culture that comprises basketball in Indiana. Explore interactive exhibits and displays on high school, college and professional basketball throughout the state of Indiana.

Beth Wood:  This hands-on children's museum in Muncie features colorful interactive exhibits where kids can try their hands at truck driving, swinging beneath The Giving Tree, catch a ride on a tug boat or see the seven seas from the lighthouse periscope. Other must see exhibits: The Five Senses Garden in the outdoor exhibit, the Tot Spot, Make Believe Theater, the Book Nook, Water Works and Ant Wall.

Dawn Denning:  Located on 40 acres, this modern museum offers a Nature Center, gardens to play in and exhibits to explore. A family favorite is the themed "fun bags" that send your kiddo on an adventure for butterflies, fairies, ponds and more! Each bag has everything a great explorer needs. The garden features a dollhouse and cabin for kids to see and explore. There are also ever-changing workshops and exhibits to ensure there is always something new to see or do at the museum!

Step back in time to the 1800's and experience what life was like back then. Explore and interact throughout a variety of amazing outdoor and indoor exhibits: 1836 Prairietown, 1863 Civil War Journey, 1859 Balloon Voyage (take a ride!), Lenape Indian Camp, Animal Encounters, William Conner House, Treetop Outpost. Craft Corner, Discovery Station and more. Conner Prairie offers family fun and learning for visitors of all ages. Conner Prairie offers special events for visitors so be sure to check their calendar of events.

Beth Wood:  The Museum of Miniature Houses is located in the Arts & Design District in downtown Carmel. The museum's collection comes from the more modern miniature world and includes children’s doll houses that are not to scale as well as small scale reproductions of items that become the contents of dollhouses, room boxes, vignettes, or any setting that the ingenious miniaturist chooses to create, often with painstaking attention to detail.

Beth Wood:  Does your child want to become a firefighter when they grow up? Be sure to visit the Indianapolis Fire Fighters Museum & Memorial Plaza. This museum is dedicated to Indianapolis Fire Department history and firefighting history in general. Visitors can see a hand pumper, horse drawn hose cart, horse drawn steam pumper and more.

Kristy Pepping:  If you're looking to expose your kids to a little bit of history while on a visit to Indy, head to the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site. The 23rd president built the home in 1874-1875. Except for his U.S. Senate and presidential years, he lived in the home until he died in 1901. The site rotates exhibits often so there is always something new to see.

Voted one of the top Children's Museums in the nation several years in a row, The Children's Museum of Indianapolis is definitely a MUST do. The museum features five floors of exhibits and interactive learning activities in the arts, world cultures, sciences and humanities. They offer over 120,000 artifacts that help kids learn in extraordinary ways.

Beth Wood:  In the heart of downtown Indianapolis, The Soldiers and Sailors Monument houses the Colonel Eli Lilly Civil War Museum and a gift shop on the lower level. Walk up 331 steps (or take the elevator) to the Observation Level to see an all around view of the city from 275 feet up.

Dawn Denning:  Aviation is the star at this museum. A large number of engines are on display that Rolls Royce has created over the years, a STEM workshop and tours encourage your child's interest in science and physics. Interactive displays and thousands of photographs help your kiddo learn about how engines work and how they have evolved over the years.

Beth Wood:  The Indiana Historical Society is one of the United States' oldest and largest historical societies and describes itself as "Indiana's Storyteller." Through the Indiana Experience exhibit, you can step into three-dimensional re-creations of historic photographs complete with characters, go back in time on virtual journeys throughout the state in Destination Indiana, get a behind-the-scenes, hands-on look at conservation and the detective work involved history research and much more.

Beth Wood:  The Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art is the only museum of its kind in the Midwest and only one of two museums east of the Mississippi that explores both Native America and the American West. The Eiteljorg offers engaging exhibits that show high quality Western Art as well as Native American art and cultural objects. With three floors of exhibits, an interactive children's area, a cafe and special events occurring year round, the Eiteljorg is a must visit spot.

The NCAA Hall of Champions boasts two levels of interactive exhibits to engage visitors and create a true-to-life understanding of what it takes to make the grade. On the first level, all 24 NCAA sports are represented and include trivia challenges, current team rankings, video highlights, and artifacts donated from colleges around the nation. Play, on the second level, is a fully interactive area to compete virtually and hands-on through sports simulators, a 1930s retro gymnasium, a ski simulator and more.

Beth Wood:  Newfields (formerly Indianapolis Museum of Art) sits on a 152-acre campus that includes galleries, the Oldfields–Lilly House & Gardens and The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park. It is one of the 10 oldest and largest museums in the nation and has been an important part of the cultural landscape of the city of Indianapolis for nearly 130 years. It offers more than 54,000 works spanning 5,000 years. A wonderful place to explore both art and nature.