Frequently Asked Questions

The diversity of exhibits and programming at The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis—widely regarded as the top children’s museum in the nation—are built upon the initial stewardship and inspiration of Mary Stewart Carey in 1925.

Today, the museum’s staff of 400 part-time and full-time employees welcomes more than one million visitors annually.

Indiana families that receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), food stamps, or Hoosier Healthwise Insurance may qualify for the Access Pass program, which allows a discount on museum admission tickets for the parents/guardians and children living in the home. Enrollment Recertification Letter, issued by the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration and valid Indiana-issued photo identification required. Please read through the guidelines and requirements carefully, or call 317-334-4000 for clarification, before visiting as discount cannot be offered without required documents.

Read complete Access Pass program information: childrensmuseum.org/access-pass

The museum is open and free on the following days:

Dec. 24, 2011—Christmas Eve (10 a.m.–2 p.m.)
Jan. 16, 2012—Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Feb. 20, 2012—Presidents Day
April 29, 2012—El Dia de Los Niños

The museum is also open free for families 4 p.m.–8 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month for Target Free Family Nights.

10 a.m.–5 p.m.

• Open Daily, March 1, 2013–Sept. 2, 2013 (Labor Day)
• Closed Mondays Sept. 3, 2013–Feb. 28, 2014
• Closed Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas

View more detailed hours

Yes! We offer a variety of family-friendly options in the Reflections Food Court. You are also welcome to bring your lunch and enjoy it in the Food Court or in the outdoor picnic area, available on a first-come, first served basis.

Reservations will be accepted up to two weeks prior to your planned visit. However, we recommend scheduling your group visit at least one month in advance. Spring visits should be scheduled as early as possible. A limited number of group reservations are available each day. Please call 317-334-4000 or 800-820-6214 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily to schedule a visit. Or fax the completed registration form to: Customer Service Center 317-920-2001.

You can visit all interactive galleries for one admission price. This also includes a visit to either a SpaceQuest® Planetarium show or a Lilly Theater presentation.

Groups save 20% on admission.

Youth
$9.50

Adult
$14.50

Senior
$13.75

Youth (ages 2–17)
$13.50

Adult (ages 18–59)
$18.50

Senior (60+)
$17.50

The museum's address is:
3000 N. Meridian St.
Indianapolis, IN 46208-4716

Get directions from your location

Absolutely. You will still receive your 15% discount as you would at the on-site Museum Store. During the Check-Out process you will find is a field that will ask for your memebership number, which will authorize your discount.

Sure! Simply contact the Customer Service Center at 317-334-4000 for options with your account.

Our memberships are not currently affiliated with any reciprocal program. However, membership staff are considering options on discounted admission with various museums in the Midwest.

For Discovery Builder, Premier, Plus 2 and Basic memberships, you will receive two cards - one for each adult listed on the account. However, if you desire additional cards, simply contact the Customer Service Center at (317) 334-4000 for card options on your account. Individual +1 memberships are given a single card.

In addition to free museum admission for those on your membership, there are many other great benefits! See a full list of benefits of museum membership!

You may visit as often as you like with your membership, even if you haven't received your permanent cards. Once your membership is activated, it is valid until the expiration date on your card.

Memberships are valid for a full year from the date of purchase!

Your membership is activated the moment your order is completed. If you do not have your permanent cards, temporary membership cards are always available at the Box Office.

You should receive your membership cards within one week of activating your membership. If you do not receive your cards within one week, please contact the Customer Service Center at 317-334-4000. Whenever you are without your permanent membership card(s), you can still visit the museum! Members may pick up a temporary card at the Box Office.

Regular shipping is 3 to 4 business days within the contiguous 48 states. We also offer express shipping, at a higher shipping charge.

Absolutely. You will still receive your 15% discount as you would at the on-site Museum Store. During the Check-Out process you will find is a field that will ask for your memebership number, which will authorize your discount.

As always, customer service is the museum's ultimate goal. The Museum Store embraces this as its ultimate goal as well. To help achieve this goal, the Museum Store can provide a Personal Shopper. Simply give us a profile of the person(s) that you are shopping for and a Museum Store representative will help select an item (or items) relative to the profile. You may also contact our personal shopper for more information.

We are not required to collect sales tax on orders purchased through the on-line shopping cart. As the purchaser, you are responsible for declaring out of state purchases through the appropriate taxing authority.

Yes.

In the event you need to return merchandise to us, please contact us at 317-334-4606. If you purchased your item online, you may return it to the address listed on your packing slip.

We stand by the products we sell 100%. If for any reason you are unsatisfied with your purchase we will gladly refund the purchase price, or offer to exchange the merchandise.

The store is open from10 a.m.–5:30 p.m. This interactive store, located on Level 1 in the Welcome Center, has a vast assortment of educational products, developmental toys and merchandise that reflect museum exhibits and activities. To pre-purchase souvenirs for your group, please call our personal shopper, Suzanne Smock, at 317-334-3219

1. All students must be accompanied by a chaperone throughout the visit.
2. There must be at least one adult per 10 students for all groups.
3. No running, smoking, eating or drinking in the museum. The Children's Museum property is a smoke-free environment, which includes all outdoor spaces, museum parking lots and garage. Please join us in keeping the museum smoke-free.
4. Be courteous to other visitors.
5. No abusive or obscene language or gestures.
6. Groups failing to follow these guidelines will be asked to leave the museum.

The Children’s Museum is located at 30th and Meridian streets. Parking and the entrance are on Illinois Street, one block west of Meridian.Parking is free. The bus loading/unloading area is near the north end of the building. After unloading, bus drivers will be directed to a parking location.

The store is open from 9:45 a.m.–5:30 p.m. This interactive store, located on Level 1 in the Welcome Center and Sunburst Atrium, has a vast assortment of educational products, developmental toys and merchandise that reflect museum exhibits and activities. To pre-purchase souvenirs for your group, please call our personal shopper, Suzanne Smock, at 317-334-3219.

The fee is $1.00 per person per ride on the carousel. Members ride free. All children must be accompanied by an adult on the carousel. Hours: 10 a.m.–5 p.m. When making your reservation, please notify us if your group plans to ride the carousel so that we may prepare your tickets in advance.

Visit Guides, Units of Study and Online Activities & WebQuests are available for most experiences.

If a member of your group requires special assistance, please inform us when making your reservation or call 317-334-4000 at least two weeks in advance to make arrangements.
Our TDD number is 317-920-2020.

Yes! You have three options: 1. Bring Your Own Sack Lunch and schedule a 25-minute break in our Sack Lunch Area on Level 2. 2. An outdoor picnic area is available on a first-come, first served basis. 3. Be on your own in Reflections Restaurant. Due to long waiting lines, we recommend teachers and group leaders pre-order catered lunches for groups of 50 or more.

Reservations will be accepted up to two weeks prior to your planned visit. However, we recommend scheduling your group visit at least one month in advance. Spring visits should be scheduled as early as possible. A limited number of group reservations are available each day. Please call 317-334-4000 or 800-820-6214 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily to schedule a visit. Or reach us by fax. Send the completed registration form to: Customer Service Center 317-920-2001.

Each month during the school year, there are special themed events going on throughout the museum. These are special learning experiences in different places and spaces in the museum around the theme topic. Some events have optional Guided Experiences you can sign up for at no additional cost. The other experiences are open to all visitors in the museum that day.

You can sign up for one Guided Experience during your visit to the museum. These are lead by experienced museum educators and give your students an opportunity to experience a topic in-depth.

You can visit all interactive galleries for one admission price. This also includes a visit to either a SpaceQuest® Planetarium show or a Lilly Theater presentation.

Please visit the Group Rates page for admission prices.

Sometimes.  Call 334-4000 to find out cost of a Teacher Preview or Open House.

Teacher Previews and Open Houses are intended for any classroom teacher to view the exhibition or museum offerings before bringing a class to the museum.

Teacher previews are held from 4–6 p.m. the night before a new exhibition opens. You will be notified by mail at your school or if you are a member of the Teacher Club, you will receive an invitation via email.

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis opens its doors to Indiana educators to allow them to view the new exhibits and programs available during the school year. It is a great time for educators to pre-plan their return trip with their students. It is also a good time to ask specific questions about new programs.

The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis partners with many higher education institutions. To receive credit you must pay the Institute fee as well as graduate hour fee to receive credit and you must attend the entire Institute. Depending on the amount of credit received, additional work outside of attending the summer institute is required.

As part of the Institutes, you will have an opportunity to talk to experts in the particular field and be able to take an in-depth look at the accompanying gallery or exhibit. You will learn strategies to present multidisciplinary experiences to students. You will also receive Units of Study that correlate to Common Core and State Standards to enhance your classroom curriculum. The Institutes offer educators an opportunity to share ideas with one another and devise strategies for classroom implementation.

All of the Institutes relate directly to the spaces and places in The Children's Museum of Indianapolis.

Experienced museum educators lead the Institutes.

A spot is reserved for you when we receive your payment (credit card, purchase order or check). Call 317-334-4000 or 800-820-6214 or register online.

Any educator, preservice teacher or home school parent who is interested in learning more about the specific topic may attend a half-day Institute. The Summer Institutes are open to educators only.