Looking Back on the Magic of Our 100th Year in 2025
Looking Back on the Magic of Our 100th Year in 2025
On Dec. 6, 1925, Mary Stewart Carey's dream of a museum for children became a reality. In 2025, we turned 100 years old!
We needed a whole year to celebrate such a milestone. And we celebrated in a BIG way! From wheely big adventures on a 10-story Ferris wheel to a once-in-a-century Birthday Bash, 2025 at The Children’s Museum smashed records as we celebrated 100 years of creating impactful experiences; sparking memories, wonder and dreams; and igniting powerful futures for children and adults!
We kicked off the centennial celebration at Countdown to Noon with kids’ activities created by our Museum Apprentice Program participants—and kept the party going throughout the year.
Here are a few highlights from a magical year...
Birthday Cakes for Our Neighbors
Throughout the year, we collected shelf-stable cake ingredients—boxed cake mix, icing, and packages of birthday candles—to create birthday cake kits to give to local food banks so they could share a little slice of joy with our neighbors. Because every kid should have the opportunity to celebrate their birthday.
Read All About It
A Yearlong, Citywide Celebration
We wanted to leave a mark on our community during our centennial year and wanted to make sure everyone in the city knew we were turning the big 1-0-0.
- A spot on ABC’s Good Morning America
- Bucky, our teenage T. rex fossil, on display at Indianapolis International Airport
- A birthday-themed IndyGo bus
- Our continued partnership with BUTTER Fine Art Fair
- Spark on the Circle photo op featuring the work of ess mckee, thanks to Downtown Indy Alliance and Big Car Collaborative
- The 500 Festival Parade, thanks to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
- Witches on the Water on the Canal
- A dinosaur wallscape in downtown Indy
We hope these encouraged a spark of celebration as you encountered them throughout the year!
Centennial Ferris Wheel
Presented by the Indiana Fever and the Indiana Pacers
Amazing New Exhibits
Memories, Wonders, and Dreams: Stories from 100 Years
We created a special one-year temporary exhibit to highlight stories of 100 objects in our vast collection—never-before-seen items, beloved museum icons, and artifacts from past exhibits.This exhibit is open through Jan. 4, 2026
This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services [Grant No.: MA-253094-OMS-23].
Presented by Purdue University
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: The Exhibit
Visitors could experience the magic and joy of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse in an all-new exhibit! You could help Mickey and his pals throw a surprise birthday party for Pluto in the first-ever Disney Jr. museum exhibit inspired by the show, developed by The Children’s Museum. Mickey Mouse traveled to Indianapolis for a private ribbon-cutting ceremony with families from Riley Children's Health, who were among the first visitors to experience the exhibit.This exhibit is currently traveling to other locations around the country.
© Disney
Ruth E. Carter: Afrofuturism in Costume Design
From crafting the regal look of a Wakandan king to shaping the vibrant style of “Do the Right Thing,” Ruth E. Carter has spent decades bringing stories to life through her iconic, award-winning costumes. More than 60 from her legendary film credits were on display.
The exhibit’s opening weekend included an evening at the iconic Madam Walker Legacy Center followed by Ruth E. Carter's surprise visit to the exhibit itself.
Take Me There®: Peru
You can explore Peru, the latest destination in The Children’s Museum’s popular Take Me There exhibit series—without the layover! Highlighting the country’s three major regions—the city and coast, mountains, and rainforest—the exhibit offers the opportunity to experience the country’s rich culture in an immersive, authentic environment.
Take Me There®: Peru is made possible by the Allen Whitehill Clowes Charitable Foundation.
Presented by Republic Airways
Supported by F.A. Wilhelm Construction
Our 2026 Lineup
Second Century Soiree
Relive the Evening
Presented by Purdue University
Visiting Experts
Local and national experts visited the museum to share their insights with visitors!
- Artemis II astronaut Victor Glover
- 2025–26 Visiting Artist Kyng Rhodes
- 2025–26 Visiting Artist Johnson Simon
- 2024–25 Visiting Artist Rebecca Robinson
- 2024–25 Visiting Artist Emily Bennett
- 2025 Eli Lilly & Company Visiting Scientist Dr. Rebecca Bercich
The Visiting Artist Program is a project of the Lechleiter Indiana Visiting Artist Fund with support provided by The White Oak Foundation, Sarah and John Lechleiter.
The Children’s Museum Guild’s 61st Annual Haunted House—Bewitched BOOseum
Guilda, your friendly resident witch of The Children's Museum Guild, wanted to celebrate the museum's 100th birthday and decided to bring our beloved exhibits and icons to life. Something magical—and a little mysterious—has happened: the Bewitched BOOseum Haunted House!
As the nation's longest running continually-operated haunted house, The Children's Museum Guild's Annual Haunted House has been a fixture of the Indianapolis Halloween scene for more than six decades and is the museum's biggest fundraiser!
This year, the Guild raised more than $1.2 million for The Children's Museum Fund!
Organized by The Children’s Museum Guild
Presented by Old National Bank
Dino Decor
From the opening of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: The Exhibit to cheering on our local sports teams, our Alamosaurus family was bursting with excitement throughout our centennial year!
- Birthday hats and birthday cake celebrating our 100th birthday
- Mickey Mouse ears celebrating the arrival of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: The Exhibit
- WWE championship belt when Royal Rumble came to town
- Basketball and ref whistle for men's college basketball and the Indiana Pacers
- Victory wreath and milk jug signed by 2024 Indy 500 winner Josef Newgarden
- WNBA basketball signed by Tamika Catchings and ref whistle for the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis
- Witch hats promoting The Children's Museum Guild's Annual Haunted House
- Winter hats because central Indiana winters can be downright COLD
Memories, Wonders, and Dreams Artwork by Ashley Nora
We partnered with local artist Ashley Nora to create a powerful new piece of art that became the very first object in our second century of collecting. Commissioned to honor our 100th birthday and look boldly toward the future, this piece celebrates our history, reflects the dreams of our community, and will inspire generations to come. Ashley was chosen due to her meaningful collaborations in the Indiana arts community, and her incredible ability to capture hope, wonder, and belonging.
We’re proud to display this incredible three-piece work of art as it towers over the Sunburst Atrium. The next time you visit, you’ll see that it’s the perfect addition to our collection!
Birthday Bash
As a capstone to our yearlong centennial celebration, we celebrated our 100th birthday with YOU! We pulled out all the stops for this special day, including:
- Party games throughout the museum
- A roaming magician
- Caricature sketches
- Animal meet and greets with Hedgehog Hannah
- Special activities and workshops
- Snowball fights
- Dance parties
- Party favors
Looking Back and Moving Forward
You only get to celebrate your 100th birthday once. But we're already laying the groundwork for our 200th.
