Summer Break Visit Tips at The Children's Museum
Summer Break Visit Tips at The Children's Museum
Whether you live in Indianapolis and are looking for things to do with kids, or you’re visiting the Circle City for a local tournament (or other sporting events), concert, vacation, conference, or a convention, The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis is one of the must-visit spots that needs to be on everyone’s summer bucket list. With five floors of fun and an outdoor sports wonderland, there’s something for everyone—and every age!
We’ve pulled together a handy-dandy guide of visit tips and insider information to help you have the best summer visit at The Children’s Museum!
Buying Tickets Online
From our life-sized dinosaur sculptures outside, to encountering Bumblebee in the Welcome Center, your family will be chomping at the proverbial bit to make your way into the museum. When you buy your tickets online ahead of time, you can bypass the Box Office and just head directly to our Entry Gates. Have your tickets ready to scan and begin your incredible day without any hassle!
Skip The Line
Saving on Admission
Here are some ways you can save money on admission to the world’s biggest children’s museum this summer.
Access Pass
Indiana residents actively enrolled in one of the qualifying programs—including SNAP, WIC, TANF, or traditional Medicaid—can enroll in the free statewide Access Pass program. Admission is just $5 per family member at 21 cultural institutions around the state, including The Children’s Museum! Visit the Access Pass page to see eligibility requirements and apply.
First Thursday Nights
We offer $6 admission from 4–8 p.m. during the first Thursday of the month.
College Student Discount
Central Indiana college students can visit for just $11. This discount is available at the Box Office only with a valid student ID.
Free Admission Day
We offer free museum admission for our Juneteenth Jamboree celebration on Saturday, June 6. Free advance tickets are available beginning Wednesday, May 27.
Neighborhood Club
Do you live in the Mid-North area? We offer a free membership for residents who live in the following neighborhoods surrounding the museum: Crown Hill, Highland Vicinity, Historic Meridian Park, Mapleton-Fall Creek, Meridian Highland, and Historic Watson Park. Click the “Community” tab on our Become a Member page to apply!
Free Foster Family Membership
With the Department of Child Services, we provide a free membership to qualifying Indiana foster families. The membership includes adults sharing the same household, their foster children, stepchildren, and biological children under 21. Click the “Community” tab on our Become a Member page to apply!
Family Fun Adventure Package
Receive tickets to both The Children’s Museum and the Indianapolis Zoo—all with a hotel stay!
Indy Attractions Pass
Visit five Indy cultural attractions at a budget-friendly price. Choose the 1-day or 3-day option and start exploring!
Indiana Resident Discount
Indiana residents save $3 per ticket. Proof of residency required upon entry.
Second Visit Discount
For just $15 per adult and $10 per youth, you can visit the museum again within one week of your initial visit. This discount can only be applied at the Box Office on the day of your initial visit.
Museum Membership
Museum membership is a real deal! Most families can visit year-round for the cost of about two visits. You get more play time and more perks, from free Carousel rides and early entry hours to 10% off at The Museum Store. Museum membership really is your best deal.
Arriving at The Children's Museum
Driving
We always offer free parking, with several options available:- The parking garage located across Illinois Street from our Welcome Center is the most convenient
- Surface lots are available north of the parking garage along Illinois Street
- Both the garage and Water Clock Lot have designated ADA parking spaces—please contact our Customer Service Center at customerservice@childrensmuseum.org or 317-334-4000 if you need special assistance
Please use the Skywalk to cross Illinois Street and enter the museum. Many families like to stop and wave at “Seymour” and “Riad,” the Brachosaur sculptures that are peeking into the museum.
Public Transit
IndyGo buses stop at the museum daily. Routes 30, 90 (Red Line), and 92 (Purple Line) serve the museum directly. For route information, visit IndyGo.net or call IndyGo Customer Service at 317-635-3344.
Entering the Museum
Once you enter the Welcome Center, you have a few logistical decisions to make before exploring our five floors of fun and sports wonderland:
- Storage lockers and strollers are available for rent
- Free wheelchairs are available in the Welcome Center on a first-come, first-served basis
- If you have not purchased your tickets yet, proceed to the Box Office
- If you’ve purchased tickets ahead of time, have them ready and proceed to the Entry Gates
- The museum has two separate Entry Gates
- Turn left and walk under the Skywalk ramp to enter the Riley Children’s Health Sports Legends Experience®
- Turn right and you’ll enter the museum’s five floors of indoor fun
Summer days in Central Indiana can get pretty hot. We recommend you visit the outdoor sports area during the morning hours when the weather tends to be a little cooler.
Dining Options for Any Budget
From specialty dishes made with the freshest ingredients to quick grab-and-go snacks, we offer a variety of food options to help fuel your day.
Food Court
From a leisurely lunch to quick snacks, we offer a variety of healthy family-friendly options.- Grab & Go and Coffee & Treats stations are open 10 a.m.–5 p.m. during regular museum hours
- Other Food Court stations are open 11 a.m.–2 p.m.
- Pizza
- Chicken strips
- Burgers
- Deli sandwiches
- Treats
The Taco Experience
The Taco Experience is located in the Kohler Pavilion in the Riley Children's Health Sports Legends Experience®. Menu includes:- Tacos
- Burritos
- Quesadillas
Open 11 a.m.–3 p.m. when the outdoor sports area is open.
Celebration Square
This special space outside the Tiana's Joyful Celebration exhibit is full of flavor, music, and laid-back fun. Enjoy New Orleans inspired food and treats available for purchase, then stick around to relax by the gazebo, get a behind the scenes peek at Walt Disney Imagineering, hop on lilly pads on an interactive floor mat, and take in vibrant wall art.
Cafe is open 11 a.m.–3 p.m. every day the museum is open. Menu items include:
- Jambalaya
- Kids' Hot Dog
- King Cake Cupcake
- Lavender Lemonade
Bring Your Own
You are welcome to bring your own food to enjoy in the museum Food Court or outside in our sports area.
- Overflow seating available in the Sack Lunch area on busy days
- Coolers are allowed. Please do not carry coolers into the exhibits
- You may store your cooler in a single-use locker—available in the Welcome Center for $.75—1.25— or in your vehicle when you’re not using it; admission allows same-day entrance if you leave the museum
With every kids' meal purchased, $1 is donated to The Children's Museum.
Please note: open food and drinks are not permitted inside the exhibits.
Water stations are located inside and outside the museum, so bring a refillable water bottle.
A Museum for All Ages
At The Children's Museum of Indianapolis, we have experiences and exhibits that children of all ages will love. Be sure to check out these age-appropriate fan-favorites when you visit.
Early Childhood
These experiences are designed with our littlest visitors in mind:
- Discover the world around you in Playscape®—an exhibit for children age 5 and younger (and their families)
- Explore rocks, plants, fossils, and other items from the natural world and use science tools designed for children age 5 and younger in Discovery Lab inside the Corteva Agriscience ScienceWorks exhibit
- Create and serve a Peruvian meal in Take Me There®: Peru
- Go 'round the Carousel and pretend in playhouses in the Carousel Wishes and Dreams exhibit
- ClimbThe Children’s Museum Guild’s Fantasy Tree House of Sports in the Riley Children's Health Sports Legends Experience®
Elementary Age
Don't miss these experiences and exhibits:
- Color a dinosaur and watch it come to life on a giant screen in Dinosphere Art Lab
- Dress up like an astronaut and explore outer space in Beyond Spaceship Earth
- Drive a tractor, explore a cave, and be a hydrologist at a water table in the Corteva Agriscience ScienceWorks exhibit
- Dribble, pass, and shoot with "my-sized" equipment at the Indy Eleven Soccer Experience in the Riley Children's Health Sports Legends Experience®
Kid-friendly restrooms and diapering facilities are located on every level of the museum. A height-adjustable adult-size changing table is located in one of the Family Restrooms in Dinosphere®.
For Preteens
Be sure to visit these exhibits and experiences:
- Design a comic book character, create the next big fashion trend, and explore the history of popular culture in the American POP exhibit
- Be inspired to make a difference in The Power of Children®
- Use modern equipment and discover something new in STEMLab inside the Corteva Agriscience ScienceWorks exhibit
- Race the pedal cars in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Pedal Car Racetrack Experience outside in the Riley Children's Health Sports Legends Experience° (closed-toe shoes are required)
For Teens
Be sure to visit these exhibits and experiences:
- Discover what it takes to send people to the Moon in the Schaefer Planetarium and Space Object Theater, found inside the Beyond Spaceship Earth exhibit
- Talk to real paleontologists and see them work in Dinosphere®
- Discover something new in STEMLab located inside the Corteva Agriscience ScienceWorks exhibit
- Perfect your putt on greens inspired by Sports Legend Pete Dye in the The Pete and Alice Dye Golf Experience presented by Henry and Christine Camferdam in the Riley Children's Health Sports Legends Experience®
Daily Activities Are Included with Museum Admission
Our floor staff is our not-so-secret sauce and what makes a visit to The Children's Museum such a magical experience. Our daily calendar is chock-full of engaging and interactive activities led by our incredibly talented team. Where else can you learn a Peruvian dance, dive dep into a prehistoric sea, launch a team of astronauts to the Moon, and test your home run hitting skills all in one place? It's all right here at The Children's Museum!
Summer Daily Activities Highlights
We'll See You at The Children's Museum This Summer
With these summer break visit tips, you’re ready for a great visit—one that will leave you with a collection of memories full of joy, wonder, and curiosity. We hope this resource helps you check a major item off your list of fun things to do with kids in Indianapolis this summer, and that you return home with a heart full of lasting memories!
