Indianapolis, Indiana – a city renowned for its Colts football team and the iconic Indy 500. However, if you’re a mom, there’s another reason that puts Indianapolis on the map – it’s home to the world’s largest children’s museum!
Yes, you heard it right – the world’s largest children’s museum is right here in Indianapolis. The sheer magnitude of this place is mind-boggling; it’s not just a museum, it’s an adventure that could easily span days. For parents in Indianapolis, especially those with kids, visiting this museum is an absolute must!
Prepare to be amazed as you delve into the colossal Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. To ensure your visit is nothing short of fantastic, I’ve compiled all the essential tips for navigating and enjoying this gigantic children’s wonderland. Get ready for a day filled with excitement and exploration at the largest children’s museum on the planet!
General Information:
Location: 3000 N Meridian St, Indianapolis, IN 46208
Hours: Tues-Sun 10am-5pm, CLOSED MONDAY
Admission: price varies per day minimum prices starting at $24.50
Tips:
- Purchase tickets at least 2 weeks in advance. You get 20% off if you buy your tickets 2 weeks in advance, online.
- Eat a big breakfast! You will use a lot of energy and food is SO expensive at the museum!
- Get there before it opens to get a good parking spot, also this thing is huge. It will take all day to properly experience all of it!
- Dress everyone in your group/family in the same color. This museum gets so busy and there are kids everywhere!
- Plan on going in when the outdoor area is open.
- Bring your own lunch! The food is so expensive!!
- There are FREE days! So if you are on a tight budget these are the best days to go!
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Pros:
- It is a super educational experience for kids!
- Everything is decorated really cool and according to theme.
- Our favorite exhibits:
Travel The World: Greece
Take a seat in a giant plane, once you walk off you are in Greece….sorta! Walk through the markets and learn about pressing olives, fish off a fishing boat, and pretend to cook up some pastries and Greek food!
American POP
Ninja turtles, batman, superman, and even spiderman hanging from the ceiling await you in the American POP exhibit. In this exhibit you can create your own comic book cover, get nostalgic over old toys, and embrace your inner fashion designer and create your own dress.
Carousel Wishes and Dreams
On the top floor there is a room with a giant carousel in it! Of course there is also a blacklight maze, puzzles, videogames, and a large play village area. This was the most kid friendly section of the whole museum!
Main Entrance
You know you made it to the the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis when you see the dinosaurs breaking out of the building and the large Brachiosaurus’s looking through the roof. It gets even more amazing as you walk through and see all the mini exhibits they have set up!
Fireworks Of Glass
My favorite exhibit in the entire Children’s Museum of Indianapolis is the 3,200 stunning pieces of blown glass that are built up 5 stories. The staircase that takes you to each new floor wraps around the entire exhibit, but the coolest part is that you can go under this art piece.
Dinosphere
Who doesn’t love dinosaurs!? Walk through a forest of giant dinosaur bones. Learn more about how these dinos hunt and lived. Watch real paleontologists work on real dinosaur bones. Dig for bones and watch clips about what makes dinosaurs so cool!
Cons:
- It is too big! I know people usually complain that things aren’t big enough, but this thing is so big you will not be able to visit it all in a day. At least not fully enjoying everything.
- It is more of a museum than a children’s museum. A lot of the exhibits have a really cool set up, but there isn’t much to do other than look. Kids love to play, so with the majority of the activities just looking, it’s not as fun. It is more of a museum for children and not a children’s museum.
- Almost all of the fake food areas didn’t actually have the food. It was mostly just laminate pictures of food. We have more fun play cooking at home than we did here.
- There were SO many people! We visited in the off season when the outside area is closed, so the less busy time of year. It was still SO busy!
- There are a couple dig pits, that you cannot even dig in. The kids can pretend to brush dirt (or turf), but it doesn’t actually move anything. Kinda takes the thrill out of the digging experience.
- This is more for ages 4+, not really exciting for under that age group.
My Final Thoughts On Children’s Museum Of Indianapolis:
Discover a children’s museum like no other! This expansive museum seems to stretch endlessly, surprising visitors with additional floors that seemingly appear out of nowhere. Boasting the title of the world’s largest children’s museum, it’s a place of grand proportions.
However, size doesn’t always equate to the best experience. While I appreciated the exhibits, I couldn’t help but notice that this museum differed from others I’ve visited in terms of its focus on children. The exhibits were undeniably well-designed, but the activities seemed more geared towards education than pure play.
My kids, eager for interactive fun, found themselves wanting to skip several rooms as they primarily housed artifacts with limited play opportunities. Their enthusiasm peaked in the sections featuring a colossal slide from the second floor to the first and a gigantic water table – classic and enjoyable kid-friendly play areas.
While our visit was enjoyable, I must admit that I don’t feel the urge to return. It’s undeniably an impressive museum, but the balance between education and entertainment might not align with every family’s expectations. Nonetheless, I encourage you to experience it for yourself, as it’s an awe-inspiring place that undoubtedly leaves a lasting impression.
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