Childrens Museum of Indianapolis: made for kids, designed for excitement
Published: Mar 4, 2009
What kid could ever turn down a visit to one of the world’s largest dinosaur exhibits? Or a planetarium and theatre specifically designed for children? Or a castle made completely out of LEGO logs? The Childrens Museum of Indianapolis provides kids of all ages -- adult kids too -- with an exceptionally memorable experience in the Hoosier capital.
The largest childrens museum by far in the nation, this 400,000-square-foot extravaganza accommodates 11 major exhibit areas and has featured hundreds of different demonstrations for youth throughout its 80-year history.
Located just a few miles north of downtown, the Childrens Museum has grown rapidly since 1976, when several additions were made, including the Welcome Center, offering a grand entrance to visitors year-round. A 310-seat CineDome theater oopened in the mid-1990s.
The museum's domed roof and pitched angle have made it one of the city’s most architecturally distinctive buildings. In 2004, the museum's largest combination renovation/expansion ever opened to the public and now features “Dinosphere: Now You're In Their World,” described by the New York Times as “the most distinctive dinosaur exhibit for kids in the world.”
Among a myriad of other features:
- “All Aboard!” – a Victorian railway depot, including a 19th-century locomotive and tool car;
- “SpaceQuest” planetarium – a 130-seat theater featuring a dizzying array of programs about the known universe;
- Lilly Theater, a 350-seat performing arts venue, and the only live theater in Indianapolis constructed specifically for children. The planetarium and the theatre are free with museum admission; and
- The Carousel Gallery, which a maze of mirrors, games and puzzles arcade, and one of the few authentic turn-of-the-century carousels still in existence.
There are dozens of special exhibits moving in and out of the childrens museum all the time. Through May, for example, visitors can construct castles out of LEGO logs, learn about real-world castles and their unique architectural secrets, and design their own unique LEGO structures.
If you're visiting from March through September, the museum is open daily, but if it's during one of the off-peak months, make sure to check in advance to ensure the facility is open.
- by Jim Brown , Indianapolis Reporter for HelloMetro
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