The museum at Earlham College has an amazing collection of fossils and artifacts. The museum is…read morefree and open to the public. It is usually only opened in the afternoons. Although small, they have a complete allosaurus, mastodon, giant sloth, giant beaver and much, much more. You can get close up to the exhibits. They also have a great display of Ordovician fossils with descriptions. You can find many birds and other small mammal specimens native to Indiana. The staff is knowledgable and friendly. They offer tours and programs for kids as well. Nicole was our guide and she was engaged and had a passion for the museum. They have a small gift shop with educational items. If you pass through Richmond, Indiana, this needs to be in your to do list. What a great experience and opportunity to see world class specimens.

Absolutely worth the visit! My children were pulled into the portions of the exhibit that are hands…read moreon! It can seem quick at a child's speed of looking through the exhibits. I think every corner is utilized in a learning experience. They have reptiles too! Something worth looking into are the 'trail talks' the museum offers during warmer weather. My kids will not stop talking about the fossils they collected while on a trail talk lead by two Earlham students. So much fun, but worth wearing the right gear and packing water. *Yes, you do need to wear a mask and show your vaccination card to enter the museum. It is on campus, and therefore abides by protocol of trying to keep campus as safe as possible for everyone.

Came to see the solar eclipse and just happened to find out the observatory was hosting a viewing…read more We set up a little place on the lawn and the event was so fun with so many other people. Super informative and made me appreciate what was happening while it was happening. I didn't know what to expect, but there was someone to guide us through the entire experience--letting us know what we were seeing, what to notice, when to keep our glasses on and when it was safe to remove them. 10/10 experience. So cool. There were telescopes to look through and stations set up where kids could color. And assistants to answer questions or tell us more about eclipses. TL;DR i'm starstruck. Super cool stuff happening here & very informative in an accessible way.

This is an amazing place for children and adults alike. Now I still have not mastered parking here…read moreon the Butler campus, but a guess when I park in one of the permit areas, my prayers have been answered and I have not been ticketed or towed (knock on wood). I visited here on one of their open house nights as part of a girl scout troop trip. The staff was very friendly, energetic, enthusiastic and showed a real passion for astronomy. The open house is in 2 parts. The first part is the movie in the planetarium. The theater is very nice, but also very small and fills up quickly. The movie they showed was awesome and gave the background on the US versus Russia space race and some information on the moon landing and space station. It was well put together and very informational. My little and I really enjoyed it. They followed the up with a simulation of the Indiana night sky and an explanation of some constellations and the origins of the Orion constellation. The second part was actually going up to the observatory and look through the huge telescope. It was a line, but moves at a steady pace. I would say I waited about 30 minutes or so. It was nice to look through the telescope and see specific constellations. They moved the telescope to see different stars and planets throughout the moving of the line. Luckily, it was a clear night and we were able to see a lot That is not always the case so I would check it out before I go. Some people would double back in the line, cutting offf some people that have not viewed yet to see the telescope again after it had been moved and out on a new star or planet. I think once you viewed, you should have to go all the way to the back of teh line and get a second viewing after everyone has had attest one. But, that is just my opinion. I highly recommend getting here early because they sell out quick and you may be offered a later showing, at best. Part of my group was a little late and werer told that they could come back at 9PM. They decided to just go home as that was a bit late for them and their little. The inside of the observatory has a lot of symbolism and meaning which was explained during our tour. They had a small telescope set up outside on the front walkway that were are able to see a very clear image of the moon. It was amazing. The place is available to be rented out for groups, at a very reasonable price, but you will not get to see the telescope because available rental times are during the daylight hours. I recommend checking this place out. It is as fun as it is educational. I was like a big kid here.

I've been to two Moonlight events and will go back for future ones as well!…read more Is so nice to see everyone dressed up in themes and having fun like kids again! The food and drinks are always a hit! I love the small bites and samples of food and trying new places I might not have otherwise. The event is a fund raiser for a good cause so that makes it even better! Each year the theme is different. One event was roaring 20s and the next was enchantment. Nice thing is that you can do as little or as much as you want with the theme. I've seen people go all the way into a character and people dress casually. The only sore spot is when a place runs out of food. Especially early in the evening and you didn't get a chance to try. But there are so many spots to sample and also tons of games and activities and photo ops all around.

A time was had!…read more Museum by Moonlight at the Children's Museum is such fun! If you're a kid at heart this is the place you want to be! The fun ranges from getting to play with all of the interactive activities at the museum, to exploring the exhibits child free, and having a nice cocktail and giggling with your friends while you walk around and reminisce. There are yummy snacks to sample from local eateries and you will love moving from Florida floor enjoying each of the unique treats. And don't forget - the DJ keeps the party going all night, so be sure to bring your dancing shoes!

The The Children's Museum of Indianapolis absolutely lives up to the hype. We arrived right when it…read moreopened and stayed as long as we could before naptime, but honestly we could have spent the entire day there. The parking is extremely easy and you are also able to rent a stroller pretty cheaply there which is a plus. Our kids especially loved the space exhibit and the exhibit (on the top floor I believe) that showcases a lot of the nature surrounding Indiana. There's so much to explore and everything feels thoughtfully designed for kids to really interact and play, not just look. Even moving through with little ones felt manageable because there are so many engaging areas to stop and explore. If you have young kids and are in Indianapolis, this is an easy five-star outing. We're already looking forward to going back.

One of largest children's museum. Many floors and sections to explore. It has Dinosphere,…read morespace/earth, power of children (Ann Frank, Malala etc), Egyptian discovery and more. Carousel is on the top floor (separated tix). It's a Historic Landmark originally located at White City Amusement Park (Broad Ripple Park) from the segregation era. Strong history going behind that wheel. You can easily spend a whole day there. Many hands on activities. Benches around for adults. Bathroom is clean. I definitely have a great time as well as my kid. Free parking lot. Highly recommend to get the tix online (extra $1 fee). Highly recommend to stop by if you are in the area.

This place is a gem of a find! My friend got tickets from a silent auction and I went along with…read moreher. They do have private parking, but the lot is small and it was surprisingly busy on a Saturday afternoon! We checked in and chose the audio option and also a one page scavenger hunt for each room, which helped to dig into the houses a bit more. I was shocked at the level of detail! So much love and work went into these houses. I was in awe of some of the work completed in them. I definitely had my favorite! You can also buy all sorts of pieces to work on your own house too. My friend is redoing her childhood house for her niece so it was a great way to get the creative juices flowing. Definitely something to check out!

This place was so interesting! Walking in you are immediately greeted by staff who asked if we…read morewanted to do a scavenger hunt between our group of friends or if we just wanted to walk around. We chose scavenger hunt and at the end got a prize of our choosing (something miniature). The entire place is pretty antique. Very detailed mini houses with their own theme are in each room. You really have to come here with time on your hands to be able to really look at each house and the intricacies it has. There are small figurines and some of these houses I know sure took so much time!! Not only to plan but to collect the individual pieces to go along with it. Very cool. If you ever have time to visit- I highly recommend you do.

Filled out their on line request for dates for a home school group to attend the facility, I was…read morecharged twice for their 50$ non refundable deposit, had to go to my bank and fill out forms to get half of that back. I am still out 50$ and nobody has responded to multiple phone calls or email. Still not dates set. Clearly this place is a scam.

Space: The Final Frontier...conveniently brought to you in the comfort of your chair inside Drake…read morePlanetarium. A staple of Cincinnati since 1982, Drake Planetarium puts on weekly galaxy shows and laser shows on the weekend. Tucked away inside the fourth floor of Norwood High School, this large room can accommodate up to 70 visitors per show and is great for science nerds young and old. Galaxy shows take place on Sunday afternoons, but the biggest draw, the laser shows, are offered every Friday and Saturday night. Three, hour-long shows are offered, each of a different theme. - Laser Beatles, Laser Retro, and Laser Vinyl - Holiday Skies, Laser Metallica, and Laser Zeppelin - Laser Pink Floyd "Dark Side" and "The Wall" These combinations rotate frequently, so be sure to check the schedule for your show. Or make an evening of it and watch all three shows back-to-back. http://www.drakeplanetarium.org/Family/spec_events.html Expect more from the laser shows than zig-zagging lights. Animated images are projected onto the dome that move along with the lyrics in the music. Pretty cool! If you're looking for a night out with space and laser geekery, blast off with Drake Planetarium! Cost per person: $10.00

Found this place on Groupon which k always check when I'm in a new place. It was $14 for two people…read moreso why not? I will say if you are a big science lover this one is not for you. There are a lot of kid activities but unless it gets updated one visit will be enough. I think it has potential to be great but there are about half of the items that were broken or stuff out that shouldn't be out, areas not closed off. There were a few cool things but i definitely wouldn't go back unless it was updated.

Science Central is ASTC reciprocal. I was able to use my membership from another state. Children…read moretwo years old and under are free. They have a great toddler section. The planetarium is new with a personalized tour!

We have drove past this place 1000 times. Today was the day we stopped in. So happy that we did…read morethis. Our family lives right here local in the area and we were down for a visit. The staff inside is extremely friendly and everyone made us feel entirely welcome. No pictures from the inside, you guys gotta come and see this for yourself. They have everything displayed so wonderfully and you learn a lot here. The gift shop is also spectacular and there is something for everyone. Definitely a must go.

After 25 years of driving by this place while on business trips in Ohio, I finally had a chance to…read morecheck it out family trip to Columbus. This is truly a wonderful collection of historical artifacts and a very well presented bit of history on the 1950s and 60s era NASA space program. It is clear that the curator at the museum have great reference for their subject and do their best to present as many interesting facets of his life as possible. The museum can very easily be seen in an hour if you're pressed for time, if you're the sort that likes to read every placard and absorb every detail you could probably stretch it to around 2 1/2 hours without much effort. I was particularly tickled to have a chance to see moon rocks up close, which is not something you get to see in too many places. Finding astronaut ice cream for sale at a reasonable price in the gift shop completed the experience. I don't think I have a reason to come back personally, but I definitely encourage you to check this place out

Came on a weekday during Christmas break. Packed with kids, so maybe try an off time…read more Medium-sized children's/science museum, loads of activities and displays. Aimed at single-digits ages, and Kid K felt a little old I think. She found stuff to do, but a quieter day with not so many little kids would have been more fun for her. Still, she did some of the science things, and we went to the indoor zoo- very cool, very cute, very clean. They had a few scheduled special activities during the day but we missed them. There were a lot of staff around helping and keeping an eye on things, which is always good. Multiple discounts, so check for those. Prices are reasonable even without them. Parking was packed on a busy day, but we found a spot. It's in a big park so no other crowded places nearby. A great draw for the area.

I haven't been here in years! We used to bring the kids here for the playground but the entire…read moremuseum is super cool. Lots of spaces to wander thru, lots of eye catching displays to keep you entertained and elevate use of your brain. The waterway is one of may favorite parts of the museum and glad it's still up and running 20+ years later. We actually went to watch the Mesmerica 360 show in the dome theater. That was rather mundane to me but that's not the fault of the museum. My biggest peeve of the visit was seeing the us flag was still being masted when it is in tatters. I posted in my 'check in' and I will post again here in my review that it's time to retire this flag and replace with a fresh replacement. Whomever is in charge of the grounds here should be embarrassed. Please do better.