One of the most interesting tours I have heard, and I knew little about engines before I went. The…read moretour was led by two gentlemen who worked for Rolls Royce. Their knowledge, great stories, and enthusiasm really made the tour. My dad and brother love engines and had lots of questions the guides happily answered. My mom and I know less, but the guides were great about taking the conversation up a level that made the presentation very understandable and fascinating to us. I enjoyed learning about the history of Rolls Royce and Allison, and the evolution of engineering the guides illustrated using engines they have collected and restored. This a great tour for anyone who loves to learn. If you enjoy engines (car or plane), don't miss it.

Excellent little museum at the Rolls/Allison headquarters. Sign in at the front desk. I got there…read morejust before 9 so I had to wait a few minutes, but there are magazines and books in the lobby, comfy chairs, and a few aircraft models. There's a small company store, sadly closed on the day I went. The museum covers the history of Allison very well, and the later merger with RR. Mostly Allison engines on display, a few RR. Models on top of each engine depict the aircraft that used it. Some engines are cutaway; one or two are operable with the push of a button. A few artifacts from the factories, and information about the other products they've produced. Towards the back are spacecraft parts; I did not know Allison was involved with that. Of course, not being an Indy native, I didn't know about his connection to the Speedway, or Prestolite, etc. All well-organized, brightly lit, lovingly cared for. And free. If you are anywhere nearby, this is worth a visit. If you are an aviation buff, get yourself here however far away you are.

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.

If you're looking for a relaxing outdoor space to have a picnic or practice some yoga yet stay in…read morean urban area--this could be a good option. It's pretty and green in the spring with a lovely pond and bright red bridge. There were tons of people there today though as it was the second annual Japan Spring Festival and very crowded. I would go back on a week day for a more tranquil experience.

STUNNING. We took prom photos there, and it made for an incredible backdrop for the kids. We will…read morealso be doing my son's senior pictures here. I am not sure how busy it normally is, but it was packed on prom night!

This is a place that I have only seen on the outside during the Irvington ghost tour. I recently…read morehad the chance to actually visit the inside. What a beautiful building! Located in beautiful historic Irvington you can find the Irvington historical society, located in the Bona Thompson center. The building was actually a part of the original Butler University. It's large and historic, and I think they have kept a lot of the original building in tact. On the inside there are a lot of interesting exhibits, one is on military tattoos which show a lot of pictures of different people with tattoos and the meanings behind them. As well as a lot of older camera parts. There's also some vintage Butler items on display as well. In the basement holds some other displays as well, one on tractors and engines and then one on the angels of west baden springs. All very interesting things! It's worth a visit to check out and lean different things about local and state history!

After hearing from a couple people that I should check out Irvington's Historical Society, I…read morefinally aligned my schedule to be on the east side on a Wednesday afternoon (weekends seem too busy). After parking in the small lot on the north side of the building, I climbed the steps to the entrance and entered the museum. In the central lobby, there are some permanently displayed items including a recreation of the Butler College campus while it was in Irvington circa 1914 and a portrait of one of the area's most influential residents, Bona Thompson. There are exhibit rooms on the left and right and a stairway that leads to more permanent displays which are in various stages of development. The display on the south end was a mixture of photography (antique cameras) and photos of Military tattoos that current college students volunteered to share. The display on the north end was a timeline of the more notable houses in the neighborhood. They were arranged in chronological order of being built with photos, paintings, and sometimes, schematics of the houses. There were narratives about who the people were that built and/or lived in the houses. To make it more interesting, the running timeline shows events outside of Irvington to use as a point of reference to the dates of the homes. Upstairs was an assortment of local artists' work on the stairwell walls, an "Abe Martin" collection of art/stories by Kin Hubbard who lived in Irvington, some military items, memorabilia from Butler College, and a depot/telegraph office room circa 1898. The admission is free, but donations are accepted in the lobby. Exhibits in the wings change out after a couple months and I was invited to come to the Ice Cream Social Aug 4th (one of the Society's most popular events.) This is a nice example of a neighborhood maintaining its history in spite of all the changes that occur. If you have an interest in anything related to the east side, this should be your first stop! Review #2685

I had a great time exploring the State Museum today. The staff were so friendly and knowledgeable…read more The exhibits have plenty of interactives along with in depth history of Indiana. The cafe has delicious food!

Museum was very busy today which was to be expected but the exhibitors didn't really seem to care…read moreto even be here today. Glad we got a group discount and my kids had a good time for what it was but would have enjoyed some better interactions from the exhibitors.

I highly recommend checking out the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum! And you don't have to be a…read moreracing or car enthusiast to enjoy it either! You know you've arrived when you spot the massive Indianapolis Motor Speedway track surrounding the museum. We got lucky and were able to watch some cars practicing on the track, which made the experience even more exciting! The museum itself is three floors filled with incredible history, cars, and memorabilia. Our favorite parts were seeing the evolution of the helmets and getting to look at all the different racing helmets and outfits up close! They also have an interactive area that makes the experience even more fun! Timed admission tickets were easy to purchase online through their website before our arrival, and we easily spent a good two hours here. Definitely a must see when visiting Indiana!

This was easily the most recommended thing to me from both robots and people's blogs…read more People assured me that yes you will like it even if you don't like racing. I am a car guy. I drive a corvette.... This was the lamest tour/museum I have ever done. It's just cars and helmets and trophies and a whole section on BA Jeff Gordon. I paid the extra $15 for the lamest bus tour ever to a Disneyland style take a pic and pay on the podium. The tour guide repeated himself 3-4 times including saying 2nd place is first loser twice which yikes 08 called and wants it phrase back. Save the time and money. This place sucks ass.

This place is a hidden gym. It is tucked away in the heart of downtown Indy. With being downtown,…read moreit adopts all of the parking woes that comes with a downtown business. There are parking garages and metered parking available, if you can find it . If you have your choice of the 2, you will come out a lot cheaper. The place is located downstairs in the Panera Bread building. If you are not paying attention, you will miss it. Masks are required by all visitors, even kids. But don't worry, if you forgot or don't have one, they have some available for you. The staff here is very friendly and helpful. So after you get there and pay your admission they give you a bag with a couple of pair of drum sticks and mallets to play the instruments in the place. The bag also contains some very valuable items, ear plugs. They are worth the price of admission alone. Just kidding the place really did not get that loud while I was there. The place has many percussion instruments that can be played by visitors including a traditional drum set, an electric drum set, congos, xylophones, chimes, timpanis, tamborines, cow bells, wood blocks, marimba, and a gong. The self guided tour starts with a huge wall mounted bass drum. If you hit it and stand near it you can feel the waves go through your body. In addition to all of the interactive instruments, they have displays, videos and information boards throughout the place. They also have two sound rooms with drum sets and other instruments that you can experiment with sound in different type of venues. This place is really a fun place to learn. This fully interactive place teaches children about percussion instruments and gives them the opportunity to try them out. It also turns a grown up to a kid wanting to jam out. The museum is kind of small and we were able to thoroughly go through the place in about an hour. The tour ends, where most do....in the gift shop. My little had such a good time that we could not leave there empty handed. So I got a kazoo (what was I thinking) and a shape drum ( again, what was I thinking). Anyway, this a great fun and either an introduction to percussion instruments or just plain fun for percussion enthusiasts. It is definitely worth a visit and is a must see.

I took my toddlers here to give them an opportunity to play some music. There were lots of drums…read moreand different musical instruments. We came on a great day because there was hardly anyone there. I like how you can even practice inside your own private room while there. There was lots of signage to keep you informed on what kind of musical instruments you were playing and it was kind of like a museum of musical instruments. It was a great time although my toddlers lasted all of about an hour here smh. Older kids would probably play the instruments for much longer than mine did. I would definitely come back but maybe next time with my niece and nephew who are older.

Oldfields is one of my favorite spots to visit in Indianapolis. I visit a couple times each year,…read morebut my favorite time to visit is during the Christmas season when the mansion is decorated for the holidays. Oldfields was designed by noted architect, Lewis K. Davis, in 1910 for the family of Hugh Landon, an executive of Fletcher Trust. The Landon family lived in the house from 1913-1932, when the house was sold to J. Lilly, Jr. the Lillys donated the property to the Arts Association of Indianapolis in 1966, where it became part of the present day Newfields Art Museum. All this information is summarized in detail on placards in the basement of the home. The home is huge, of course, and has been restored and maintained to its 1913 glory. I like to imagine living in the home during the early days. There is a music room, library (built by Lilly), dining room, pantry, kitchen. The upstairs bedrooms are not opened to the public. Downstairs there is a billiards room and carriage house. Information about each room is described on small boards. Paintings of a young Ruth Lilly, adorn several walls. The back of the house overlooks the White River. Gardens surround the mansion and make a delightful springtime stroll. During Winterlights, the front grounds are filled with Christmas lights that dance to the music of the Indianapolis Symphony. In the basement, there is a small gift shop that sells the "shirt" and seasonal gifts. Admission to the museum (or Winterlights) includes a self guided walking tour of the mansion. The home is definitely worth a visit.

Oldfields - Lilly House & Gardens at Newfields. The gardens, 26-acre grounds, and the mansion are…read morebreathtaking! I recommend watching the history movie in the theater in the basement as it will take you through the history and then tour the house. Definitely a must see when in the area and at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. All the names are kind of confusing. Oldfields is the Lilly House and Gardens that is at Newfields which houses the estate, The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park, the Beer Garden, and the Indianapolis Museum of Art all worth checking out and make for such a wonderful experience.