One of the coolest and most unique experiences! I am so thrilled to have experienced and seen this…read morepart of American history. Elizabeth was just amazing and did a great job encapsulating the history of the jail. Thank you for a wonderful visit, my grandpa and I will always cherish it!

Best $10.00 I have spent all year. The lady running it is very knowledgable. I certainly felt…read moresomething here. I will let her explain the history as to not spoil it, but it is the only functioning one in existence. There is a small little gift shop.

We stopped here on way back home. It is okay for stop through but not really destination…read morechildren's museum. It opened pretty late at 11am on Sunday but timing was perfect for us. It is next to church so don't get confused when you follow GPS directions. Sign of the building is behind the building which can be tricky to find. First floor is science exhibits and second floor is toddler floor. We spent almost an hour and it was worth it since we have ASTC membership for free admission.

We stopped off here as a break in a long roadtrip for our 2 year old. It's about 5 miles off of…read moreI-65, but well worth the stop! He had so much fun and rocketed from one station to the other. Everything is hands on, and there is such a diversity of activities, from looking at the live animals (snakes, bearded dragon, turtles), to playing in a small kitchen, drawing, building with Legos or large foam blocks, and climbing into then sliding down a tiny rocket. The staff were all so friendly, nice, and helpful, and they went out of our way to make our experiences great! I HIGHLY recommend this to anyone who is traveling on I-65 through Indiana and needs a break for a little one!

I took my granddaughter to the Carnegie Museum in Crawfordsville because a guide told us they had…read moresome STEAM activities for kids. The building was originally the town's library that was funded by a grant from Andrew Carnegie. A modern library was built across the street and the Carnegie building became a museum. The museum is free, however they had a donation box. The layout is a little meandering, but one of the staff described the activities and exhibits. Downstairs there were several interesting activities for kids that involved simple physics and biology. She loved making music with balloons. There were other activities that she enjoyed such as making a political button. Through out the museum are local artifacts that are interesting (such as an early telephone operator's machine). There was interesting information about famous people that came from Montgomery County. Upstairs was a macabre exhibit about death rituals. There were some empty spaces in the museum and they seemed to be in transition. There is a small gift shop to help support the museum. Our visit was good. My granddaughter had some fun learning and engaging in the activities. I learned some things. The staff is friendly.

Like most small population counties, funding for saving historical items is a challenge. So, I…read moredon't hold them to the same standards for presentation and prominence as I would a larger metropolitan location. So, when I visited the Montgomery County museum, I kept in mind how it compared with other county museums like Owen County in Spencer, or Johnson County in Franklin. And so my rating, as an outsider, is for an A-OK rating. The entrance is on the ground level and as you wind your way through the exhibits, you may find a large emphasis on having the displays being kid friendly or at least, kid focused. There are some antiques and some memorials to relatively famous people from Montgomery County. Through a back stairwell, the museum has a more spacious area on the second floor. There is a room with larger display items like a telephone switchboard, a doctor's buggy, a sign from a local business, and a piano owned by a prominent local family, the Elstons. But beyond that, there is a lot of open space that seems underutilized. Maybe they have activities that require more open space, but for visitors at other times, it seems like it could be put to better use. There is a small gift shop on the lower floor and a parking lot alongside the building since street parking is pretty limited in the area. I'm guessing the appeal to locals would warrant a higher rating, but without anything to separate this collection from many others around the state, it only has limited appeal. Perhaps if there weren't several other museums/homes down the street, there would be more to display here of the county's history. Review #1389

On the east side of downtown Crawfordsville, you may notice a stretch of land on Wabash Street that…read moreis lined with large estates with beautiful old homes. A great deal of the property was once held by local business man, Isaac Elston. He and his wife raised nine children, many of whom lived along this stretch, including his daughter Joanna and her husband, Henry S Lane. Lane was a lawyer and prominent politician who was a key player in getting Abraham Lincoln nominated for President, and was actually elected Governor of Indiana with his Lieutenant Governor Oliver Morton. In those days, US Senators were appointed and since Lane knew he would become appointed Senator, led the gubernatorial ticket instead of the controversial Morton. Two days after taking office as Governor, Lane stepped down so that he could become Senator while allowing Morton to step into the Governor's position. Seems like wheeling and dealing have always been part of the American Way. Lane is known as one of the most popular founders of the Republican Party as the Whigs were losing power and elections to the Democratic Party. New life needed to be breathed into the party, so a fresh start was needed. Lane, along with others like Lincoln, was a great orator and he was able to bring people together to agree with his ideas. The Lane House/Place/Mansion/Museum (it goes by many names including Antebellum in the description) is a beautiful estate which faces Water Street, but has access from Pike Street which allows you to pull onto the driveway and walk around to the entrance. For $5, you can take a guided tour of the home and see the elaborate collections of historical and political memorabilia. It is open from March 1 to December 1, Tuesdays through Saturdays until 5 p.m. The tours are individually available so you don't have to wait until a set time to start. That allows time to ask lots of questions. So, the tour can last for well over an hour if you are curious like I was. (see website for specifics on prices and other issues.) The house started off modestly, but was added to over several phases as the family grew. The tour starts off with showing the formal entry and music parlor. The opulence is immediately apparent as you see the paintings of family members and a porcelain inlaid cabinet designed specifically for holding piano music. That room connects to the study which is filled with collections of political papers and photos that were collected by Lane. There are many historical items as well, including doctor's medical kits, and many other period items. From there, you enter the formal dining room loaded with more plates and serving specific bowls, plates, and utensils than most people could guess at. Everything had a purpose and though it may seem odd now, was expected of those wishing to maintain the highest social standing. Rounding out the rest of the first floor tour is a less formal room where the children would often play while the adults would meet in the previous rooms. Paintings of the children and a miniature tea set can be seen. Heading upstairs via a custom made stairway (Joanna was quite short in stature), the tour leads you through three bedrooms. There you will see the crib that Joanna and her eight siblings all slept in as infants. Beyond that room is the one selected by Joanna's niece Helen who became the home's owner after Joanna passed away. Helen blew through her inheritance fitting the house with more upgrades (?) and additions. The room is quite bold in appearance. The last room on the tour was the guest bedroom which includes a knocker on the door and a private balcony over looking the yard on the north side. In there, a bed of a man named Whitlock is currently being displayed. Wherever Whitlock went, he had his bed disassembled and put up where he stayed. Must have been a man of influence to make his hosts put up with that eccentricity! The house is filled with family items that boast around a 95% authenticity rating. That is one of the highest I've found in my travels. So, if you want to get a feeling for what a place looked like when the owners lived there, this should be at the top of your list! Review #1388

What a cool place! My boyfriend and I visited Newfields right when it opened at 10 a.m., and we…read morewere amazed by how much there was to explore. Admission to the gardens, Lilly House, and Newfields Art Museum was about $50, which I thought was reasonable given everything included. We ended up spending four hours there and never once felt bored! We started by walking through Oldfields-Lilly House and the surrounding gardens, which was my favorite part of the visit. The gardens made me feel like I had stepped into another world. There were paved trails, but also sections where you could wander directly through the grass and greenery. The grounds seemed to stretch on forever, with beautiful plants, fountains, statues, and nature-inspired architecture around every corner. It was incredibly peaceful and immersive, and I could have spent hours exploring the gardens alone. While walking through the grounds, we stumbled upon Lilly House and decided to go inside. Since we visited during spooky season, the entire mansion was decorated for Halloween, with each room featuring its own dramatic and elaborate theme. I have never seen anything quite like it! The decorations were incredibly detailed, and the mansion itself was stunning both inside and out. I would especially recommend visiting Newfields during the fall to experience these seasonal displays. Outside the house, the gardens featured enormous pumpkins and fun walk-through tunnels. The backyard also offered beautiful views of the Indianapolis Canal and a large pond near the famous Funky Bones sculpture. After exploring the grounds, we headed into the main art museum. The museum spans four floors, and we made our way through each one. I was pleasantly surprised by how interactive the exhibits were. In addition to learning about different artists and art forms, visitors could create their own art. There were LEGOs to build with, a station where you could design a dress on a miniature mannequin, and an area for drawing and coloring. These hands-on activities made the experience engaging, even for someone who doesn't typically gravitate toward art museums. The fourth floor requires an additional admission fee of about $6 and features Giants, Alicia Keys' art collection. The exhibit showcases a diverse range of work by nearly 40 prominent Black American, African, and African diasporic artists. It was a unique and enjoyable collection to explore, and I thought it was well worth checking out. After exploring the museum, we stopped at the on-site café for a bite to eat. I ordered the chicken salad croissant and was not disappointed! It was delicious, and the customer service was great. Our food came out in about 15 minutes, making it a convenient and enjoyable way to take a break before heading out. Overall, Newfields is a place where you could easily spend an entire day without running out of things to see or do. We spent four hours exploring the gardens, mansion, museum, and café, and the experience never felt repetitive or boring. Even though I wouldn't consider myself particularly interested in art or history, I genuinely enjoyed the visit. Between the beautiful grounds, historic architecture, seasonal Halloween displays, interactive exhibits, and café, there was something for everyone. I would absolutely recommend Newfields, even if museums aren't usually your thing. I went in with no particular expectations and left with a new appreciation for everything the museum and its grounds have to offer!

Newfields is pretty neat. There's a nice little nature trail outside where you can take a brief…read morewalk and there's a small beer garden along the trail. The space is really nice. The staff is very friendly. Admission is $25. Some of the art I dug and some I didn't, but there was a dark room with a video board ceiling that showed a video of the moon and stars on the ceiling that is captivating. I could have sat there for 15 minutes and just gazed at the ceiling. It was beautiful and peaceful.

The KOA was nice but I would not suggest going into city. I pulled out out of the parking lot to…read morerun to hardware store noticed a cop tailgating someone down the road. Then I guess it was my turn to have a cop 8ft off my bumper for mile and a half. Being a former fed I know looking for mistakes through intimidation but it is not just done randomly. You definitely want to stay out of this city if you can.

Coming from the perspective of man that spent his childhood and quite a few years of his adult life…read morehere, this small town was and still is a great place to grow up and make good friends. Referred to as "the City" by locals surrounding Montgomery County, Crawfordsville is definitely the biggest town in the county. With a population of around 15,000 that should tell you that Cville really isnt that big at all. However, plenty of small businesses have popped up along with some major industry that gives the town life. I would still estimate that most of Crawfordsvilles residents commute to other cities like Lafayette or Indianapolis for work, which both are not that far. This is what makes this town so appealing because it has a great location. The perfect little sleeper town that allows for a great setting to raise a family without the hustle and bustle of the big city. For those of you looking to move here with intentions of starting a family, there are several elementary and middle schools for younger children along with three high schools in the county to choose from. College-wise, there isnt much to choose from; however, Crawfordsville is home to Wabash College, a very prestigious all male college that is nestled right in the center of town. There is also a branch of Ivy Tech Community College in town but the classes are limited offering a small selection. As far as entertainment goes, Cville really doesnt have a whole lot to offer other than a movie theatre, live theatre, and a bowling alley along with various restaurants and nightlife establishments. Trust me it does get boring here fast but during the summer there are plenty of activities to do in the local area. There is Milligan Park which has disc golf course, a pool and baseball diamonds for public use, Sugar Creek runs right along the edge of town, the municipal golf course, and several camp grounds. You just need to look a bit harder and become a little inventive when it comes to finding fun things to do but if not, then like I said before, Lafayette and Indy arent too far away. Crawfordsville is a good community that looks after their own. If you are looking to live in a place where you can meet nice and dependable people to surround you as neighbors then I would suggest this place. It is truly the Athens of Indiana.

My husband and I recently had the opportunity to attend a concert here. It was One Night of Queen…read morePerformed by Gary Mullen and The Works. We were hosted by Ally Financial and they had several tables down in what I would consider to be the "VIP" area. The show was really good, but what I liked best about the entire experience is that you could bring in your own food and beverages. No matter where you were seated on the lawn, you could bring in a cooler, pizza, take-out, deli sandwiches...whatever you like. Some folks had really nice set-ups, and others arrived with nothing more than a folded lawn chair under their arm. Children ran free and folks made their way up to the dance floor positioned directly in front of the stage. I look forward to returning again in the future. It was really nice. Beware of the dragonflies. They were the size of my hand!

A Disappointing Visit for Adult Visitors As a former…read morevolunteer who hasn't visited since before COVID, I was eager to return on a glorious autumn day to see what was new at Conner Prairie. Unfortunately, at $25 per person, I left feeling that there are much better ways to spend your money. The New Welcome Center: Significant funds appear to have gone into the main entrance building, but the primary result seems to be an oversized gift shop with a lot of unused, empty space. Additionally, the second floor did not appear easily accessible. Shrinking Access: Our visit was essentially limited to the 1836 Prairietown. While Junction Town (Civil War Journey) used to be an engaging part of the experience, a beautiful historic home in that area is now cordoned off and reserved for staff only, which was quite a letdown. Shift in Focus: The museum has clearly pivoted toward catering almost exclusively to school field trips and young children rather than adult visitors. With major preparations underway for the Headless Horseman exhibit--which is strictly geared toward kids--there is very little left to appeal to an adult audience. We arrived at 1:30 hoping that there would be food service available at the outdoor café, but it was completely closed. The Verdict: If you are planning a family outing with young children, it may be worth the trip. However, if you are an adult planning to visit with another adult, I would skip it and save your time and money. This visit will likely be my last.

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.

The Haan Museum houses the largest collection of Indiana art in the world. Most of it is inside a…read morehistoric mansion that was originally built for the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, but some art work is dotted around the garden outside. The museum features paintings, Indiana ceramics, sculptures and antique American furniture. Visitors can explore rotating exhibitions with a guided or self-guided tour Wednesdays through Saturdays. Outside, the sculpture garden provides a peaceful space for reflection and creativity. I took a guided tour, and it was about an hour. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable about the collection, and provided us with details about every single thing. Who knew that I'd find information about a bed frame interesting? After the tour, we were encouraged to spend some time checking out the garden, which has a lot of artwork and pretty plants and flowers everywhere. It was nice to sit on one of the benches and take in the beautiful scenery in the garden.

My husband and I went to the Haan Mansion Museum of Indiana Art on a day when the mansion was…read moreclosed. It was the only time that we could fit it into our schedule. Why bother visiting if the mansion is closed, you ask. There is a cute sculpture garden behind the mansion that is open even when the mansion is closed. There are close to 30 sculptures. It is really fun to take a walk through the garden and see the statues. It will give you something to talk about and plenty of photo opportunities. If the outside is this fun, I can't wait to see the inside!