What a fun place on a holiday with kids! It was crazy as it was free and a school holiday, but they had a ton of fun interactive events and booths for the kids. Our gang especially loved the rock painting and IMAX movie. We love that they also have a special reserved spot for eating or snacks. We brought our lunch so we're able to spend the whole day there and enjoy all the various activities. It is a big place so you can entertain lots of ages. We will be back! read more

Indiana State Museum - Museums Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

The Indiana State Museum is a fabulous venue that archives state treasures and educates the public about State history and resources. I take my granddaughters a couple times a year to visit the mastodons and mammoths, Indiana fossils, and other exhibits. Today, we visited Santa's house and rode the Snowfall Express Christmas Train. The fun ride takes the kids through an imaginary winter wonderland. Before the ride, Kid's can play with hands-on puzzles. Santa and Mrs. Claus invited the kids into their home and talk about their wishes. Parents could take photos or purchase Museum generated photos. (I did both.) Afterward, the kids enjoyed an interactive area on the first floor of the museum. The kids managed a sound track, made shadows behind a light screen and much more. They played (and learned) for over an hour. We had lunch in the Cafe. We get a 10% discount with our Museum membership. The food is good and reasonably priced. The staff is super friendly. Indoor parking in the garage is discounted for members. We go to all of the Museum's special events. We never miss GeoFest in February. read more

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My husband and I had a lovely time today exploring the museum, its exhibits and the holiday-themed experiences. We spent over 2 hours there, but I wished that I'd allotted more time to this portion of our day. We barely scratched the surface in regard to viewing all of the exhibits and interactive experiences. Everything was beautifully decorated for the holidays and the "holiday cheer" was palpable. The staff were all extremely kind and helpful, except for the parking garage attendant. In all fairness, I did not realize that it was my responsibility to request a parking validation voucher. I just read on the website that a discount was given if you made a purchase at the Indiana Shop, which we did. I showed the attendant the receipt but was told that nothing could be done without the voucher. We look forward to returning again soon to explore more of the museum. read more

Indiana State Museum - Snowfall Express - Museums Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

I love a museum! I was lucky to receive a family four pass so I was able to take the whole family to check it out. I use to come here a lot more as a kid so I haven't been in years. It was cool to see what has changed. My favorite area was the Natural History. Some of the other areas are not for me but very guided to kids such as Cats and Dogs. My son enjoyed the interactive areas. They do validate your parking in the garage. The staff were nice and helpful. read more

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I had the best time at the Indiana State Museum IMAX theater last night. It's so clean and well laid out with the best part was getting to see Elvis and it seemed like it was live. The sound was great and there wasn't a seat in the house where you couldn't see everything in front of you. I actually need to go back and see the museum because a lot of kids were running around with construction hats on, so I wondered what that was all about, but I heard there might be some dinosaurs in the building! read more

Indiana State Museum - My night with Elvis was "Epic" - Museums Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

What an awesome place to go and learn or just refresh yourself about this state. I enjoyed it here but children, kids, teens, and young adults would love this too. So much to see here . I would plan on spending at least an hour plus. I'll be back sooner than later as I did not spend enough time here. lol $20 per visit or you can grab a annual pass for the year. read more

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I visit the Indiana State Museum atleast once per year. I really enjoy exploring the temporary exhibits that they create each year. This is an ideal outing for families. There is so much to do all year round to keep children and adults entertained. Aside from the exhibits there are multiple craft stations, events, and other interactive activities for all ages. If you are a Indiana student, it is $5 to enter. There are also other discounts depending on the day. read more

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Came here recently to see the Flowers Forever exhibit. It featured clothing, paintings, flower arranging station and even station to make your own digital flower. read more

This is the best adult museum (as in other than the children's museum) in the city. It's very historically rich and you could get lost learning all day in here. read more

Here with a 12-year old friend and I loved it as much as he did. I love that the exhibits are SO interactive. The exhibits make history accessible to children and adults. There are lots of characters for the kids! There's also an area specifically for younger children. read more

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A really enjoyable experience overall! The Indiana State Museum has a great mix of exhibits that cover state history, culture, science, and art, all presented in a clean, modern space. Everything is well laid out, and it's easy to spend a couple of hours exploring without feeling rushed. The staff were friendly and helpful, and I appreciated how organized everything felt -- it's exactly what you'd hope for in a good state museum. I also love that they offer student discounts, which is always a nice bonus! Plus, the location is perfect, sitting right off the Canal Walk, which makes it easy to combine a museum visit with a relaxing stroll afterward. Nothing flashy or over the top, but it delivers exactly what it should -- a solid, informative, and enjoyable visit. read more

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Lots of nice exhibits. Not too crowded for a weekend with an event outside. Plenty of parking.

Lots of Indiana history to explore. I really enjoyed the tribute room with all the well-known famous people who hail from Indiana. The holiday windows display from the old Ayres building brought back some childhood memories. Interactive kid activities and holiday events going on. Home of the IMAX theatre and great underground parking. Farmers Market Cafe and LS Ayres tea room (seasonal) for food. Unique souvenirs in the gift shop. Admission $20, $18 for seniors, $14 youth, College students $5, under 3 free. Closed Monday and Tuesday. Staff are helpful and friendly! read more

This is a great museum to visit when and if you are in the area! They have stuff for everyone to see and it also has a movie theater! Great exhibits on the history of Indiana! read more

Interesting and well designed. I have been here twice during the Christmas season. Both times the Santa Claus has been very authentic and friendly. The museum has nice, historical exhibits representing the counties and history of the early settlers of Indiana and the products and creations Indiana is known for. The group I was with have been lucky enough to see a children's choir perform Christmas music while there. There are many interactive exhibits to enjoy also. read more

Indiana State Museum - Museums Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

I always enjoy going to the museum but this week we were looking for something to entertain a 4 year old. ISM is perfect. Plenty of exhibits and events the whole family will love. Check their event's schedule ahead of time as they always have something fun for kids. This time they had easels set up so the kids could draw whatever they wanted. They also had an area where the kids could crate their own wind spinners. All the staff were great with the kids and kept them interested. We had lunch at the Farmers Market Cafe and I was pleasantly surprised by how good it is. Good basics for kids and nice choices for adults. Salads, sandwiches, wraps and desserts. I can recommend the Farmers Salad with Brie as well as the Club Sandwich which was huge. The PB&J was a hit too. Add a walk along the canal outside and everyone will leave happy. read more

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Nice space but absolutely nothing worth paying to see. Perhaps people just pay to get out of the heat. So much wasted space. Extremely expensive for the experience. We were bored in 10 minutes. Disturbing how Indiana's history with the KKK was glossed over. Should be free or at the most $5. Very nice and helpful employees though. read more

Cute little museum; it took about 2 hours to walk through all of the exhibits. On the day of my visit, general admission was $20. There is underground parking right at the entrance. Of course, be prepared for field trips and annoying kids running around. I found the exhibits interesting and learned about the history of Indiana. read more

The Indiana State museum is a great museum for the whole family to visit. This trip, there were a ton of families visiting in addition to a class on a field trip. There were also a couple groups of older ladies who looked like they were meeting for a holiday party. While I didn't tour the exhibits this time, I did dine at the L.S. Ayres tea room recreation that is open November and December. I actually used to be an intern at the museum several years ago so it's been on my list for a while to go to the tea room. It was a really unique experience. Parking is quick and easy in the shared underground garage for White River State Park. The garage leads right into the museum. read more

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Took the kids to ride the holiday train. There were little play stations in the middle of the room where you wait in line for train. What a brilliant idea. The kids get to play while the grown up waits and the line circles the play area so you can see the kids the whole time. We enjoyed riding the little train, 3 times in fact. Then we visited the second and first floor briefly. There are stations for the kids to play at or do activities like look at the rocks through microscope. We arrived too late to see the short films at the IMAX. Those show quite early if you're interested. Please note the parking is pretty expensive. You will probably pay at leat $15 to $20. read more

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The Indiana State Museum is a great alternative to the larger museums throughout Indianapolis. They have rotating exhibits, along with an outstanding exhibit focused on the early years in Indianapolis history. Be sure to visit both the rotating exhibits and the permanent exhibits on display. read more

We didn't have time to see the entire museum.We enjoyed our over 2 hours traversing the corridors. Indiana was the leader in cars. I thought it was Detroit. They had a Lincoln exhibit and lots of Indiana history. The ice age and ancient animal bones were cool. If you have extra time, go to the Imax and have some popcorn. They had the new Indiana jones playing. 20 dollars to get in. 18 for seniors 60+ and 1 dollar less for AAA read more

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This museum saved our Indy staycation from Bloomington Indiana. We had to cancel our trip to the zoo because the air quality was so bad because of the Canada fires 28 June 2023. Our hotel pool was out of order. Rain incoming. Good reasonably priced kids meals in the cafeteria combined with fun exhibits for kids and adults alike ended nicely with an IMAX movie. We got a family membership at a discount because we're veterans. We will be back. read more

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Overall, it is worth a visit here. It is a bit hard to find where the parking garage is, but follow the signs immediately before you see the museum. The underground parking is easy to navigate and, if you get it validated (they remind you, which I like), it's only $4. The tickets for us were $20 apiece, which is getting into frustrating territory. Even $15 would make sense, but for $20, they kinda have you by the collar. The first floor was about natural history, and though I'm a history buff, it's never as interesting as a more standard look through history. At first, we saw some exhibits that seemed kid-oriented, which is cool but not for us. After turning left, we finally saw some "regular" natural history displays. They could stand to have a bit of signage about this. The displays were very well put together, with lots of information about various native animals, recreated with lots of accuracy and proportionality! I also appreciate that they don't treat Native American history in what is now Indiana either by ignoring it or paying it "scraps" in the form of tokenization. Instead, there is a good information about Indiana's first peoples, which is crucial to understanding the state's history. The second floor is similarly comprehensive, and it could also benefit from a tiny bit of signage to ensure there's a chronological flow for visitors. There are some cool artifacts related to Abraham Lincoln's youth, and you continue to see a great combination of artifacts and written information throughout the floor. They have a good amount of vintage cars - not replicas, but the real deal! There are also some war uniforms. It is arresting and unnerving to see a real-life KKK robe and hood there, but I am glad they show the bad parts of state history as well. It is not fun to look at that, but it needs to be there all the same. The second floor does a good job showing women's history throughout and not just shoving it into a small corner. Another fun part of the second floor is a circular internal room where you learn about tons of different people who come from Indiana - some will definitely be surprises! read more

Great place to visit and learn the history of Indiana. Lots of exhibits to explore for all ages. I went on a Saturday and it wasn't crowded. Would definitely recommend if you're in the area. read more

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Such a great place to visit with the kids and to learn of the state's history! Each level has play areas for the kiddos. Super friendly and welcoming staff. Clean bathrooms. FYI the restaurant/Cafe onsite closes at 5pm BUT the cooks go home at 3pm so if you go there after 3pm.. they will only have cold items ( sandwiches and salads) read more

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What a great museum! I was impressed enough with the museum, but the bonus was that there is an Imax movie theatre in the building, so I got to go to the movies, too! I especially liked the car exhibit on display when I was there in May. Well worth the price! read more

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It's not exactly rare that I find myself in the Indiana State Museum. As a film journalist, the IMAX is a go-to spot for me for movie screenings and the theater itself is right across from my Government Center office. However, for some weird reason I'd never really truly explored the Indiana State Museum until recently other than looking at some outdoor exhibits and noting some geocaches that are also on-site. The Indiana State Museum is located in White River State Park in downtown Indy. It features a variety of exhibits and hands-on experiences and is also home-base for a statewide network of historic sites significant to Indiana. The original collection dates back to the Civil War when State Librarian R. Deloss Brown began a collection that would be among the first items noted when the Indiana Legislature created the Indiana State Museum in 1869. At first, it was really more of a Natural History collection. For over 45 years, it actually existed in the basement of the State Capitol. Twice, the 1920's and 1960s, it was actually closed. In 1967, Governor Welsh opened it in the old Indianapolis City Hall. In 1984, it had become apparent it was too big for that site and plans began for the move to what would eventually be White River State Park. However, ground didn't break until 15 years later in 1999. As I noted, there are currently 12 Historic Sites that fall under the Indiana State Museum umbrella including the museum itself. My hope is to visit them all, though I haven't made it yet. 1) Angel Mounds in Evansville 2) Corydon Capitol 3) Culbertson Mansion in New Albany 4) Gene Stratton-Porter home in Rome City 5) Lanier Mansion in Madison 6) The Coffin House in Fountain City 7) Limberlost in Geneva 8) New Harmony, Indiana (Yes, the whole city!) 9) T.C. Steele in Nashville 10) Vincennes, Indiana (Yes, another whole city!) 11) Whitewater Canal in Metamora The museum offers a variety of programs at the actual museum and at each site. Current collections include Ice Age Paleontology, Indiana Art and Artists, Quilts and Textiles, Indiana Industry/Technology/Agriculture, Archaeology, and Abraham Lincoln. You can also browse some of these online. Current special exhibits are Hoosier Art Salon (one of my favorites) featuring Hoosier artists, Response: Images and Sounds of a Movement (This is incredible, though Sept. 6 is its last day), and State of Nature. Finally, the museum also has ongoing galleries - Ancient Seas, R.B. Annis Naturalist's Lab, Frozen Reign, First Nations, Natural Regions, Contested Territory, 19th State, and the Hoosier Way. The museum does also have the state of Indiana's only true IMAX theatre. You can rent various parts of the facility. The Indiana State Museum is doing well at following CDC protocols. You don't have to schedule tickets. You can save $1 by buying tickets online. Accessibility is generally strong throughout. The garage has accessible parking and appropriate curb-cuts. The museum has manual wheelchairs one can use. Each floor has ADA compliant restrooms. The third level has a family bathroom. All museum entrances have power doors. With 48 hours notice, ASL interpretation is available for most of the programs. In-gallery videos are open-captioned. There are other accessibility features. If in doubt, I encourage contacting the museum. They are always super helpful. This really is a wonderful gem for Indiana. It's in a great area of downtown with the State Park, Eiteljorg, IMAX, and Indianapolis Zoo all close. Of course, the Canal Walk is right here. The regular admission is $11 for children, $15 for Seniors, and $16 for adults. You can save $1 by buying online. Be aware that if you park in the garage that parking is $5. They do have discounts for Access Pass, AAA Hoosier Motor Club, Education Groups, Indiana State employees, military, and other groups. They also participate in the Indy Attraction Pass program. So, there are definitely some ways to save some cash. read more

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Color me impressed with how the Indiana State Museum has responded to Covid. IMPRESSED. I saw an advertisement on Facebook for a series of small group, guided tours that the museum is doing, in response to pandemic concerns. As a homeschool family, we have really missed our "field trips." This was our first trip to a museum since this nightmare began, and it really hit the spot for us both. The tour that really caught my eye was Notorious Indiana, with a promise to show the "bad guys" in Hoosier history. At $8 per person, for an hour long tour, I walked away feeling like I definitely got my money's worth and then some. Our guide was extremely personable and enjoyable to spend the hour with, learning about the darker sides of Indiana history. With today's climate, I was very intrigued with the tour starting out with possibly the most controversial piece on display in the Indiana State Museum. While I've seen it there a few times, I still cannot help the uncomfortable feeling that washes over me as I see that Ku Klux Klan robe before me. But the education that our guide provided my teen son and I, as we stood before the collection that symbolizes the roots of prejudice and "otherness" in Indiana, was beyond breathtaking. Extremely eye opening, thought provoking, and our guide did a fantastic job of telling the story in the most respectful manner. Her lesson was empathetic to how the suffering has shaped Indiana today and I was very impressed. There were more lessons about pre and post prohibition, war and perfecting war...and then the tour ends on a lighter note with the animal "bad guys" of Indiana from the Ice Age Era. That was also really interesting, with surprises both shocking and urban legend nightmare fuel level. So, for $16 plus $5 parking, my son and I received a private hour long tour. It sounds like they keep groups small, but we lucked into a "private" experience. Our guide also used a little personal microphone/speaker system, and it made hearing everything and following along so much easier. I'm definitely a fan of the new guided tours and look forward to taking in more. We learned so much more about what we were looking at than we would have just taking in the exhibits on our own. In response to the pandemic, the Indiana State Museum is also only allowing one family at a time in an elevator. There were not many people in the museum, and there was never a wait for an elevator. Hand sanitizer is available all throughout and I saw people cleaning and wiping everywhere I turned. I definitely felt comfortable with the level of cleanliness and precautions being taken. read more

Indiana State Museum - Front of the old IPS school #5. - Museums Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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I can only give an honest opinion of the Winter themed activities at the Indiana State Museum as I only went to explore the Christmas related activities with my two small children. We had originally started the day with a plan yo ho to the Children's Museum. However, they had reached capacity which left us in need of a plan B. I remembered my grandparents had given us family passes to the museum so we decided to give it a try. We loved the winter train! Rode it twice! My kids loved seeing the Northern Lights and other winter scenes as we steamed by. I loved the snow bubbles that fell from the "sky". First floor also had Santa's workshop where you could get photos with Santa, write your Christmas letter, take care of Santa's reindeer and more! My favorite activity was listening to the different types of Christmas songs around the world! read more

Indiana State Museum - Christmas train - Museums Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

I have lived here for years and had never made it to this meseum. That all changed today. This museum is HUGE. Total discloser, I came on a day that they had free admission. Normal admission is $17 for adults, $12 for kids. A bit on the steep side if you ask me, I would rate it on what I invested in the visit. The entrance to the White River Park parking garage located right in front of the museum. The ticket booth for the museum is located inside on the ground floor. The staff there is very friendly and helpful. They are constantly cleaning and take COVID protocols serious. They have a cafe on site, that has limited seating and is a bit pricey, so I would plan accordingly. The museum is huge and is packed with tons of historical and interactive exhibits. They go an excellent job tying Indiana with a lot of national history events such as WWI, prehistoric times, Native Americans, civil rights, civil war, and the underground rail road. Their exhibits are masterfully put together. Some of the notable ones are the woolly mammoth, the animal display, the civil war display, the interactive wood cutting and splitting exhibits and the interactive earth/moon (Birth of the Earth) exhibit. Some of Indiana famous people are also on display in the American Originals exhibit including Madam CJ Walker, Larry Bird, Viviva Fox, Tavis Smiley, Reggie Miller, and Rupart Boneham. The little ones really enjoyed the interactiveness of the museum and it not only kept my attention and kept me engaged, It locked them in as well. The third floor is dedicated to the interactive Fix: Heartbreak and Hope inside the Opioid Crisis exhibit. It is very small, but extremely interactive and colorful. All in all, we spent almost 2 hours at the museum. FYI, this museum is located by many other museums, as well as the zoo (all within walking distance) and could be part of a larger itinerary or package deal to maximize your day. I am not sure the museum is worth the price of the regular admission and would look for one of their deals or free days they have throughout the year, but my family and I really enjoyed my complementary visit to the museum. read more

It's ok, I expected more for the money. And I really expected to have more Indiana based stuff. A note for some people - the lower level exhibits are all about the evolution of certain animals, why climate change is bad, blah blah blah. Every placard and exhibit pushes evolution to the max. Not everyone believes in the evolutionary theory, so we were super bummed to realize that the whole level is a basically a science museum. I felt it was very misleading going to the "Indiana State Museum" hoping to learn about Indiana history and events (which the upper level had some nice exhibits). read more

WOW! What a Great Day at the museum! I don't remember the State Museum having so many interesting and interactive exhibits, but we enjoyed learning about the history, geography, topography, zoology etc etc of Indiana. I enjoyed it so much I bought a membership (which also gets me into 11 other museums in this state. If you are worried about Covid be assured they offer hand sanitizer all over and have it marked for social distancing with masks required. read more

Came here recently and had a pretty good time. Most of the exhibits were geared towards children, which worked for us because we had our son with us. I will say that I was a little surprised by the low number of exhibits given the price of the tickets. The train through the winter wonderland was very cool and I think our son really enjoyed it, so that was nice. We grabbed lunch at the cafe inside and it was honestly better than I expected. Overall, coming once was a pretty good idea, but not sure I'd visit again. read more

I noticed the Indiana state museum that's directly across the street from my hotel, the Courtyard by Marriott - downtown Indianapolis after I had checked in. Curiosity was gold. I learned that the Indiana State Museum didn't close its doors till 8pm that day I was in town in May 2023, so I went ahead and booked myself here to gain some experience and introspective during my travels. I look about an hour or so before venturing out to find dinner options that night. The Indiana state museum was a fairly large museum that boasts a lot of exhibits and information that carves out the history of the area. I was amazed at how far back they decide to highlight in the museum and various areas of focus they decided to display. The joys of history in Indiana and around Indianapolis was evident, since Indiana wasn't part of the United States civil war until after its conclusion. The museum provides a lot of information and details on how the cultural and historical influences help shape Indiana over the years. I did the self guided tour and it was good to immerse myself to learn about other places and the history behind it. There is some element of enjoyment when it comes to learning and enriching myself thru this method. The influence of the native Americans and the early white Americans settling in the Indiana region was pretty poignant and powerful. The overall experience here at the Indiana state museum was very beneficial, enlightening, and very much rewarding. Insightful too, especially when I learned about the many hardships these early citizens to the area faced, along with the elements and just the world they were coming to, the early Americans and the importation of labor into the country in the 1830's. The museum is beautiful and aesthetically pleasing. Everything seemed to be arranged to maximize the visitor experience. The museum has restrooms too, if you need them. The museum is amazing and definitely immaculate. The staff was friendly and helpful, if there was any questions or concerns that one must have about the history of Indiana, its influences within the area, and with the emerging nation after statehood. I enjoyed myself here, immersing myself with knowledge before having to run a marathon race in 2 days after my visit. Truth is stranger than fiction. If you're in downtown Indianapolis Indiana and want something to do, consider coming to the Indiana State museum. It's quite a great place to be to learn about the past. The Indiana State Museum is located at 650 W Washington Street in SW downtown Indianapolis Indiana. They have a fee for admission, but it's definitely well worth the price. As far as parking option goes, there is parking available for patrons and visitors to the museum itself. There's also paid parking garages nearby and elsewhere in downtown Indianapolis. If you need the IndyGo bus service, choose the right routes that's available to get you here. As for myself though, just happened to stay literally across the street at the courtyard by Marriott hotel, so I just popped on over as soon as I dropped my luggage into the room. If you are a museum person, this is the place for you, as well as the other one that's next door. Just had the time to do one of them during my time in Indianapolis and hope to do the others on future trips to Indianapolis. Do yourself a favor and come and see how Indianapolis and Indiana came to be. 5.0 stars for the overall experience Support local! A+ read more

What a lovely venue! As part of a work conference (almost 1200 people), the company planned a dinner at the museum. The entire facility was rented with food stations and bars upstairs and downstairs. They speckled high- and low-top tables throughout for attendees to sit down and enjoy their meal. The bartenders were so friendly and handled the crowd amazingly. In the corner of the room was a band, and fortunately the sound of wasn't so overwhelming that it interrupted the flow of conversation. While I didn't make it around the facility our team did have an opportunity to visit the exhibits. This is a nice bonus to a facility rental. Restrooms were large and very well maintained. Thank you to the Indiana State Museum. This was definitely one of the highlights of my trip and I'd highly recommend it as a facility rental. read more

Popped in on their late night hours and had a great time exploring the galleries and taking in a heavy dose of Indiana history. Great displays for all ages. read more

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The Indiana State Museum is a large museum that walks visitors through the history of Indiana from the start of the universe to today. It's organized well and leads you through when ancient animals roamed Indiana. It then moves to more modern times showing the state's history, art, and culture. A few things to note: 1) Space: It's HUGE so budget many hours to soak it all in! 2) Location: It's near the Canal Walk and the State Capitol so when you're done, walk to both places. It's worth it! 3) Price: It is steep, but if you spend more than 3 hours here, it's worth the money. If you like history, go here. If you are with kids, they may get bored after an hour. read more

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Very nice! I am not always a fan of State museums, but this one was very nice. I went because it was covered by my Indy Pass, which allows you entry into the Indianapolis Zoo and several local museums, and I was very glad I did. The building itself is quite beautiful and interesting (see some of my pictures), and the exhibits are actually very interesting. At the time I visited, they had a special exhibit on the role Indiana played in car production in the early 1900's, which I really enjoyed. They also had an exhibit of a local artist which was very nice. And on the lower floor they had an excellent interactive exhibit on objects, where modern and historical was mixed together along with an emphasis on colors, shapes etc. I believe it was to get you to feel like a curator yourself. It was very attractive and interesting. Well worth a visit. read more

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I genuinely consider this museum the blueprint for what a great history museum should be. First and foremost, the museum has found a way to strike a perfect balance between interactive and engaging activities and more static displays, making it an awesome spot for learners of all ages. Secondly, I am always impressed by how constantly the Indiana State Museum updates and improves both their exhibits and the UX itself. It's very easy to navigate, and the journey through time from the natural history exhibits of the ground floor to the cultural history of the second floor is excellent in contributing to an immersive experience. I cannot overstate how much I value the museum's continued dedication to transparency about the violence and general harm caused by the state (and country, etc) towards Native people, enslaved people, the land itself, and more, in addition to focusing on highlighting contributions of Indigenous and Black community members in exhibits detailing their role in the State's history, past and present, even when it's deeply uncomfortable. Too many history museums shy away from the harsh truths of State / Settler violence, instead opting for a narrative that intentionally excludes or seriously downplays the impact of Colonialism and the like. I also appreciate that there are no additional fees for special exhibits (besides of course IMAX shows). The accessibility of this museum really contributes to what makes it my all time favorite. read more