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

Such a great experience! Extremely informative! The museum has many cool artifacts from Lew…read moreWallace's life as well as props from Ben-Hur film adaptations. The study itself is stunning. Our tour guide Tom was extremely knowledgeable and explained the history of Wallace's life and all the objects in the study in a very engaging way! This is a can't miss spot in Crawfordsville!

If you watch the 1959 movie "Ben-Hur", you will see a story about a man who lived a life that was…read morefitting to be on the big screen of Hollywood. However, if Hollywood wanted to make a movie about a real life man who accomplished a variety of great things, a movie should be made about the author of the novel, General Lew Wallace of Indiana. Born in Brookville in 1827, the man was a war hero in the Civil War, an author of seven novels, an inventor, sculptor/painter, foreign minister to the Ottoman Empire, and governor of the New Mexico Territory. And for a day job, he was a lawyer in Crawfordsville, Indiana where he settled and raised his family. Before living such an active life in service to his country, he moved to Crawfordsville and attended an event at the home of his former commander in the Mexican War, Henry S Lane. Lane's wife was one of the daughters of prominent Crawfordsville business man Isaac Elston. Another of Elston's daughters, Susan, was in attendance. Wallace met Susan which led to their eventual marriage and raising of a son, Henry Lane Wallace. Being a man of means, Wallace acquired property near the Elston family land holdings which is the site of the study and museum. He had the study built on his property that featured a 25 x 25 room with a skylight and walls filled with rows of books. In the study and beneath a large tree just west of the building, Wallace did his writing, sculpting, inventing, and painting. Truly, he was a modern day Renaissance man. If you visit the Wallace property, you can walk the grounds outside the study for free. There is parking by the carriage house or street parking outside the property on the east and west sides. However, if you want to go inside the study and learn more about the life of the man, you can take a tour for only $5. The tour begins in the carriage house with a 15-minute video about Wallace and his most famous creation, "Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ". The video room is filled with movie memorabilia. From there, you see some of the property including the site of the former moat, some flower gardens, and a Wallace Statue placed where the tree he used to write under had been. And finally, you get a tour of the study and get to see many of the paintings, inventions, and books that where mentioned in the video. The place has been painstakingly preserved while restoring it and updating things like plumbing and wiring for safety reasons. The room is filled with art and details that were innovative for their time. You can spend a lot of time looking at this extensive collection. Note: there is also a side room that was set up to show some of Wallace's Civil War activities and collections. Tours are available during normal business hours and can be started whenever you arrive unless another tour has already begun. If you are a fan of history and appreciate creativity, then this is a tour you will definitely enjoy. Review #1387

We drove 2.5 hours for Newfield's Winterlights and it did not disappoint! Parking was easy and…read moreclose to the entrance. When we first arrived right at opening, it was really crowded and people were packed in so we went to Lilly House for a drink and by the time we got back out, people had spread out more. I really enjoyed the variety of light installations and there were plenty of great photo op areas. The shop had some very nice choices and was not packed like I expected. There was one person in front of us at the checkout but two employees, one doing the check out and the other wrapping up items and bagging them, made it a quick and efficient process. We enjoyed our trip so much that we're now looking into what other events are available throughout the year.

My husband and I had a great time at Newfields: A Place for Nature and the Arts. Newfields is a…read morecombination of the Lily House and gardens as well and the Indianapolis Museum of Art. This is in one facility and is all included for one admission price. We started in the gardens. There is a large area to walk and enjoy nature. Make sure that you visit the Lily House and the surrounding grounds. The Indianapolis Museum of Art takes up the second and third floors of the building. There is lots to see here. Each area could take an entire day to properly experience. There is also a gift shop and cafe to check out. I highly recommend Newfields: A Place for Nature and the Arts!

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.

Today, I'm focusing on Spark Lab inside the new Museum Experience Center that…read more opened in April 2026. Spark Lab offers an opportunity to invent, create, and explore! It was developed by Smithsonian's Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation. It is a great intergenerational space! Parents, grandparents, and older siblings build right along with younger children. There is an eating spot, the Harvest Cafe, a few feet away from Spark Lab. Although, Conner Prairie wants children under 16 to visit the exhibits with an adult. It's a great place to grab a snack after generating all that creativity. The space is also conveniently located by a ramp to the grounds if your family wants to visit 1836 Prairie Town or take a tram ride to The Junction area. The tethered hot air balloon is also near the ramp outside Spark Lab!

We love Conner praire. Every time we go we experience something different. They have so much to do…read more They rotate out toys and play sections for kids. Highly recommended taking your family.

What a fun place on a holiday with kids! It was crazy as it was free and a school holiday, but they…read morehad 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!

The Indiana State Museum is a fabulous venue that archives state treasures and educates the public…read moreabout 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.

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!

Visited today for their Holiday decorations. I have driven by the mansion hundreds of times but…read morenever stopped in before. There is limited parking next to the house but plenty of street parking. We walked up to the front door and you have to ring the doorbell to get let in. We were greeted by one of the many volunteers on site. Frequently, there is a short presentation before your self-guided tour. We missed the presentation so the volunteer gave us the highlights. Mr. And Mrs. Haan, who donated the house to their museum foundation, were walking the house also!! We made our way through the mansion which is wonderfully decorated for the holidays. Upstairs, there are multiple train sets. One has buildings from England and the U.S while the other one features Lafayette buildings that have been made available around town for purchase. It took us about one hour to take in the whole house and read about the antiques and view the Indiana art. (P.S.- there is a public restroom available for use if needed on the first floor). We enjoyed this visit and look forward to coming back in the Spring to enjoy the outdoor sculpture garden.