Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    The Children's Museum

    4.5 (577 reviews)
    Open 10:00 am - 5:00 pm

    The Children's Museum Photos

    Recommended Reviews - The Children's Museum

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Lisa O.

    The Children's Museum is a member of ASTC, but they are not reciprocal. It is the world's largest children's museum with five floors and 7.5 acres! They offer rental wagons for $7 which was really convenient. They had a temporary Paw Patrol exhibit for toddlers on the second floor. The third floor was exclusively for toddlers and very humid and hot. There's a cafeteria with a gluten free power bowl option but the brown rice tasted raw or too hard. The museum store was huge with onesies, but only up until 18 months. They were missing size 18 - 24 months. My son loved it. Two hours wasn't enough so we'll be back again.

    Peru music exhibit
    Sydney P.

    Review incoming from a "big" kid adult! I have gone here now 5 times in the past couple of years and had been consistently impressed by the high level of detail, quality and cleanliness of this children's museum! Spring/Fall are phenomenal times for the outdoor sports activities that are unmatched to any sort of learning and hands on fun when it comes to a variety of sports! (Winter it closes due to snow and summer it is blistering hot!) New exhibit was the paw patrol and while I did catch glimpses I was not able to full immerse myself just yet but do plan to soon. Also new is the Peru area (previously Greece) where your children are immersed in the culture (food, music, ecosystem) of Peru. It was AMAZING! From toddler to adults we all had a blast. The National Geographic area was the let down this trip as a lot of the heads on items were missing pieces, broken or very well used! The mummy is missing pieces of the puzzle, the excavating tunnel is slightly broken, and coral pieces were also broken in the under the sea area. The train exhibit is under reconstruction until late 2026 so do take note of that. The playscapes is always a fan favorite for our family and today was no different. Love the interactive water area and play ground while also a great place for newborns to nine months to get some needed tummy time! (I highly recommend bringing an extra shirt those kiddos will get wet!) Don't miss this place if you are in the Indy area and have some kiddos! (Tip: Buy your tickets online before hand and you will save big!)

    Melanie A.

    Took my 3.5 year old here by myself on a Saturday. We stayed for 4 hours and didn't hit everything. I will say that it was an Absolute blast of a day for both of us! -$59 was a totally reasonable price for all of the activities -Even though we got there after 12, we were still able to find a parking spot in the garage and walking in was SUPER easy with the walkway they have from the garage to museum -Such a range of activities- we spent the most time with the glass sculptures, building the Lost Treasure Statues, Dramatic play in Peru, completing the dinosaur skeleton puzzle, racing the hot wheels cars on the epic track table, and of course outdoors! -Outside, we literally did all except baseball and the carousel. My kid wouldn't do baseball without a helmet being provided -His favorite outdoor activities were tennis, soccer, and being pushed in the blue car on the racetrack. -my only disappointment was that the football throwing area wasn't monitored or even that lines weren't encouraged. We were waiting to throw footballs in the holes and adults were continuously throwing balls and not waiting until kids were out of the way. About 6 people were throwing balls and it was a recipe for disaster as my kid was just telling me no one would share because he was raised to stand in line and take turns. Despite standing far back and waiting for these people to finish, he ended up getting hit with a ball bouncing back from one of the adults; it was only then that they told all of their children to stop throwing to give him a turn.

    Ferris wheel
    Lea C.

    This is honestly one of the best children's museums in the country, and I've been quite a few. I did grow up here and I brought my children here for years, but now live out of state, but return home to visit the kids and grandkids. My kids have a membership here that included our admission so that was really nice. What was super impressive is what all they have done to the outside facilities, which are open in the summer. When they first tried this concept, I remember it just being based on basketball and boy what an amazing expansion they've done. Not only do they now have a Ferris wheel, but there is a wonderful treehouse, there are all sorts of sports activities around basketball, football, Hockey and soccer. The kids can also pretend they're in the Indy 500 with pedal car racing. Everything appeared to be included except the Ferris wheel, which was six dollars a person for members. If you go towards the back of the park, they have some of the most amazing mini golf you've ever seen. Mini set ups of world class golf holes around the world. There are many duplicates, such as one of the Kiawah Island, courses, etc. You can see the different horses, there are three of them on the picture of the mat. There is a smaller one that is meant for toddlers, but the rest are pretty serious and you could have some great fun out here While there is food available in the museum. There's also concessions out here with tacos and dip and docs and other stuff. One of the great things about this museum as well as you can bring your own food, which is extremely helpful when so many people have dietary issues. There are water filling stations as well, so bring your water bottles This is absolutely worth a visit on a nice day, it's pretty busy on the weekend so if you could swing it during the week, I would definitely give that a try. Staff are super friendly and helpful as well

    Taco trio from the restaurant outside in the Sports Experience zone. Really good!
    Kristin U.

    The Children's Museum is huge and full of cool exhibits for kids. This year, I spent time in the Peru exhibit and the outdoor sports experience. Kiddos loved both! Peru had play spaces including a juice bar, restaurant, and even alpacas you could brush, feed, etc. The outdoor sports area is perfect for getting out some energy! There's a fitness track, mini golf, tennis, basketball, baseball, a large tree-shaped playground area, and more. When we went, there was a taco restaurant open and it was delicious. I tend to feel a bit overstimulated in the museum itself, just so much going on sensory wise (something to keep in mind), but the outdoor area is much less overwhelming and made for a fantastic fall outing!

    Entrance
    Rosemond S.

    This museum literally took all day and was more than I could have ever imagined. Its not titled the world's biggest museum for nothing. The exhibits were very interactive and surprisingly had things that appeal to adults as well. I learned much being there. Everything is well organized and all staff members were friendly and engaging with the kids. There was every mainstream sport available to play on full sized fields/courts. The food court had a good variety of food options, including allergy friendly choices, but were overpriced.

    Lisa M.

    Finally able to check out the ever famous Indianapolis children's museum. I took my 16 month old and she had so much fun! It was cool to check out the temporary Mickey Mouse exhibit, especially for my daughter who loves Minnie. We also didn't go explore the under 5 kids area but this had to be a favorite of hers. She could have stayed for hours at the water table. We were only able to stay a few hours due to nap schedules but we could have been there all day! The sports exhibit is awesome and I feel this will be something even more fun as my daughter ages. We needed more time to check out more but did get some time to hit a few tennis balls Of note, there is a large free parking garage across and connected to the museum.

    Food court seating
    Andrew R.

    Better than other museum food courts; they have coffee, "deli," which is prefab sandwiches and salads, a place like Sbarro for pizza and pasta, but not as good as Sbarro ( you take that as you will), and a "grill," with basically hamburgers and fries and a few other things. Using the baseline of a museum food courts, not a "regular" restaurant, I'd say it's still overpriced for what you get and I wasn't happy how they don't print receipts at all. (Feeding one adult and 3 kids was almost 3/4 of a Benjamin). You have to give them your email or phone number to get a receipt. We're here on a Saturday afternoon and plenty of seating. I was thinking 3 stars, but the kids said 4, when they considered other museum food courts. Of course, these are my opinions about my experience. If you had a different experience and a different opinion, good for you! Bottom line, if I were coming back here, I probably would still eat at the food court rather than deal with packing and bringing our own food, I just wouldn't be happy about it.

    Space
    Drew R.

    More than I expected. From the building and grounds art to the displays inside this is a full day of family fun. Our toddler granddaughter had a great time.

    Stacey G.

    Great place to take kids of any age, lots to do! They have several exhibits that appeal to all ages. Young at heart will love this place! They do have food available but it can be pricey-good news tho-bring your own!

    Entrance
    Allison P.

    I have a lot of thoughts about this experience. Overall, it was fantastic and we'll return! We specifically came for Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, which wasn't as we had expected. We also found it to be a let down as outer reviews had states. The dinosaur exhibit was incredible! As was the stem area for ages 5 and under. The spots area was super cool for older kids. I'm a bit confused by the pop culture exhibit as it's really just a museum. The carousel was beautiful. And my kiddo enjoyed the life size doll houses. Lots of people were playing the board games. I called ahead to inquire about the $6 Thursday night and the girl who answered was not helpful at all. We arrived during regular admission time and it was $29/adult and $23/kid. They don't honor reciprocity so that's pretty pricey. The carousel and Ferris wheel are additional costs. The food court wasn't completely open, but seemed to have solid food options. It was nice to have a mid day Starbucks pick me up, to then learn they cannot enter certain exhibits but people were taking them in anyways (just look for the folks barreling through with their strollers). Parking was in the deck across the road. It was free and there's a walkway. When we purchased tickets on site the man was very nice and explained what the girl on the phone wouldn't/couldn't. We'd definitely return and make it an all day activity, especially when our kiddo is older!

    Atrium w TMNT!
    Matt C.

    It's no wonder this place has the rep that it does. Fantastic all the way around. Oh and free garage parking to boot!

    Chihuly glass artwork
    Eve R.

    What an amazing museum! It is geared towards children, so I brought my niece. I think we both loved it equally! So many hands-on activities and immersion is encouraged. I was floored by the paleontologists working on dinosaur bones! Speaking with them and learning/watching them work was so special. Getting to touch real dinosaur bones was SO COOL! The museum is set up well and you can easily spent half a day there. Parking is free! That makes the price even more well worth it. The museum is well organized and clean, too. Sometimes areas feel more busy when larger school groups arrive but it's easy enough to navigate to a less crowded space. Loved the insect area and learning with the staff about bees and pollinators! The cafe is pricey but pretty good. It feels a little like you don't have a choice but to pay the high prices if you're hungry and don't want to leave the museum -- that's my only complaint. Worth the drive to Indianapolis to visit the museum! I hope we can visit again because it's really a great experience!

    A balance beam is a pretty sad exhibit in such a pricey museum.

    See all

    2 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 7
    Thanks 5
    Love this 8
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 15
    Thanks 5
    Love this 21
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 2
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Lisa M.
    271
    413
    1085

    11 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Andrew R.
    12
    63
    47

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    11 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Haley S.
    258
    1163
    1471

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 0
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Chris Y.
    884
    12
    23

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    Page 1 of 15

    Ask the Community - The Children's Museum

    With the Covid-era do kids cost the same as adults? Is there an age range that is free to attend?

    Kids under 2 are free.

    Does anyone know how often they bring in new exhibits?

    They have a new one about every 3 months. If you check the website, there's a calendar of current and upcoming events.

    Thinking about taking my 12 year old cousins. Are they too old for this?

    I think they would be fine my oldest is 10 and he loved it.

    View All 4 Questions

    Review Highlights - The Children's Museum

    The Dinosphere has been renovated over the winter and now has an art lab and new arrangement of fossils.

    Mentioned in 26 reviews

    Read more highlights

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Children's Museums 2,091 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Museum by Moonlight

    Museum by Moonlight

    4.7(54 reviews)
    0.1 mi

    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!

    Photos
    Museum by Moonlight
    Museum by Moonlight - 2019- Photo by Kyle McGinnis (@thekylemcginnis)

    2019- Photo by Kyle McGinnis (@thekylemcginnis)

    Museum by Moonlight - Do you think dino's drank?

    See all

    Do you think dino's drank?

    Wonderlab Museum of Science Health & Technology - Top of the grapevine

    Wonderlab Museum of Science Health & Technology

    4.4(34 reviews)
    48.9 mi

    Since the Hoosiers did so well this year NATIONAL CHAMPIONS I thought of a great place in…read moreBloomington. The Wonderlab!!! It's a nice sized science of wonders in my opinion. They have a bubble room! It's awesome. A place where you can parachute little figure people over and over again. Shoot I laid down on a bed of nails once here. They have a huge climbing vine that you can climb all the way up to the second floor. But, you have to climb back down it doesn't exit on that floor. They have a cool water science area for kids complete with rain gear - which is optional do what you want ha. It's just a cool place. It's not too big and it's not too small. It the perfect sized science museum. They have the coolest gift shop! I still have my Wonderlab water bottle from years ago. If you've never been make a day of it!

    Tucked in amidst the buildings step into this wonderland for kids to explore science. All sorts of…read moreexperiments and things to learn, places to climb and things to do. Good for all ages! There is even a gate enclosure for toddlers to play separately.The older ones,even adults, will enjoy seeing what it's like to be laying on a bed of nails! It is a very busy place however so do keep an eye on your littles as they may feel the desire to walk to the next activity without you! If this were closer then I believe we'd take my grandkids more often, but it makes an excuse for a little road trip, although I'm always easily persuaded to be on the go!

    Photos
    Wonderlab Museum of Science Health & Technology
    Wonderlab Museum of Science Health & Technology - Train table

    Train table

    Wonderlab Museum of Science Health & Technology - Bed of Nails R n R

    See all

    Bed of Nails R n R

    Indiana State Museum - Lower floor interactive exhibit.

    Indiana State Museum

    4.3(153 reviews)
    3.0 mi

    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.

    Photos
    Indiana State Museum
    Indiana State Museum
    Indiana State Museum

    See all

    Rhythm! Discovery Center

    Rhythm! Discovery Center

    4.2(46 reviews)
    3.0 miMile Square

    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.

    Photos
    Rhythm! Discovery Center
    Rhythm! Discovery Center
    Rhythm! Discovery Center

    See all

    Imagination Station - Entrance

    Imagination Station

    4.8(9 reviews)
    57.4 mi

    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!

    Photos
    Imagination Station - Chester the Snake has a friend, Snaky the Snake. Both are friendly. This is Chester.

    Chester the Snake has a friend, Snaky the Snake. Both are friendly. This is Chester.

    Imagination Station - Young scientists explore advance technology shared by a Purdue Graduate Student in Mechanical Engineering.

    Young scientists explore advance technology shared by a Purdue Graduate Student in Mechanical Engineering.

    Imagination Station - A Purdue Professor helps young scientists make a camera!

    See all

    A Purdue Professor helps young scientists make a camera!

    Newfields: A Place for Nature and the Arts - In Art Museum at Newfields

    Newfields: A Place for Nature and the Arts

    4.5(462 reviews)
    2.0 mi

    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!

    Photos
    Newfields: A Place for Nature and the Arts - In Art Museum at Newfields

    In Art Museum at Newfields

    Newfields: A Place for Nature and the Arts - In Art Museum at Newfields

    In Art Museum at Newfields

    Newfields: A Place for Nature and the Arts - In Art Museum at Newfields

    See all

    In Art Museum at Newfields

    The Children's Museum - childrensmuseums - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...