Plenty for Everyone at Children’s Museum of Indianapolis
I had planned to go to the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis
a few times over the years and something always came up at the last minute. I was
determined to visit this place I had heard nothing but good things about and I
finally made it happen.
Kimberly Harms Robinson, the museum’s Director of PR and
Media Relations, and I kept in touch, and she helped me plan the day with my
friend, Mary, and her granddaughters, Thea and Rowan. We also took my service
dog, Teddy, along to his first museum.
The Children’s Museum is really two attractions in one. It’s
floors of indoor exhibits and experiences, and an outdoor sports complex like
nothing I’ve ever seen before.
Kimberly met us at the entrance, and we decided we were all
hungry and we’d start with lunch. Instead of the usual cafeteria, this museum
has a food court with choices for the whole family, from pizza to sandwiches to
coffee drinks and ice cream.
After lunch, we headed to Dinosphere. Here you can learn everything
you could want to know about dinosaurs. The kids were enthralled, and they found
plenty of hands-on experiences. That is a theme throughout. There is no chance
to get bored with all the opportunities.
What makes Dinosphere so appealing is its based-on reality. The
staff includes paleontologists who have worked with fossils on digs. They are
available to answer questions and kids can go into the lab and see real
fossils. The museum also partners with universities and centers around the
world to make this exhibition as real as possible.
Other exhibits to check out include Spaceship Earth, where you
can see what astronauts do while they are in space; All Aboard, a 19th-century
steam engine you can ride and pretend to operate; and ScienceWorks, a place
where everyone has the chance to see how scientists work and ask questions
along the way.
The Indiana museum also has Playscape, which is set up for
those five and under to enjoy. It’s not just a playground as there are learning
opportunities here too.
From May until October, The Riley Sports Complex is open
outside at the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. I was with younger kids who
were more interested in the play inside, but I ventured outside and was impressed
with the setup.
Throughout the complex you will see tributes to many of the
state’s most famous athletes, such as basketball’s Oscar Robertson, hockey’s Wayne Gretsky, football's
Reggy Wayne, and tennis player Barbara Wynne. These sports stars all have
bronze statues.
Just like the indoors, the sports complex is filled with
experiences guests can partake in. In this case it’s the actual sports. Among
the dozen options you will find baseball, football, and soccer fields; basketball
and tennis courts; a hockey rink, and a racing track. As you can imagine, older
kids can spend hours going from sport to sport.
I was in my scooter and tempted to play myself. Had I wanted
to, it probably could have been arranged as the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis
takes accessibility seriously. I found the entire museum to be wheelchair friendly.
They also have accommodations for those with neurodivergent issues, and there
are sign language interpreters and hearing devices available.
We didn’t get to the museum until the afternoon so we couldn’t
see and do everything we wanted to before closure. I recommend arriving early
and spending the entire day there to get to see and do more. I will definitely be
back someday.
I received some complimentary experiences on this trip,
but opinions are my own.
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