The Children's Museum of Indianapolis is the reason many families plan a trip to Indianapolis, and it is often billed as the largest children's museum in the world. It fills a huge building on North Illinois Street, about three miles north of downtown, with galleries that work for toddlers, school-age children and, honestly, their parents. The Dinosphere is the headline, a walk through the age of dinosaurs with real fossils and full skeletons. Corteva Agriscience ScienceWorks is a hands-on science space for building and experimenting, and Playscape is the gentle area for the youngest visitors. The Power of Children galleries tell the stories of young people who changed the world, including Anne Frank, Ruby Bridges, Ryan White and Malala Yousafzai, and they are among the most affecting museum spaces in the Midwest. There is also a vintage carousel, which costs a small extra fee per child. Outside, the Riley Children's Health Sports Legends Experience adds outdoor sports zones in warmer months. Advance, date-specific tickets are strongly recommended, and parking in the museum garage is free, which is rare for a major attraction.
Winter hours and closures: from 2 November 2026 to 13 March 2027 the museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm and closed on Mondays, except for special openings on Monday 21 and Monday 28 December. It is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, closes early at 2pm on Christmas Eve, and shuts completely from 11 to 15 January 2027 for building work. In November, note that Playscape reopens after maintenance on 7 November, and the Anne Frank, Ruby Bridges and Ryan White theaters inside The Power of Children close from 9 to 20 November, though the rest of that gallery stays open. The outdoor Sports Legends areas are closed for the season.
Tickets: prices vary by season and day of the week, so check the museum's site for your date. Tickets are date-specific and non-refundable, but unused value can be moved to a new date if you exchange it by 5pm on the original date. Indiana residents and seniors get discounts, children under two are free, and First Thursday evenings from 4 to 8pm cost just a few dollars. Visitors under 16 must be with an adult. The museum is also included on the Indianapolis Attractions Pass.
Getting there: drive or take a taxi from downtown in about ten minutes. Park free in the garage at 3000 North Illinois Street, entered from the west side of Illinois just north of 30th Street, and cross the skywalk into the museum. If the garage is full, use the surface lots to the north rather than neighborhood streets.
What to expect
The experience
A vast indoor museum of hands-on galleries, dinosaur fossils, science play spaces, a carousel and powerful history exhibits for older children.
Best time
Opening time on a weekday from Tuesday to Friday, when school groups thin out after lunch and the galleries are easier to enjoy.
How long
At least three hours, and a full day is easy with younger children and a lunch break.
Tips
Buy date-specific tickets in advance, avoid Mondays in winter, and park in the free garage with its skywalk into the museum.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Families with children from toddlers to early teens, and any adult who loves dinosaurs.
- Families
- This is the single best family day in Indianapolis, with spaces for every age and free parking.
- Couples
- Without children, come for the Dinosphere and The Power of Children galleries, which are worth an hour or two on their own.
- Pair with
- Newfields, a short drive west, for an afternoon in the gardens or an evening at Winterlights.
- Time needed
- Half a day to a full day.
Good questions
Is The Children's Museum of Indianapolis open on Mondays?+
Not in winter. From 2 November 2026 to 13 March 2027 it is open Tuesday to Sunday, with special Monday openings on 21 and 28 December.
Is parking free at The Children's Museum?+
Yes, parking is free in the museum garage at 3000 North Illinois Street, linked to the museum by a skywalk. Overflow surface lots sit just to the north.
Do I need to buy Children's Museum tickets in advance?+
Advance tickets are strongly recommended and are sold for a specific date. They are non-refundable, but you can move unused value to another date if you exchange by 5pm on the original date.
What age is The Children's Museum best for?+
It works for babies through early teens, with Playscape for the youngest and ScienceWorks and the Dinosphere for school-age children. The Power of Children galleries suit older children and adults.
Is The Children's Museum open on Thanksgiving?+
No, it is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. On Christmas Eve it opens from 10am to 2pm.
