The only thing better than finding fun activities in Indiana is finding fun activities that also happen to be free. Check out this one awesome activity that's absolutely free on select Thursdays, that your whole family will want to check out.
Disclaimer: Free Thursday nights are no longer offered, however the museum does offer $5 First Thursday visits (from 4pm to 8pm).
The Children's Museum of Indianapolis is an incredible museum with exhibits created to delight, educate, and challenge kids (and even adults!). The best kept secret of this amazing museum, though, is that on the first Thursday of every month, between 4-9pm, all admissions are completely free!
You'll have access to magical exhibits like one of the most popular ones, Dinosphere. Discover with your kids what life was like over 65 million years ago.
Kids can also get creative with the Circus exhibit. Here, they'll not only meet performers and learn about circus tricks, they'll actually get the chance to star in their own circus!
Don't miss out on free admission to this spectacular children's museum on the first Thursday of every month. You'll find the Children's Museum of Indianapolis at 3000 N Meridian St, Indianapolis, Indiana.
Will you be checking out this awesome activity in Indiana this year? For more fun, check out these 21 incredible places you should visit in the Hoosier state in 2017.
If there's any earth science that Indiana seems to excel at being amazing at, it's archaeology. Amazingly, there are several notable archaeological sites in Indiana, and as a result, there's quite a vibrant "scene" here, so to speak. That's where September comes in: here, we celebrate our archaeological wonders for the entire month, and it's a great time every time.
advertisement
So, what does this ultimately mean? It means that geeks like ourselves have the perfect reason(s) to hit as many museums, state parks, and archaeological sites as possible, and it's encouraged (you can even get a poster to commemorate your adventures; pick one up at the DNR Central Office lobby in the Indiana Government Center South complex in Indianapolis from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays).
So, where should we go? Here are some ideas:
Mounds State Park
Mounds State Park (pictured below) is an amazing place to visit for anyone interested in history - particularly Indiana's history. With ten incredible earthworks built by the Adena-Hopewell people around 160 B.C. (making them nearly 2,000 years old!), one could get completely lost in this beautiful place and learn all about the folks who once called it home. The Great Mound is one of the more notable of the group, measuring 390 feet across and consisting of a circular outer embankment nine feet high and 63 feet wide. To say it's impressive is to downplay it a bit. Archaeology lovers will be intrigued from start to finish, as these mounds were once used for religious ceremonies and for viewing the stars and astronomical alignments.
Falls of the Ohio State Park is easily one of the most underrated state parks in Indiana, and the entire thing is an archaeologist's dream come true. Nestled, perhaps predictably, on the banks of the Ohio River, this amazing set of 390 million-year-old fossil beds is incredible enough to turn even the sourest of science-stuff haters into at least intrigued onlookers.
The fossil beds are among the oldest Devonian-era fossil beds in the world. While fossil-picking is not allowed in most of the park, you'll be pleased to learn there's a picking pile behind the interpretive center from which one can, well, pick out fossils and rocks. It's awesome, and it's all about Indiana archaeology.
Wyandotte Caves
The awesome Wyandotte Caves (pictured below) are a set of twin caves located also on the Ohio River and are the fifth-largest limestone caves of their kind in Indiana. Though they're considered "twin" caves thanks to their proximity to one another, both caves are quite different, though both were formed thanks to water moving through the limestone, dissolving it over time and carving out beautiful caverns worthy of exploration even when it isn't Indiana Archaeology Month.
These caves were utilized by Native American peoples approximately 4,000 years before European colonizers arrived. Some artifacts found in the cave are thought to be about 8,000 years old, which is extraordinary. Today, you can take tours that specifically showcase the Native American mining operations that went on here back then, and it makes for a fabulously fun and educational stop during this special month.
2024 marks the 100th year of the first published survey reports (which were for Washington and Lawrence Counties), which were a major stepping stone along the way to preserving important archaeological sites for generations to come. If you're planning to come out and discover all the most amazing archaeological sites in Indiana, wonderful! Check out all the coolest places to stay from our friends at VRBO.
advertisement
If you can't make it in person to the DNR Central Office lobby to grab a complimentary map, you can request up to five by emailing [email protected].
What Indiana archaeological sites amaze you the most? Tell me about them in the comments.
This Completely Free Museum Hiding in a Historic Indiana Mansion is a Must-Visit
Lovers of history and architecture alike, this one's all about you: the Elwood Haynes Museum is a peek into one Indiana man's amazingly inventive past.
The small town known as Kokomo, Indiana, seems to have a lot going for it despite its overall small size; it’s an amazing little town filled top-to-bottom with amazing things to do, see and experience – many of which are a history buff’s dream come true. Hidden away in Kokomo is an incredible museum that documents the life and career of a brilliant American inventor: the legendary Elwood Haynes, for whom Indiana's Elwood Haynes Museum is named.
Haynes was born in Portland, Indiana, in 1857. He was a bright child with a promising future, and a promising future he did indeed have – he became one of the most influential inventors of his day that changed life as we all know it forever. He has numerous amazing inventions to his name, such as the vapor thermostat and – get this – the modern automobile. Other discoveries he’s credited with include tungsten chrome steel and various alloys still used in auto manufacturing to this day.
In 1891, Haynes got another amazing idea: a horseless carriage that required no living animals to power it. This idea would blossom eventually into the modern automobile, and we all have a Hoosier to thank for it. Pretty cool, right? I think so.
Today, you can still visit his home – in fact, it’s been turned into a museum that you can visit for free. The Elwood Haynes Museum documents the man’s life from start to finish and includes all of his most amazing inventions and discoveries along the way. When it comes to notable Hoosiers in history, it’s a shame that more folks don’t know his name – but at least we do. There have been a lot of things invented in Indiana - and we're proud to claim this man and his brilliance for sure.
The Elwood Haynes Museum is closed on Mondays and open by appointment only on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from September 1st until May 31st. From June 1st until August 31st, it’s open Wednesday through Sunday (with Tuesdays by appointment). Donations are accepted, so please consider helping out with whatever you can afford without putting yourself out. Your Indiana historic sites appreciate you more than you know!
For more information about this spectacular free-to-visit museum in Indiana, including a deeper dive into the history of Elwood Haynes, be sure to visit the official Visit Kokomo website. Do you find yourself needing more to do while in Kokomo? Check out all the awesome adventure ideas from our friends at Airbnb Experiences.
