Indiana State Museum
About
The Indiana State Museum in Indianapolis is the state's premier institution for exploring Indiana's rich natural and cultural heritage. Located in White River State Park in the heart of downtown Indianapolis, the museum's striking contemporary building spans multiple floors of exhibits that journey through 400,000 years of Indiana history—from glacial landscapes and prehistoric megafauna to Native American cultures, frontier settlement, and the modern Hoosier State. Natural science is a cornerstone of the museum's collections, with extensive exhibits on Indiana's geology, fossils, and ecosystems. The museum's collection includes mastodon remains, Devonian sea creatures, and significant paleontological specimens that trace the evolution of the land that would become Indiana. Cultural history galleries explore the lives of Indiana's Indigenous peoples, European settlers, and the waves of immigrants who shaped the state's identity. The state-of-the-art IMAX theater presents large-format films covering science, nature, and history topics, making it one of Indiana's most popular film destinations. The museum also administers 11 Indiana State Historic Sites across the state, extending its educational reach far beyond its Indianapolis campus. The Indiana State Museum offers a dedicated free K–12 field trip program for school groups of 10 or more, with curriculum-aligned programming available by reservation. NARM (North American Reciprocal Museum) membership provides free or discounted admission at hundreds of institutions across North America.
🏠 Homeschool Programs
Free K–12 field trip program for groups of 10 or more with advance reservation. Curriculum-aligned programming available.
Subject Areas
Best For
Hours of Operation
Open Tuesday–Saturday 10am–5pm, Sunday 11am–5pm. Closed Mondays. Hours vary by season.
Hours change seasonally — verify before visiting.
Admission
Paid admissionAdults $23, Youth (3–17) $17. IMAX tickets available separately. ASTC and NARM reciprocal programs accepted.
✓ Membership available
ASTC Travel Passport Program
Members of the Association of Science and Technology Centers' Travel Passport Program offer free or discounted admission to members of other participating institutions. Over 300 science centers worldwide participate.
Learn more →47 other places in our directory accept this membership:
Museum of Science
Boston, MA
Harvard Museum of Natural History
Cambridge, MA
EcoTarium
Worcester, MA
Connecticut Science Center
Hartford, CT
Yale Peabody Museum
New Haven, CT
Stepping Stones Museum for Children
Norwalk, CT
ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain
Burlington, VT
McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center
Concord, NH
The Franklin Institute
Philadelphia, PA
Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University
Philadelphia, PA
Delaware Museum of Nature and Science
Wilmington, DE
New York Hall of Science
Queens, NY
Maryland Science Center
Baltimore, MD
Liberty Science Center
Jersey City, NJ
Houston Museum of Natural Science
Houston, TX
Adventure Science Center
Nashville, TN
Science Museum of Minnesota
St. Paul, MN
COSI
Columbus, OH
Saint Louis Science Center
St. Louis, MO
Denver Museum of Nature & Science
Denver, CO
Museum of the Rockies
Bozeman, MT
Pacific Science Center
Seattle, WA
Oregon Museum of Science and Industry
Portland, OR
California Academy of Sciences
San Francisco, CA
Science Museum of Virginia
Richmond, VA
Exploreum Science Center
Mobile, AL
Perot Museum of Nature and Science
Dallas, TX
Discovery Place Science
Charlotte, NC
Kenneth C. Griffin Museum of Science and Industry
Chicago, IL
Milwaukee Public Museum
Milwaukee, WI
Arizona Science Center
Phoenix, AZ
Exploratorium
San Francisco, CA
Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science
Miami, FL
McWane Science Center
Birmingham, AL
Museum of Life and Science
Durham, NC
Science Center of Iowa
Des Moines, IA
The Tech Interactive
San Jose, CA
Witte Museum
San Antonio, TX
Orlando Science Center
Orlando, FL
Cincinnati Museum Center
Cincinnati, OH
Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum
Denver, CO
Space Center Houston
Houston, TX
Louisiana Children's Museum
New Orleans, LA
Great Lakes Science Center
Cleveland, OH
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
Chicago, IL
Maine Discovery Museum
Bangor, ME
Virginia Museum of Natural History
Martinsville, VA
North American Reciprocal Museum Association
The North American Reciprocal Museum (NARM) Association links over 1,000 museums, science centers, botanical gardens, and cultural institutions across the US and Canada. Members receive free or discounted admission at participating institutions.
Learn more →11 other places in our directory accept this membership:
EcoTarium
Worcester, MA
Discovery Museum
Acton, MA
Peabody Essex Museum
Salem, MA
Old Sturbridge Village
Sturbridge, MA
Yale Peabody Museum
New Haven, CT
Mystic Seaport Museum
Mystic, CT
Shelburne Museum
Shelburne, VT
Maine Maritime Museum
Bath, ME
RISD Museum
Providence, RI
Delaware Museum of Nature and Science
Wilmington, DE
Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture
Seattle, WA