Indianapolis museums: The most famous and hidden places that house Indiana treasures

Domenica Bongiovanni
Indianapolis Star

Indianapolis is a crossroads of sorts, picking up artifacts and stories from all over the world. The area's museums are the obvious place to see this. You might already know about the greatness that is The Children's Museum, Newfields and the Soldiers & Sailors Monument. (Worry not: Those are on this list.)

But you might have missed Parliament Funkadelic's "Baby Mothership," Indy's Teeny Statue of Liberty Museum, Rolls-Royce aircraft engines, John Dillinger's death mask and a largely preserved part of an old mental hospital.

Dive into our list below. And be sure to check the museum's hours on its website or Facebook page before you go. Times often change according to seasons and special events.

HEAVY HISTORY HITTERS

Indiana State Museum

10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday. 650 W. Washington St. $17 for adults, $16 for seniors ages 60 and older, $12 for kids ages 3-17, $15 for Indiana college students with ID, free for kids ages 3 and younger. Free for members. indianamuseum.org. 317-232-1637.

Interactive installations here take you all the way back to the Ice Age. Trace Hoosier history through Native American nations and how the state influenced pop culture and contributed to the U.S.'s World War II victory. And once you make it through these experiences, plenty of changing exhibitions are available to catch your eye.

If you really want to go down the rabbit hole, take some day trips to the museum's historic sites. We're talking Hoosier painter extraordinaire T.C. Steele's home (with nearby hiking) and the tools Levi and Catharine Coffin used to aid escapes through the Underground Railroad. 

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis

Hours vary by season. 3000 North Meridian St. Ticket prices can go up over time, so buying in advance is cheaper. Free for members. childrensmuseum.org. 317-334-4000.

Frolic on mini fields, a golf course, hockey rink and more at the Riley Children's Health Sports Legends Experience, a recent major addition to The Children's Museum of Indianapolis.

If you can move beyond gawking at the multicolored Chihuly glass tower, you can fit a lot of experiences into your visit at the place that won the USA Today reader's choice as the best museum for families. Don't miss the vintage toys in American POP, the Gorgosaurus skeleton with a fossilized brain tumor in Dinosphere and the interactive station at Beyond Spaceship Earth. 

In spring, summer and fall, the outdoor part of the Riley Children's Health Sports Legends Experience is open, and it is magnificent. Among the recommended spots to visit are the Fantasy Tree House of Sports, a broadcast booth where you can film yourself calling a game, and the National Art Museum of Sport, which has interactive crafts for kids and Muhammad Ali's work "Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee."

Conner Prairie

Hours vary by season. 13400 Allisonville Road in Fishers. Ticket prices differ by season. Free for members. connerprairie.org. 317-776-6000.

The 1859 Balloon Voyage traces the history of human flight and is open seasonally at Conner Prairie.

The focus is living history. Born from what was once the land and cabin of statesman William Conner, Conner Prairie merges re-creations of 19th century life with crafts that help you figure out how Hoosiers innovated and fur trading lessons at the Lenape Indian Camp. The range of options will keep your family busy all day.

Outdoor activities during warmer seasons include the 1859 Balloon Voyage, which traces the history of human flight. And yes, a balloon will lift you into the sky. 

Indiana Historical Society

10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. 450 West Ohio St. $9 for adults, $8 for seniors age 60 and older, $5 for kids ages 5 to 17, free for kids younger than 5. Free for members. indianahistory.org. 317-232-1882.

Step into historical photos to see a moment re-created by actors. Listen to a singer perform "Anything Goes" and other Cole Porter standards inside the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Learn about how conservators preserve fragile paper. Permanent installations reside near changing ones at the history center, which also serves as an archive for Indiana sheet music, maps, photos and paintings.

Indy is never boring.Don’t miss our best recommendations.

ALL ABOUT THE ARTS

Newfields, home of the Indianapolis Museum of Art

11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday. 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday. Hours change with seasons. 4000 N. Michigan Road. $18 for adults, $10 for ages 6-17, free for ages 5 and younger. Free for members. discovernewfields.org. 317-923-1331.

Robert Indiana's famous "Love" sculpture is one of thousands of pieces of art housed inside the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields.

So why is it called Newfields? The Indianapolis Museum of Art underwent a rebranding in 2017 and decided to name its campus. With that came more recognition of its outdoor seasonal festivals, like Winterlights and Spring Blooms, that highlight its outdoor assets. Take your pick of wandering through the Beer Garden or The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park, for example. 

Whatever you do, do not skip the staggering art inside. The museum has one of the largest, most important collections of Asian art, including weavings from Iran and Afghanistan; a newly renovated design gallery that shows off the value of almost four decades of furniture; and a rich grouping of the European Old Masters and Impressionists, among thousands of other pieces from all over the world.

Eiteljorg Museum

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. 500 W. Washington St. in White River State Park. $15 for adults, $12 for seniors, $8 for ages 5-17 (and with ID for college students), free for ages 4 and younger. Free for members, Native Americans with tribal ID, K-12 Indiana teachers with ID, IUPUI students and faculty. eiteljorg.org. 317-636-9378.

And you thought the Southwest didn't have much of a presence in Indy. The Eiteljorg is actually one of two museums east of the Mississippi River that dig deeply into Native America and the American West. We're talking Georgia O’Keeffe, Andy Warhol, Frederic Remington and Kay WalkingStick. The art, and especially the paintings, are stunning. And while you're there, don't miss the contemporary work of Native American artists. 

Rhythm! Discovery Center

Hours vary by season. 110 W. Washington St. $12 for adults, $8 for seniors and Percussive Arts Society members with card, $9 for students ages 17-25 with ID, $6 for kids ages 6-16, free for kids ages 5 and younger. Free for members. rhythmdiscoverycenter.org. 317-275-9030. 

It's a drum and percussion museum, and yep, you can play instruments in here with your friends. Take a look at how famous drummers like Rush’s Neil Peart have arranged their sets. See how instruments from all over the world are built. And learn what rhythm means for different cultures.

Great American Songbook Exhibit Gallery

10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday and one hour before Songbook and Jazz Series events. Go in the West entrance and up to the Gallery Level of the Palladium at 1 Center Green in Carmel. Free. thesongbook.org/exhibits. 317-843-3800.

The Great American Songbook Exhibit Gallery is located inside the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts.

The gallery hosted by The Great American Songbook Foundation isn't quite a museum, but the exhibits that come out of its massive collection are worth a trip. From the more than 100,000 pieces of artifacts and memorabilia, the gallery has pulled out shows about "The Music Man" composer Meredith Willson, The Andrews Sisters and lyricist Gus Kahn, who wrote hits during the first half of the 20th century.

Au Ho-nien Museum

8 a.m.-8 p.m. daily. 1400 Campus Dr. On the lower level of the Schwitzer Student Center at the University of Indianapolis. Free. uindy.edu/arts/au-ho-nien-museum. 317-788-3368.

This gem of a spot has 45 pieces of painting, poetry and calligraphy valued at more than $1 million. Master Au Ho-nien is a leading contemporary artist, and major museums in Great Britain, San Diego and Hong Kong own his work. UIndy's works were donated by the Au Ho-nien Cultural Foundation in Taiwan.

PURVEYORS OF QUIRKY

Museum of Psychphonics

Open 6 p.m.-9 p.m. on the first Friday of each month and by appointment. 1043 Virginia Ave., Studio 209 in the Murphy Art Center. Free. Museum of Psychphonics on Facebook.

Funk legend George Clinton (left) reunited with friend and Indy resident Tom Battista at the Museum of Psychphonics in 2016. Parliament Funkadelic's baby mothership is part of the Museum of Psychphonics' collection.

The creators of this tiny museum describe it as "good old-fashioned American weirdness," so that's definitely a ringing endorsement. Among its trinkets: the Parliament Funkadelic's "Baby Mothership" and an ashtray from a Kalamazoo, Michigan, Burger King where Elvis Presley was reportedly seen after he died. The point of all of that is to create an ambiance of mystery and unanswered questions so you and your posse will have unexpected conversations.

Indy's Teeny Statue of Liberty Museum

Noon-6 p.m. Wednesday-Friday. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday. Noon-5 p.m. Sunday. 2907 E. 10th St. 50 cents. Indy's Teeny Statue of Liberty Museum on Facebook. 

You never realized how many types of items have been fashioned into the New York Harbor symbol of American identity. But the curators of this 9-by-16-foot museum did. It holds the traditional snow globes alongside the unexpected Statue of Liberty cigarette lighter, Barbie, rubber duck and lawn sprinkler. A visit here certifies you as an Indy insider.

Museum of Miniature Houses & Other Collections

11 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday. 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. 111 E. Main St. in Carmel. $10 for adults, $8 for seniors ages 65 and older and military, $5 for kids ages 3-9. Free for members. museumofminiatures.org. 317-575-9466. 

It's a shrine to the small with miniature houses, room boxes and all the tiny furniture and household items it takes to give them a homey feel. Depending on the exhibition, you can squeal over a sheet of cookies inside a tiny kitchen or post-World War II tin dollhouses, one of which even has a fallout shelter. No matter what's shown, the houses are highly realistic. Make sure to check out the tiny bar by famous miniature artist Narcissa Niblack Thorne, whose work commands a special place at the Art Institute of Chicago. 

Masonic Library and Museum of Indiana

10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday. 525 N. Illinois St. Free. mlmindiana.org. 317-631-7742.

Hoosier Freemasons celebrated their 200th anniversary in 2018, and they have more than 2,000 historical artifacts to prove it. Although their meetings are private, the organization invites the public to see paraphernalia from famous Hoosiers, including Colonel Harland Sanders of Kentucky Fried Chicken, Dave Thomas of Wendy's and comedy entertainer Red Skelton.

A changing exhibit even includes a masonic-symbol sculpture by a once-imprisoned Union soldier who used his own hair for the figurines connected to it.

PEOPLE WITH THEIR OWN MUSEUM

Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site

10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Noon-3:30 p.m. Sunday. 1230 N. Delaware St. $12 for adults, $11 for active military, veterans and seniors, $7 for ages 5-17 and college students with ID, free for ages 4 and younger. Free for members. bhpsite.org. 317-631-1888.

The Old Northside neighborhood was home to President Benjamin Harrison, the 23rd president.

Quick primer: He was the 23rd president (the only one from Indiana), he added six states to the Union, and he's why we fly the American flag over public buildings. Harrison and his wife had the home built in the Old Northside neighborhood. In it resides the president's, and a few other presidents', letters, medals, furniture and a flask shaped like Teddy Roosevelt wearing a sash that says "SUFFER-E GET."

Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library

Winter hours (until April 1): 10 a.m.-5 p.m. every day. Summer hours: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday-Wednesday and 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Thursday-Saturday. Closed on major holidays and second Wednesday of every month. 543 Indiana Ave. $12. $11 active military, veterans, seniors. $7 college students with ID and ages 5-17. Free ages 4 and under. Free for everyone on the first Monday of each month. vonnegutlibrary.org.

The museum moved into its new home — a building constructed in 1882 in a high-profile spot on Indiana Avenue — in November 2019. Take the time to see the "Slaugherhouse-Five" author's typewriter, Purple Heart and a letter his father wrote to him that no one has ever opened. Oh, and you can't miss the piece of the Berlin Wall or the 11-foot light-up tiger skin that was once a prop for a Vonnegut opera.

Since the museum is more than a building that holds stuff, check out its programming. A big part of its mission is to celebrate free speech and host events that promote all points of view. 

Center for Ray Bradbury Studies

Cavanaugh Hall 121, 425 University Blvd. on the IUPUI campus. Free. bradbury.iupui.edu. 317-274-1451. Appointments preferred. Send a message to bradbury@iupui.edu or Jason Aukerman at jaukerma@iupui.edu.

The Center for Ray Bradbury Studies has a re-creation of the "Fahrenheit 451" author's study and 30,000 pounds of priceless memorabilia from his writing, TV and film career.

This place feels like a secret reservoir of science-fiction amazingness, and it's all connected to the "Fahrenheit 451" author's life. We're talking "The Jar" prop from the "Alfred Hitchcock Hour," an asbestos-bound "Fahrenheit 451" and one of the first "Empire Strikes Back" scripts — the one that Bradbury almost helped write. They're part of 30,000 pounds of letters, photos, manuscripts, foreign-edition books, filing cabinets and rare pulp magazines.

But the center won't feel like a secret for much longer. It has plans to fashion its collection into a full-fledged interactive museum and archive where scholars and the general public can nerd out. 

James Whitcomb Riley Museum Home & Visitor Center

10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday with tours starting on the hour. 528 Lockerbie St. $4 for adults, $1 for ages 8-17, free for kids ages 7 and younger. rileymuseumhome.org. 317-631-5885. 

You've read "Little Orphant Annie" in all its Hoosier dialect glory, right? The author's desk, top hat, cane and furniture survive where he lived in the gorgeous late Victorian home. Bonus: It's in the Lockerbie Square neighborhood, which is right next to the restaurant, bar and theater mecca of Mass Ave.

FOR GEARHEADS AND SPORTS FANS

Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum

9 a.m.-5 p.m. March -October. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. November-February. 4750 W. 16th St., inside the track between turns one and two. $10 for adults, $8 for ages 6-15, free for kids ages 5 and younger. Free for members. Additional general admission or ticket charge to go on the grounds on event days. Free entrance to the grounds on days without events. indyracingmuseum.org. 317-492-6784.

Race cars driven by the Unser family were part of a 2018 exhibit at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum.

Why and how the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race started is history Hoosiers proudly carry with them. Pair racing-themed art with more than two dozen cars that have won the race, and you'll be hooked. Don't miss your Instagram opportunity to pose inside a real Indy car or the chance to see changing exhibits like the story behind Indiana's short-track racing.

NCAA Hall of Champions

10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Noon-5 p.m. Sunday. Not open Tuesdays during January and February. 700 W. Washington St. $5 for adults, $3 for ages 6-18 and seniors ages 60 and older, free for ages 5 and younger. Hours and cost change, so check the website at ncaahallofchampions.org. 317-916-4255. 

Whether you start on the first or second level, you won't be disappointed by either. The former has trivia challenges, memorabilia and more related to the two dozen NCAA sports. The latter contains a 1930s gym and plenty of opportunities for hands-on simulators for your favorite sports.

Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust Exhibition

10 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday. 450 S. Meridian St. rollsroyce.com/heritageindy. Free. 463-202-2602.

Go for the James A. Allison Exhibition, which has aircraft engines built by Rolls-Royce and Allison Engine Company. We're talking a WWI Liberty aircraft engine, Apollo Lunar Module tank and other treasures — also known as a flight geek's dreams. 

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NO SMALL HISTORIES

Indiana Medical History Museum

Tours on the hour from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday. 3045 W. Vermont St. imhm.org. $10 for adults, $9 seniors ages 65 and older, $5 for college students with ID, $3 for students younger than 18. 317-635-7329.

The Old Pathology Building at what was Central State Hospital is now the Indiana Medical History Museum.

This fascinating piece of Hoosier history is housed in the Old Pathology Building at what was Central State Hospital, originally called the Indiana Hospital for the Insane. Central State closed in 1994 after patient-abuse scandals. 

The pathology building was once where doctors studied the causes of mental diseases, and it is set up largely the same today as it was when it was operating. Tours will take you through the labs, teaching amphitheater, library, and past preserved human brains and skeletons.

Soldiers & Sailors Monument

10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday during May-October. 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Friday-Sunday during November-April. 1 Monument Circle. Free but a small fee to ride the elevator. Veterans can ride for free. in.gov/iwm. 317-232-7615.

The Soldiers & Sailors Monument in Downtown Indianapolis in February 2017.

It's the striking piece of limestone architecture in the middle of the city, and it honors Hoosiers who served in the Revolutionary War all the way up to the Spanish-American War. You absolutely can't miss the observation level, where you climb almost 300 feet to see a 360-degree view of the skyline.

Do take note: The Col. Eli Lilly Civil War Museum, which has items like a cannon used by Lilly's 18th Indiana Light Artillery battery, was housed in the monument's basement until water threatened it. It's in the process of being moved to the Indiana War Memorial Museum.

Indiana War Memorial Museum

9 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday. 55 E. Michigan St. Free. in.gov/iwm. 317-232-7615.

This was built during the City Beautiful Movement during the early 20th century, so the Greek architectural style is, well, beautiful. Take in the glorious Shrine Room, where an American flag hangs over an altar honoring those who served in World War I. The military museum inside shows the story of Hoosier veterans who served from the Battle of Tippecanoe to the present along with uniforms, firearms and artifacts.

Crispus Attucks Museum

8 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesday-Friday. Or call for an appointment. 1140 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. $5 adults, $3 kids ages 8-14. 317-226-2432 or contact curator Robert Chester at chesterr@myips.org.

The museum is inside Indiana's first all-black high school, and, using thousands of artifacts, it tells the story that began in 1927. Expect details about the lives of legends, like graduate and NBA star Oscar Robertson, the Tuskegee Airmen of World War II and jazz great Wes Montgomery. New in 2020 are exhibits about Crispus Attucks, who was the first to die in the front life of the Boston Massacre (opens in July), and women at Attucks (May). The museum is owned by Indianapolis Public Schools.

Hasten Hebrew Academy of Indianapolis Interactive Holocaust Museum

Call 317-251-1261 to schedule a tour or fill out a form at cdhhai.weebly.com/schedule-a-visit.html. 6602 Hoover Road. Free but donations accepted at hhai.org/Page/4951. 

This is meant to help visitors capture a sense of the horrors of the Holocaust. You can pass through a cattle car, hear actual stories, see re-enactments and interact with a virtual timeline to see pictures from the time period. At the end is the "Hope Tree," where you can reflect on a question and write down your answer.

Monon Depot Museum

10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Thursday. 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday. 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Call ahead because times can change. 211 First St. S.W. in Carmel. Free but donations accepted. carmelclayhistory.org. 317-846-7117. 

The Carmel Clay Historical Society runs the museum and archives. The former, called the Monon Depot Museum, is housed in the quaint Monon Railroad Depot. Changing exhibits include the myths and truths about 19th-century Indiana train heists. The historical society also has plenty of then-and-now photos to see how the Carmel of the 1800s — first known as Bethlehem — compares to other time periods. Rotating exhibits and film screenings are part of programming as well. 

Indiana State Police Museum

9 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday-Friday. Noon-4 p.m. every third Saturday of the month, but check the website for changes to the schedule. 8660 E. 21st St. Free but donations accepted. in.gov/isp/museum.htm. 317-899-8293. 

With history spanning 1933 to the present, the museum has John Dillinger's death mask along with exhibits about the department in the 1920s and 30s, and police cars and uniforms over the years.

Irvington Historical Society

1 p.m.-3 p.m. Wednesday, 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. 350 University Ave. Free. Irvington Historical Society on Facebook. 317-602-2962.

This will give you the chance to visit Irvington, one of Indianapolis' most storied and gorgeous neighborhoods. Look for exhibits that show how Irvington's business district developed and recreate the West Baden Springs Hotel's angel room, a spectacularly painted and hidden spot that's shrouded in mystery. Rotating shows include histories of Irvington's influential women and the homes that became commercial properties.

It's all housed in the Bona Thompson Memorial Center, which was the library for the original campus of Butler University.

Hamilton County Historical Society

Noon-5 p.m. Thursday-Saturday. 810 Conner St. in Noblesville. Free. hamiltoncoinhs.com. 317-770-0775.

The old cells in the Sheriff's Residence and Jail are worth seeing at the Hamilton County Historical Society.

Take a look at what served as the Sheriff's Residence and Jail for the county from 1876 to 1977 — including the actual old cells. The museum houses sheriff's memorabilia, county history items and antiques. Since residents of the jail included cult leader Charles Manson and D.C. Stephenson, grand dragon of the Ku Klux Klan in Indiana, the museum has information about them as well.

Westfield-Washington Historical Society and Museum

10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday. 130 Penn St. in Westfield. Free. wwhs.us/home. 317-804-5365.

Learn more about the Underground Railroad and check out maps, furniture, pictures, school memorabilia and other artifacts the museum has collected on its township. Bonus: The organization is currently reconstructing a Westfield pioneer family's rug loom to put on display.

HOW WE FOUGHT FIRE

Koorsen Fire Museum

8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday. By appointment on weekends. 2820 N. Webster Ave. Free. koorsen.com/about-us/koorsen-museum. 317-285-0879.

The 12,000 square feet of museum is part of the Koorsen Fire and Security business, thanks to Randy Koorsen. The CEO and president has been collecting old fire equipment for 25 years, and he's found things that most 21st-century people have no idea existed. Koorsen mines auctions for his artifacts and is well known enough now that people call him when they find items they think he's interested in.

At the museum, you'll find more than 800 fire extinguishers dating back to the 1860s, leather fire buckets from 1789, and the fire alarms and posts that used to be on street corners. Make sure to look for his collection of fire grenades — saltwater-filled glass bottles that people used to throw at flames.

Indianapolis Fire Museum

9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday. 748 Massachusetts Ave. Free but donations accepted. Indianapolis Firefighters Museum and Fallen Firefighters Memorial on Facebook. 317-262-5161.

First off, this is housed in a firehouse was built in 1872 and housed in the oldest surviving station in Marion County. It's owned by the Indianapolis Professional Firefighters Local 416. Find tools they used to use to fight fires, gear, metal helmets and old air masks. Videos help bring firefighters' experiences to life.

Carmel Fire Buffs Museum

During the winter of 2020, call 317-370-6437 to see if proprietor Jim Martin is in. 210 Veteran's Way in Carmel. After that, it will be under construction. Free, and donations are encouraged. Carmel Fire Buffs Museum on Facebook.

Jim Martin fought fires for almost 40 years, and he worked at the station, which is now his museum, for 27 of them. From 1950 to 1987, the site of Carmel Fire Buffs was an operating fire station, and Martin started the museum there in 1992. It has housed antique trucks that people have donated to him, including a 1923 Ford Model T chemical truck and a 1920 Stutz manufactured by the same company that had its headquarters in Downtown Indianapolis. 

Note: This is a museum in transition. Sometime during the winter of 2020, the current building will be taken down and a new fire administration building will be constructed on the same site. Once that is done, the Fire Buffs museum will open again on the first floor and pay homage to the original 1950 building. The new museum and administration building is expected to open in July 2021.

Contact IndyStar reporter Domenica Bongiovanni at 317-444-7339 or d.bongiovanni@indystar.com. Follow her on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter: @domenicareports.