Indiana State Museum

Very unusual museum. Eclectic displays from beavers to coke bottles to gathered parking lot trash. 🤷‍♀️ but there were also really cool fossils, skeletons, and educational displays. Kid friendly. Easy to navigate.

Really cool and modern museum! This museum participates in Blue Star (Active duty military and their families enter for free) as well as the ASTC program. The first floor showed what the Dinosaur-era Indiana looked like. The upstair was more of the 1900s-2000s. There's also a Cat & Dog exhibit which gives you a perspective of what it would be like to be a cat or dog. There is also a section for toddlers and little kids which my little ones enjoyed. We spent about 4-5 hours here and the parking was validated (came out to $4)

I loved how clean and calm the atmosphere was. My son and I enjoyed most exhibits. I really disliked the fact that there are areas where it doesn't display anywhere what certain items on display are and prompts you to ask a nearby worker but then there were not any to be found around the area. And also I found it extremely uncomfortable to be in an exhibit with a life size fully decked out casket that to me was sort of a "hidden surprise" that should have been on some type of caution with for those that have mental health issues and something as such can pose as a trigger to their disability. Lastly I wish the gift shop employees would have been more involved with the customers instead of pricing their inventory because it actually seemed very unwelcoming and as if we were more of a burden on them.

The museum is well-maintained and has some interesting exhibits, but at least half of the space is geared toward kids. For adult, it’s not very engaging overall. One nice plus, the canal right outside is really pleasant, and it’s great for a walk along the water.

Good museum covering various info, people events about indiana. Surprised to know that Indiana wa under water ....few billion years ago !🤩Entry fees of 23 $ is way high. On 1st floor cafebis located. Spots for taking selfies and photos. Liked the interactive methods used for dharing info. Liked Cats and Dogs section.

This was my first experience with the ISM. We went to the IMAX show "Mesmerica". While waiting for entrance to the theater, we sat on comfortable soft benches. We arrived very early so, places to sit became an issue for others who arrived after us. The theater was standard. The advertising of this show seemed a little misleading. Honestly, we both felt rather disappointed. Dont get me wrong. The show was fun and all, but, what we thought would be ~other worldly~ actually seemed more like watching a 3D Screensaver play for an hour+. Some of the images even repeated. I used the restroom afterwards and overheard people saying the same sort things as we were saying. I also heard some people talking about how they purchased VIP tickets, and felt there was little to nothing different from regular tickets. They also upsell the higher priced concession items that offer free refills, only to be told there would be no re-entry if we left the theater (to refill them). By the time we exited the theater, employees were refusing refills with a sour attitude. They were fully aware no one would be able to take advantage of the refills they upsold. While in line, we were given parking validation passes. So, that was a plus! I would like to visit the museum some other time for a different exhibit. This one was a little disappointing.

This is a really nice museum! We live about 2 hours away and it is was worth the drive. We spent most of our time in the maze exhibit, which will be there until early April. Well kept museum, nice staff. Appreciate that parking garage is below the museum and that the museum validates your ticket so you only have to pay $4 for parking. Will be back! They have ASTC reciprocity

If you live in Indiana, this is a must-visit place to brush up on the history of the land you live on. The museum is huge, well design, and exceptionally clean. The displays are visually stunning and informative. The history goes all the way back to when this state was underwater, and through the ice age and the native inhabitants. They have a rich recent history of the last couple hundred years, and a large "special" place up on the 3rd floor for special displays. It's pretty kid friendly, especially the animal bits. But I don't think there's much here for impatient or very young kids. Plan for about 2-3 hours and don't forget to get your parking ticket approved for a discount.