Best Museums in Indianapolis for Kids & Families

4 family-friendly museums with age ratings and parent tips.

Highest rated: Indiana War Memorial and Museum, Indiana State Museum, Newfields. 1 listing is free. 2 listings are indoor. Qualified listings include age fit, stroller notes, cost signals, and practical planning tips.

By Kit, KidPaths editor

Reviews family planning details across KidPaths city guides.

This Indianapolis page currently has 4 qualified listings in museums that passed KidPaths' listing and photo checks. Start your comparison with Newfields, Indiana State Museum, Indiana War Memorial and Museum, then use the age, cost and visit-length notes to narrow the list.

1 option is free. 4 options work indoors or in mixed weather. 3 options have confirmed stroller access. 3 picks fit toddlers and 4 picks fit big kids.

Match the museum to attention span, not reputation alone. Toddlers need hands-on rooms and easy exits, while older kids usually want a challenge, demonstration or strong special exhibit.

Top Picks

Indiana War Memorial and Museum

4.7 stars

History-minded children can see an AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter, uniforms, military equipment, firearms, photographs, documents, and the dramatic crys

Ages 9-17, especially children interested in military history, large equipment, architecture, and Indiana stories.FreeIndoor$0 admission for two adults and two children

Indiana State Museum

4.7 stars

Dinosaur fossils, a woolly mammoth, pop culture exhibits, and an IMAX theater combine to make this one of the more content-rich rainy-day museums in I

3, 16IndoorUSD 60 to 90 for museum admission; add USD 30 to 40 for IMAX tickets for the family

Newfields

4.7 stars

A large-scale art museum combined with 100 acres of outdoor park, seasonal events like Winterlights, and large-scale installations that make art feel

All agesIndoor & OutdoorUSD 60 to 90 for general admission (adults roughly USD 18 to 25, children USD 8 to 12); seasonal events may carry higher pricing

Conner Prairie

4.6 stars

Kids get to dress up, churn butter, fire a musket simulator, and explore a real 19th-century village where costumed characters play along with everyth

3, 12Indoor & OutdoorUSD 80 to 100 (two adults at roughly USD 22 to 25, two kids at roughly USD 15 to 18)

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