Came to see the solar eclipse and just happened to find out the observatory was hosting a viewing…read more We set up a little place on the lawn and the event was so fun with so many other people. Super informative and made me appreciate what was happening while it was happening. I didn't know what to expect, but there was someone to guide us through the entire experience--letting us know what we were seeing, what to notice, when to keep our glasses on and when it was safe to remove them. 10/10 experience. So cool. There were telescopes to look through and stations set up where kids could color. And assistants to answer questions or tell us more about eclipses. TL;DR i'm starstruck. Super cool stuff happening here & very informative in an accessible way.

This is an amazing place for children and adults alike. Now I still have not mastered parking here…read moreon the Butler campus, but a guess when I park in one of the permit areas, my prayers have been answered and I have not been ticketed or towed (knock on wood). I visited here on one of their open house nights as part of a girl scout troop trip. The staff was very friendly, energetic, enthusiastic and showed a real passion for astronomy. The open house is in 2 parts. The first part is the movie in the planetarium. The theater is very nice, but also very small and fills up quickly. The movie they showed was awesome and gave the background on the US versus Russia space race and some information on the moon landing and space station. It was well put together and very informational. My little and I really enjoyed it. They followed the up with a simulation of the Indiana night sky and an explanation of some constellations and the origins of the Orion constellation. The second part was actually going up to the observatory and look through the huge telescope. It was a line, but moves at a steady pace. I would say I waited about 30 minutes or so. It was nice to look through the telescope and see specific constellations. They moved the telescope to see different stars and planets throughout the moving of the line. Luckily, it was a clear night and we were able to see a lot That is not always the case so I would check it out before I go. Some people would double back in the line, cutting offf some people that have not viewed yet to see the telescope again after it had been moved and out on a new star or planet. I think once you viewed, you should have to go all the way to the back of teh line and get a second viewing after everyone has had attest one. But, that is just my opinion. I highly recommend getting here early because they sell out quick and you may be offered a later showing, at best. Part of my group was a little late and werer told that they could come back at 9PM. They decided to just go home as that was a bit late for them and their little. The inside of the observatory has a lot of symbolism and meaning which was explained during our tour. They had a small telescope set up outside on the front walkway that were are able to see a very clear image of the moon. It was amazing. The place is available to be rented out for groups, at a very reasonable price, but you will not get to see the telescope because available rental times are during the daylight hours. I recommend checking this place out. It is as fun as it is educational. I was like a big kid here.

My granddaughter is obsessed with fire trucks so I was excited to see the Richard P. Yelp review of…read morethe Indianapolis Fire Department Museum on Mass Ave. The museum opens at 8 am, but when we arrived at 9 am the doors were still locked. We wondered around until we found Cindy, a wonderful lady that opened the museum and led us on a personal tour. She gave my granddaughter a toy firefighter hat, which was fun and special. The museum is housed in one of the few remaining original firehouse buildings, 1872 Fire Station No. 2. The museum was recently restored and is now part of a complex of firefighter support offices. The museum is composed of three large rooms and several halls filled with firefighter artifacts. There were several exquisite antique fire trucks, a hose wagon and an antique pump wagon from the water brigades. A display of fire extinguishers and other hand held artifacts are down stairs. Upstairs, is a room set up like a bunk house, where firefighters would have slept. Lots of amazing photos on the walls tell the tragic stories of famous fires and people. My granddaughter was intrigued by all the firefighter helmets hanging on the walls. Outside, there is a memorial that celebrates the lives and duty of all the fallen Indianapolis firefighters. There is also a lovely bronze statue of a firefighter. The facility also offers classes on fire safety. There is a large meeting room and a class room. The museum is free, but encourages donations. This is a must-visit museum and wonderful place to bring the kids to learn about fire and those who put their lives on the line. Our visit was certainly a memorable experience. There is metered parking along Mass Ave.

The Indianapolis Firefighters Museum was opened by Local 416 in 1996 to celebrate the history of…read morefirefighting in Central Indiana. It's located in what used to be Fire Station #2, a historic station that had opened in 1872 but had fallen into disrepair and at the time was operating as a laminating business. Local 416 restored the station along with an adjacent livery stable. I'd never contemplated stopping here. I'm not sure why, but I don't think I realized this was actually a museum. It features a 1921 Stutz ladder truck, a 1919 Stutz pumper, a 1941 IFD Shop-built pumper, and a 1949 International Harvester pumper that was refurbished by members of the Warren Township Fire Dept. The museum includes quite a bit of memorabilia, photos, and equipment - much of it donated by local firefighters. The station includes a restored bell tower, twin fire poles, and classical/Italianate architectural features. Station #2 is also home to the Indianapolis Professional Firefighters Union headquarters. The museum is open Monday through Friday year-round. It's opened for limited Saturday hours from April-October. They also have a digital collection you can check out from the website (I updated the website as the existing link no longer works). The Fallen Firefighters Memorial Plaza is in front of the museum - which I did know. It was dedicated in 1996 to the memory of 73 firefighters who have died in the line of duty. As of today, it no includes 120 firefighters who died in the line of duty. In front of the museum is the Fallen Firefighters Memorial Plaza. This Memorial was dedicated in 1996 to the memory of the 73 firefighters who have died in the line of duty. Today the names of 120 Line of Duty Deaths appear on our Memorial. There's an annual reading of the names of all of the firefighters. The East end of the building includes the Walk of Distinction for Local 416 war veterans who actively fought in foreign campaigns. If you go to the website, you can even listen to the local dispatch scanner! Finally, the Firefighters Museum includes the Survive Alive safety program for children with an interactive village. The program reaches around 20,000 children annually. The Firefighters Museum, and also serves as the Survive Alive safety program for children. Using an interactive village, The Survive Alive program uses state-of-the-art technology to simulate fire in a mock house to teach children how to react during a fire and what to say when calling 911. This program reaches approximately, 20,000 schoolchildren a year. This is actually a great stop in an area that has quite a bit to do. It's a free museum (donations are accepted). I plan to return when I have a bit more time to visit!

One of the most interesting tours I have heard, and I knew little about engines before I went. The…read moretour was led by two gentlemen who worked for Rolls Royce. Their knowledge, great stories, and enthusiasm really made the tour. My dad and brother love engines and had lots of questions the guides happily answered. My mom and I know less, but the guides were great about taking the conversation up a level that made the presentation very understandable and fascinating to us. I enjoyed learning about the history of Rolls Royce and Allison, and the evolution of engineering the guides illustrated using engines they have collected and restored. This a great tour for anyone who loves to learn. If you enjoy engines (car or plane), don't miss it.

Excellent little museum at the Rolls/Allison headquarters. Sign in at the front desk. I got there…read morejust before 9 so I had to wait a few minutes, but there are magazines and books in the lobby, comfy chairs, and a few aircraft models. There's a small company store, sadly closed on the day I went. The museum covers the history of Allison very well, and the later merger with RR. Mostly Allison engines on display, a few RR. Models on top of each engine depict the aircraft that used it. Some engines are cutaway; one or two are operable with the push of a button. A few artifacts from the factories, and information about the other products they've produced. Towards the back are spacecraft parts; I did not know Allison was involved with that. Of course, not being an Indy native, I didn't know about his connection to the Speedway, or Prestolite, etc. All well-organized, brightly lit, lovingly cared for. And free. If you are anywhere nearby, this is worth a visit. If you are an aviation buff, get yourself here however far away you are.

If you're looking for a relaxing outdoor space to have a picnic or practice some yoga yet stay in…read morean urban area--this could be a good option. It's pretty and green in the spring with a lovely pond and bright red bridge. There were tons of people there today though as it was the second annual Japan Spring Festival and very crowded. I would go back on a week day for a more tranquil experience.

STUNNING. We took prom photos there, and it made for an incredible backdrop for the kids. We will…read morealso be doing my son's senior pictures here. I am not sure how busy it normally is, but it was packed on prom night!

I enjoyed my first visit to White River Gardens! Even though I'd been to the zoo many times, I…read morehadn't made my way into White River Gardens yet. With the butterflies being there (April 2021), I decided to go check it out with my niece. There was a wait to get into the butterfly room, but it moved fairly quickly. You were required to wear a mask inside. The rules for the butterfly room are pretty basic: stay on the paths, don't touch the plants, don't touch the butterflies, and don't freak out if a butterfly lands on you--let it do it's thing. The butterflies were fun to watch flutter around. There were an assortment of types. I liked the ones with blue wings best. I think my niece and I spent about 10 minutes in the butterfly room. It was a little crowded and we didn't go to the upstairs portion. Next we went outside to the outdoor gardens. It was still early Spring, so I imagine they're even more impressive when the leaves are back on the trees and things start growing more. Still, it was really lovely to walk the paths a bit. White River Gardens was a nice slice of nature in a city setting. I'll be back to explore more later!

Love the gardens. We have been here a few times. In 2021 we came on Sept 6, the last day for the…read morebutterfly exhibit. We arrived at 2p. Parking at that time isn't great, but most people are at the adjacent Indianapolis Zoo. There used to be a separate admission for White River Gardens. Now it is included in the fee to get in the zoo. (We have a membership. Today I came to the garden and never was asked to show my card - maybe I did something abnormal??) I really enjoy the gardens - both inside and out. I will say though that the outside is getting a little tired looking. I also know I just visited after some really hot days and during COVID. Still, I find it peaceful. I like sitting I. The shade garden and looking through the park with the cityscape in the background.

This is a place that I have only seen on the outside during the Irvington ghost tour. I recently…read morehad the chance to actually visit the inside. What a beautiful building! Located in beautiful historic Irvington you can find the Irvington historical society, located in the Bona Thompson center. The building was actually a part of the original Butler University. It's large and historic, and I think they have kept a lot of the original building in tact. On the inside there are a lot of interesting exhibits, one is on military tattoos which show a lot of pictures of different people with tattoos and the meanings behind them. As well as a lot of older camera parts. There's also some vintage Butler items on display as well. In the basement holds some other displays as well, one on tractors and engines and then one on the angels of west baden springs. All very interesting things! It's worth a visit to check out and lean different things about local and state history!

After hearing from a couple people that I should check out Irvington's Historical Society, I…read morefinally aligned my schedule to be on the east side on a Wednesday afternoon (weekends seem too busy). After parking in the small lot on the north side of the building, I climbed the steps to the entrance and entered the museum. In the central lobby, there are some permanently displayed items including a recreation of the Butler College campus while it was in Irvington circa 1914 and a portrait of one of the area's most influential residents, Bona Thompson. There are exhibit rooms on the left and right and a stairway that leads to more permanent displays which are in various stages of development. The display on the south end was a mixture of photography (antique cameras) and photos of Military tattoos that current college students volunteered to share. The display on the north end was a timeline of the more notable houses in the neighborhood. They were arranged in chronological order of being built with photos, paintings, and sometimes, schematics of the houses. There were narratives about who the people were that built and/or lived in the houses. To make it more interesting, the running timeline shows events outside of Irvington to use as a point of reference to the dates of the homes. Upstairs was an assortment of local artists' work on the stairwell walls, an "Abe Martin" collection of art/stories by Kin Hubbard who lived in Irvington, some military items, memorabilia from Butler College, and a depot/telegraph office room circa 1898. The admission is free, but donations are accepted in the lobby. Exhibits in the wings change out after a couple months and I was invited to come to the Ice Cream Social Aug 4th (one of the Society's most popular events.) This is a nice example of a neighborhood maintaining its history in spite of all the changes that occur. If you have an interest in anything related to the east side, this should be your first stop! Review #2685

We went to Tibbs for a school fundraiser so it was considered a private event. They organized and…read morehad workers to help with parking and other aspects. The drive in was clean and the staff were friendly. It was raining considerably so we took refuge under an outside awning. When a concession staff member spotted us she had us come inside to eat, even though the concession was from our private event. Very kind! It was a fun experience and totally new for the kids. We learned a bit about drive in etiquette and the best views. For sure we would prepare our car with cushy blankets etc for next time, or go with lawn chairs. It was a fun event and we would go again. The screen was perfectly visible and we didn't have trouble with sound as brought a 'boom box'! We plan to go again this summer!

Omg I live this place! Its reasonably priced. And its so family friendly. The concessions stand is…read morethe ultimate set up. They have it set up to run so smoothly. I loveeeee it. Every place should definitely take notice. The staff was friendly. And we just really enjoyed it. I used to take my boys to the drive in in Ohio all the time but had not been since moving to Indy but I will definitely go again!

I highly recommend checking out the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum! And you don't have to be a…read moreracing or car enthusiast to enjoy it either! You know you've arrived when you spot the massive Indianapolis Motor Speedway track surrounding the museum. We got lucky and were able to watch some cars practicing on the track, which made the experience even more exciting! The museum itself is three floors filled with incredible history, cars, and memorabilia. Our favorite parts were seeing the evolution of the helmets and getting to look at all the different racing helmets and outfits up close! They also have an interactive area that makes the experience even more fun! Timed admission tickets were easy to purchase online through their website before our arrival, and we easily spent a good two hours here. Definitely a must see when visiting Indiana!

This was easily the most recommended thing to me from both robots and people's blogs…read more People assured me that yes you will like it even if you don't like racing. I am a car guy. I drive a corvette.... This was the lamest tour/museum I have ever done. It's just cars and helmets and trophies and a whole section on BA Jeff Gordon. I paid the extra $15 for the lamest bus tour ever to a Disneyland style take a pic and pay on the podium. The tour guide repeated himself 3-4 times including saying 2nd place is first loser twice which yikes 08 called and wants it phrase back. Save the time and money. This place sucks ass.