A Century of Wonder: The Children's Museum of Indianapolis Celebrates 100 Years of Curiosity and Community

Trumpets blare and drums boom as a Boy Scout band makes its way along 38th Street on a sunny June day in 1968. Crowds line the street, some waving flags. But this isn’t your typical parade. In fact, it’s not really a parade at all.

It’s a slow march of one: The Reuben Wells, a 55-ton locomotive that once pushed trains up a steep incline in Madison, Indiana, is carefully, purposefully, making its way to The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, where it will go on display.

Some would argue that the Reuben Wells is the museum’s most beloved feature. But considering the organization’s 100-year history, the steam engine has serious competition.

Maybe it’s the Carousel, which once spun round in Broad Ripple Park in the 1910s. Maybe it’s the Water Clock, captivating guests while keeping time, or the colorful Fireworks of Glass sculpture spiraling toward the sky in the center of the museum.

Or it could be the log cabin featured in Mysteries in History, which opened in 1985 and still sparks comments of “I loved that exhibit!” The replica limestone cave and Martimus, a 9-foot-tall polar bear donated in 1986, elicit similar remarks.

Just like the fanfare that welcomed the Reuben Wells decades ago, celebration is in the air at The Children’s Museum this year. Founded in 1925, the organization is celebrating 100 years of sparking wonder and curiosity and bringing joy to children and families.

The museum begins

The woman who started it all was Mary Stewart Carey, an Indianapolis civic leader and philanthropist, who visited the Brooklyn Children’s Museum in 1924. Inspiration struck: Why not establish a similar museum for the children of Indianapolis? Gathering community support, acquiring objects, and searching for a home began in earnest.

The chosen locale was the carriage house of the Propylaeum, which opened its doors in December 1925 as The Children’s Museum’s original location. Fun fact: Donated by Indianapolis Public Schools, a porcupinefish was the first item in the collection—and the museum still owns it.

Locations in Garfield Park and even Mrs. Carey’s home followed before the museum moved to 30th and Meridian Streets in the 1940s. Steady growth—in attendance, size of the collection, and ambition—necessitated more space. In 1973, the museum broke ground for its current building, which opened in 1976 as the world’s largest children’s museum.

That designation is still held today, with the museum spanning 482,950 square feet and boasting five floors of exhibits, an expansive outdoor sports park, a collection of over 130,000 objects, two working paleontology labs, a 350-seat theater, a replica International Space Station, a STEM lab, and a branch of the Indianapolis Public Library.

A top local destination

You need nearly half a million square feet to adequately host the thousands of people who visit the museum each day. Ranked as the Best Children’s Museum by USA Today and continually lauded by other media outlets, the museum has become a go-to destination year-round for both Indiana residents and out-of-state guests.

Annual attendance reached the 1 million mark for the first time in 1977 and has routinely surpassed that point in the years since. In 2023 and 2024, attendance topped 1.2 million.

According to data from 2019, the museum has an economic impact of nearly $140 million.

The festivities continue

Visitors throughout this year have taken part in a full slate of centennial events and activities, with plenty more still to come. Consider this your invitation to join in the fun.

The museum’s collection takes center stage in a special centennial exhibit, Memories, Wonders, and Dreams: Stories from 100 Years, which closes January 4, 2026. If you have fond memories of the aforementioned Martimus or the yellow submarine from the What If? exhibit, you’re in luck—both are included.

On August 22, the museum will go all-out for the Second Century Soiree, a celebration of the first 100 years and a way to kick off the next 100 in black-tie style. Visit childrensmuseum.org/gala for details.

Now through September 28, you can experience a small slice of the museum in the heart of downtown. Stop by SPARK on the Circle on Monument Circle to snap a pic in the museum’s photo booth.

If you haven’t yet ridden the Centennial Ferris Wheel—perfect for a bird’s-eye view of the museum campus, downtown skyline, and surrounding areas—you have until November 2 to hop on board.

Through December 6, you can drop off boxed cake mix, frosting, and candles in the Welcome Center. They’ll be packaged with cans of soda and baking pans and donated to local food pantries. This initiative has resulted in hundreds of shelf-stable cake kits, a way to give a slice of birthday joy to area families experiencing food insecurity.

December. 6 is also the museum’s official birthday, which will be celebrated with a public party befitting a century-old institution. Save the date and watch the museum’s social channels and childrensmuseum.org for details.

What do the next 100 years hold for The Children’s Museum? If the first 100 are any indication, plenty more rides on the Carousel, stops to admire the mighty Reuben Wells, and, most importantly, visits where curiosity is piqued, interests are nurtured, exploration is encouraged, and memories are made.

Mrs. Carey would be proud.

Photo Credit: The Children's Museum of Indianapolis