Indy attractions like The Children's Museum of Indianapolis have special accommodations for visitors.
Accessible Indianapolis Attractions
Indy is pleased to welcome visitors of all abilities. This guide presents a multitude of attractions, museums, historical sites, sports, and recreational activities to discover.
The world’s largest (and best) children’s museum is found just north of downtown Indy. This amazingly fun, family venue features five floors of interactive learning experiences for youngsters and adults, with a wide range of accessibility features to make visitors young and old feel welcome. In addition to the vast indoor exhibits, the Riley Children’s Health Sports Legends Experience encompasses 7.5 acres outdoors with 12 sports experiences and offers adaptive equipment. The museum's team is trained to accommodate all visitors of all needs.
Accessibility Tips:
Ample accessible parking is located in the museum garage (connected by skywalk to the museum) and the adjacent surface lot to its north. Parking is free.
The vast majority of the museum is barrier-free, providing easy access to individuals with disabilities. Only a handful of areas are less accessible. The five stories of the museum are connected by ramps and large elevators operate floor to floor.
The Lilly Theatre is busy with many performances and educational activities. Assisted listening devices are available for shows, and for select performances, ASL interpreters are present.
The historic Carousel is wheelchair accessible.
For those with sensory sensitivities, the museum offers sensory resources that point out areas that are quiet, loud, bright, stimulating, etc. to help plan a visit in advance. A Take a Break Space is located on Level 3.
An adult-size accessible changing table is located in the family restroom in Dinsophere®.
One of the largest and most visited outdoor attractions in the nation, and a Smithsonian affiliate, Conner Prairie is the perfect place to satisfy curiosity seekers. At this marvelous attraction, history lovers may engage with citizens of 1836 Prairietown, visit a Lenape Indian Camp, encounter animals, soar with the 1859 Balloon Voyage, and step into the Museum Experience Center where you will discover six new indoor experiences. The Welcome Center is fully accessible and a good starting point to make your plans for the day, gather maps, and learn of any special programs taking place during your visit.
Accessibility Tips:
Ample free, accessible parking is near the Welcome Center entrance where the Conner Prairie experience always begins. Guests may be dropped off first if desired.
Complimentary wheelchairs are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Aides accompanying a guest enter at no charge.
Elevator access in the Museum Experience Center.
Not all buildings nor pathways leading to historic experiences are accessible by wheelchair due to the authentic 19th-century nature of the experience. For those non-accessible experiences, the staff will bring them to you.
Conner Prairie’s services to those on the autism spectrum are strong. Quiet spots are located throughout the venue, including a Sensory Room in our Museum Experience Center. Also, before entering each exhibit, there are signs indicating the sensory experiences you will encounter.
Sensory friendly maps are provided at the Welcome Center.
Conner Prairie offers Sensory Friendly Sundays, where there are sensory offerings, including a sensory version of our exhibit, Power of Place, our new Sensory Room, and a chance to visit volunteer therapy dogs from Paws & Think.
Service animals are permitted.
Conner Prairie offers audio description services.
Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art
The Eiteljorg Museum explores the art, history, and cultures of Native Americans and of the American West. Paintings, sculptures, artifacts, programs, lectures, children’s activities, art markets, and more provide visitors greater understanding of the complete story of the West, its diversity and complexity. The Eiteljorg Museum is committed to providing exhibits, programs, and public spaces that are inclusive and interactive for all visitors.
Blind students engage with artist Michael Naranjo.
Accessibility Tips:
Accessible parking at the underground White River State Park garage and an elevator to the Eiteljorg ground level entry are available. Parking is free – bring your ticket into the museum for validation. A convenient drop-off is located on ground level near the ramp to the main entry.
The Eiteljorg is a completely accessible attraction including its galleries, gift shop, café, and outdoor spaces.
Large print museum maps are available at the information center.
Service animals are welcomed.
Manual wheelchairs are available free of charge at the main admissions desk.
All in-gallery videos are open captioned. Core galleries include please touch stations with tactile elements for guests of all ages and abilities to enjoy.
A movie becomes an experience at IMAX. Big screen visuals, awesome sound, gold standard technology, and the highest quality 3-D engage and immerse viewers into compelling stories. The IMAX Theater at White River State Park is located inside the Indiana State Museum and offers a variety of 2-D and 3-D Hollywood releases as well as intriguing films made specifically for IMAX theaters. The screen at this IMAX Theater is 6 stories high to give the ultimate larger-than-life experience.
Accessibility Tips:
Accessible parking is available in the underground White River State Park garage. Park near the Indiana State Museum entrance. Parking is complimentary. Bring parking ticket to IMAX staff for validation.
When purchasing tickets online, the seating chart will show accessible seating located in Row M. There are no physical seats there to accommodate those in wheelchairs. Companion seats are also in Row M.
For those with hearing loss, a personalized closed caption system is available for all IMAX digital movies, however, it is not available for those shot in film.
The Indiana Historical Society (IHS) is Indiana’s Storyteller, engaging guests with the rich history, people, events, and experiences of the Hoosier state. At the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center, visitors find stories told in new ways via immersive technology. Located along the scenic Central Canal, the Historical Society offers exhibits and immersive experiences that bring history to life. The Stardust Terrace Café is sure to please your taste buds, and few leave the History Center without a gift from the Basile History Market.
Accessibility Tips:
Accessible parking is available in the History Center's surface lot with entry off of New York St.
The History Center is fully wheelchair accessible with power doors at public entrances at main level, the Canal Walk lower level, and the William Henry Smith Memorial Library on the second level.
Throughout the History Center, videos feature open captioning and audio narration to assist those with visual or hearing loss. Where captions are not available, the staff can provide text upon request.
Complimentary admission is offered to licensed care providers with identification.
Complimentary manual wheelchairs are available upon request at the welcome desk. Your motorized wheelchair/scooter is also welcome.
The Indiana State Museum, located in White River State Park in downtown Indianapolis, offers immersive experiences for visitors of every age and interest — from art and architecture, to history and culture, to science and nature. Galleries on the museum’s first two floors take guests on a journey through the state from prehistoric times through the present day. On the third floor, there’s always something new to discover with dynamic exhibits that rotate seasonally and highlight everything from fine art to interactive technology and more.
Accessibility Tips:
Accessible parking near the museum entrance is available at the White River State Park underground garage. Accessible entries are also available from street level and Central Canal.
Manual wheelchairs are available on site free of charge.
Newfields offers dynamic experiences with art and nature for guests of all ages. The 152-acre cultural campus features art galleries, lush gardens, a historic home, performance spaces, a nature preserve, and sculpture park. The expansive campus is comfortable, welcoming, and accessible.
Those looking for natural beauty can surround themselves in The Garden, featuring seasonal horticultural displays curated by Newfields’ team. Nearby is the historic Lilly House, a 1930s French-chateau-style National Historic Landmark. In The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park, guests can enjoy contemporary art installations, nature walks, and birdwatching.
Going inside, the extraordinary Indianapolis Museum of Art, among the ten largest and ten oldest general art museums in the nation, presents art from around the world via self-guided or docent-led tours. Don’t miss The Museum and Garden Shop for unique gifts, or The Beer Garden at Garden Terrace and The Café for a flavorful lunch or mid-day snack.
Accessibility Tips:
Accessible parking is located on the main surface lot to the left of the Welcome Center, or in the underground parking garage. The garage offers a covered entrance with elevator access into the Indianapolis Museum of Art. Accessible parking is also available at The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park: 100 Acres.
ADA pathways are marked on the campus map and Braille is available in the “Garden for Everyone.”
Accessible restrooms are available on Floor 1 of the Indianapolis Museum of Art, the Lilly House, and Fairbanks Park.
Complimentary indoor and outdoor wheelchairs are available. Electric scooters are available to rent on a first-come, first-serve basis.
At the museum, audio devices are available upon request. For American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters, please contact the museum in advance. Exhibition wall labels feature large font, and captioning accompanies gallery videos. In the Design Galleries, guests can touch and test materials from the Design collection. A Touch & Audio Descriptive Tour, designed for those who are low-vision or blind, engages guests through the use of touch and descriptive narration.
Service dogs or service dogs-in-training are welcome to visit all buildings and The Garden on the Newfields campus. The service dog must be under physical or voice control of the guest at all times.
Indianapolis is proud home and headquarters to the NCAA. The NCAA building, located downtown in White River State Park, contains the Hall of Champions, an interactive museum where visitors experience 24 different sports contested by NCAA student-athletes. Here guests engage in a variety of exhibits, interactive displays, and hands-on (or feet-on) sports activities. Grab official NCAA merchandise from the gift shop. And make sure you get a selfie at the iconic Flying Wedge sculpture. It’s all good fun and helps you appreciate the achievements of young students who love their sports.
Accessibility Tips:
Accessible parking is available at the White River State Park underground garage. There is a short walk from the parking garage to the NCAA Hall of Champions. Guests with special circumstances that preclude walking to the main entrance may call guest services for other options.
The facility is fully accessible with ample aisle space, ramps, and elevator access to its second level.
Wheelchairs for transport around the museum are available on a first-come, first-served basis, at the hall’s welcome desk. There is no charge.
