Museums & Attractions
- The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis (the world’s largest!) is celebrating 100 years with an exciting lineup of events, including:
- Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (Feb. 22 – Aug. 1): Kicking off its national tour in Indy before traveling across the Midwest.
- Centennial 110-ft Ferris Wheel launching March 15, coinciding with the Sports Legends Experience expansion.
- Ruth E. Carter: Afrofuturism in Costume Design (March 22 – Sept. 7): Featuring 60+ original costumes, including some from Black Panther.
- Take Me There: Peru exhibit opening this summer—fun timing with the Paddington in Peru movie release this Friday.
- Conner Prairie (Smithsonian-affiliated Museum)
- Promise Land as Proving Ground—a new exhibit opening March 25 focused on African American history in Indiana. This exhibit has been three years in the making.
- Indiana’s first and only Forest Therapy Trail—guided tours begin in May, blending history and nature for a unique outdoor experience.
- Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum reopens April 2 after an $89 million renovation, featuring cutting-edge tech and immersive sensory experiences. Offering visitors a way to experience the Indy 500 any day of the week.
- Giant tortoises are coming to the Indianapolis Zoo in May, following the successful launch of the International Chimpanzee Complex last year—home to one of the largest groups of chimpanzees in human care.
Hotel development:
- Indy’s newest hotel, the InterContinental Hotel, will be perfectly positioned right off Monument Circle, the epicenter of Indy. While once on a list of Indiana’s 10 most endangered landmark buildings, the hotel will offer a rooftop bar with an unobstructed view of Lady Victory, sitting above the iconic Soldiers and Sailors Monument. Opening later this month.
Sports
- NFL Combine is back at the end of this month with a chance for families to step into Lucas Oil Stadium for free and see 300 – 350 prospects trying to make it in the National Football League. Plus, there is a free fan festival outside the stadium as well.
- March Madness takes over Indy next month with 43 games across 29 days, including: Big Ten Men’s & Women’s Tournaments and Men’s Sweet 16 & Elite 8.
- WNBA All-Star Game (July): With Caitlin Clark expected as the #1 draft pick for our hometown team, this will be huge!
Black Heritage & Legacy Trail
- Launching this June, Indy’s Black Heritage & Legacy Trail is a self-guided tour highlighting iconic landmarks pivotal to Black history in Indianapolis. One of the neighborhoods on the trail includes Belmont Beach, the beach where Black families were granted access to swim in the city in the 1920s. At that time, and up until a couple years ago, the water was polluted. Now, Belmont Beach is transitioning from a story about segregation to celebration, as it is now a place for gathering for people of all ages, races, etc.
- The Black Heritage and Legacy Trail is part of $150 million in trail expansions and improvements currently underway, making Indy one of the most connected cities in the country—fitting for the “Crossroads of America.”
- Indianapolis Cultural Trail Expansion: In fall 2024, Indy celebrated a two-mile expansion of the Indianapolis Cultural Trail, bringing it to 10 miles total. This wheelchair- and scooter-accessible trail has been recognized by the Project for Public Spaces as one of the “biggest and boldest steps by any American city.”
- The recent expansion now links Indiana Avenue—Indy’s historically Black cultural district—by the Madam Walker Legacy Center, as well as the South Street corridor, leading to Lucas Oil Stadium (home of the Colts).
- Indy’s riverways & trailways project reaches a major milestone this fall, further solidifying Indy as one of the most connected communities in the country. A new resource highlighting Central Indiana’s Trailways network will launch alongside America’s 250th celebration.
All photos courtesy of Visit Indy.
