Vacation in Indiana

This week Jennifer, Maura and I are in Indiana, visiting my parents. Jennifer and I arrived on Thursday evening, after a very long day in the car. Maura travelled with her grandparents a week ago. We’ve been staying in Zionsville, just to the north of Indianapolis and within its metropolitan area. Much of our time has been spent enjoying the company of our family but we’ve found the time to explore two of Indianapolis’s excellent museums.

On Friday we visited the Eiteljorg Museum, which showcases extensive collections of Western and Native American art. The western collection includes many works by artists who worked at the Taos artist colony and also sculpture and paintings by Frederick Remington and C. M. Russell. The Native American collection includes traditional pieces arranged by tribe and region but also contemporary works by Native American artists, some of which are far from traditional. In the museum’s lower level is an interactive children’s exhibit. It focuses on the history of the western United States and engaged Maura for hours. Maura might have enjoyed having some other children around but for the adults in the group it was nice that the exhibit was nearly deserted. Unlike in Massachusetts, schools are now in session in Indiana but it is too early in the school year for field trips.

The lack of most school age children worked to our benefit on Monday when we visited the Indianapolis Children’s Museum. The Indianapolis Children’s Museum is without a doubt one of the premier children’s museums in the world. When we visited it was not crowded but it is a fun day even when it is. They have a wide variety of exhibits on four floors with topics ranging from science to toys, centered around a three story high tower of Dale Chihuly glass forms. The exhibits include a wide range of interactive elements to appeal to children of all ages but they are also very adult friendly, so much so that the Children’s Museum is worth a visit even for adults unaccompanied by children. Anyone visiting Indianapolis with youngsters should make a point of visiting. Highlights of this trip’s visit include our visit to the Dinosphere, which displays dinosaur fossils, the new National Geographic Treasures of the Earth exhibit which covers archaeology, Take Me There: Egypt, exploring modern Egypt and the restored carousel which once stood in an Indianapolis park but now delights museum goers. Maura also greatly enjoyed the temporary Barbie exhibit which spotlights the history of Barbie dolls and the fashions that have inspired and been inspired by her wardrobe. We visit the Children’s Museum every time we come to Indianapolis with Maura and it’s always a fun and educational day.