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Many museums around Indianapolis offer free admission on select dates throughout the year. That means your family can enjoy hands-on learning and fun without breaking the bank. Click to jump: Free Museum Days (by museum) 2026 Quick Reference Calendar Other Ways to Save Always Free Museums Museums in this guide: Conner Prairie Eiteljorg Museum Indiana Historical Society Indiana State Museum Newfields NCAA Hall of Champions Indianapolis Zoo The Children's Museum of Indianapolis We've created this guide so you can take advantage of these excellent opportunities. Add these dates to your calendar and head to the museum! Be sure to bookmark this page and check back, as we'll continue updating this list as museums release their free days for 2026. Free Museum Days in 2026 Around Indianapolis Conner Prairie Location: 13400 Allisonville Road, Fishers, IN 46038 Phone: 317-776-6000 June 19: Juneteenth With the Access Pass, qualifying families receive admission for $5 per guest. Active military members and their families receive complimentary admission year-round through the Blue Star Museums Program. Children under 5 receive free admission. Related: Indiana Access Pass: Reduced Admission at Attractions Across Indiana in 2026 Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art Location: 500 West Washington Street, Indianapolis Phone: 317-636-9378 2026 Free Admission Days January 19: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day June 19: Juneteenth and Jazz Community Celebration October 12: Indigenous Peoples' Day October (Exact date TBD): Dia de Muertos Community Celebration Additional Discounts The Eiteljorg offers discounted admission for Time Travelers Program members, active-duty military and veterans, AAA members, convention attendees with a badge, and downtown hotel guests with a room key. Visit their website for complete discount details. Children under 5 receive free admission. Indiana Historical Society Location: 450 West Ohio Street, Indianapolis Phone: 317-232-1882 2026 Free Admission Days January 19: Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Advance registration strongly recommended) June 20: Juneteenth October (Exact date TBD): Hoosier Latino Celebration With the Access Pass, qualifying families receive admission for $5 per guest. Active military members and their families receive complimentary admission year-round through the Blue Star Museums Program. Children under 5 receive free admission. The Indiana Historical Society in Indianapolis offers free admission days throughout the year. Related: Free Things to Do in Indianapolis Indiana State Museum Location: 650 West Washington Street, Indianapolis Phone: 317-232-1637 2026 Free Admission Days January 19: Martin Luther King Jr. Day February 16: Presidents Day June 20: Juneteenth The Indiana State Museum offers discounted admission for families who qualify with the Access Pass and other discounts for certain groups. Children under 3 receive free admission. Newfields Location: 4000 Michigan Road, Indianapolis Phone: 317-923-1331 2026 Free Admission Days January 19: Martin Luther King Jr. Day May (Exact date TBD): Gardens & Museum Day June 19: Juneteenth First Thursday of Each Month (Free Admission) Advance ticket reservation required. January 1, 2026: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. (New Year's Day, check holiday hours) February 5, 2026: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 5, 2026: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. April 2, 2026: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. May 7, 2026: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. June 4, 2026: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. July 2, 2026: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. August 6, 2026: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. September 3, 2026: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. October 1, 2026: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. November 5, 2026: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. December 3, 2026: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Newfields participates in the Access Pass program, allowing qualifying families to visit for $5 per family member. Children under 6 receive free admission. NCAA Hall of Champions Location: 700 West Washington Street, Indianapolis Phone: 317-916-4255 2026 Free Admission Days January 19: Martin Luther King Jr. Day February 16: Presidents Day June 20: Juneteenth The NCAA Hall of Champions participates in the Access Pass program, allowing qualifying families to visit for $5 per family member. Children under 6 receive free admission. Active military personnel receive free admission year-round. Indianapolis Zoo Location: 1200 West Washington Street, Indianapolis Phone: 317-630-2001 2026 Free Admission Day January 19: Martin Luther King Jr. Day Photo courtesy of Indianapolis Zoo The Children's Museum of Indianapolis Location: 3000 North Meridian Street, Indianapolis Phone: 317-334-4000 2026 Free Admission Days January 19: Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Advance ticket reservation required) February 16: Presidents Day June 6: Juneteenth September (Exact date TBD): Fiesta de la Familia December 24: Christmas Eve First Thursday Night ($6 Admission) From 4-8 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month, all visitors pay $6 for admission to the museum and the Riley Children's Health Sports Legends Experience. Online purchasing is strongly encouraged. The Children's Museum participates in the Access Pass program ($5 per family member). Children under 2 always receive free admission. The Children's Museum of Indianapolis is the world's largest children's museum. Other Ways to Save on Museum Admission Bank of America "Museums on Us" Bank of America, Merrill, or Bank of America Private Bank (U.S. Trust) credit or debit cardholders receive free general admission on the first full weekend of every month (Saturday and Sunday). Participating locations typically include Newfields, Conner Prairie, and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum. The offer covers the cardholder only; guests are not included. Blue Star Museums Active-duty military personnel and their families, including National Guard and Reserve, receive free admission to participating museums each summer. The program runs from Armed Forces Day (May 16, 2026) through Labor Day (September 7, 2026). Participating locations typically include Indiana Historical Society, Eiteljorg Museum, Indiana State Museum, and more. Always Free Museums in Indianapolis Indiana State Police Museum Location: 8660 East 21st Street, Indianapolis Phone: 317-899-8293 Admission is always free. Donations are welcome. Related: Family Fun: The Indiana State Police Museum Indiana War Memorial Museum Location: 431 North Meridian Street, Indianapolis Phone: 317-232-7615 Admission is always free. 2026 Free Museum Days Calendar: Quick Reference Recurring Monthly First Thursday: Newfields (free, see hours above) First Thursday, 4-8 p.m.: The Children's Museum ($6) January 19: Martin Luther King Jr. Day Eiteljorg Museum Indiana Historical Society Indiana State Museum Newfields NCAA Hall of Champions Indianapolis Zoo The Children's Museum of Indianapolis February 16: Presidents Day Indiana State Museum NCAA Hall of Champions The Children's Museum of Indianapolis June: Juneteenth (Dates Vary) Conner Prairie - June 19 Eiteljorg Museum - June 19 Indiana Historical Society - June 20 Indiana State Museum - June 20 NCAA Hall of Champions - June 20 Newfields - June 19 Fall Celebrations September (Exact date TBD): Fiesta de la Familia at The Children's Museum October (Exact date TBD): Hoosier Latino Celebration at Indiana Historical Society October 12: Indigenous Peoples' Day at Eiteljorg Museum October (Exact date TBD): Dia de Muertos at Eiteljorg Museum December 24: Christmas Eve The Children's Museum of Indianapolis With these discounted and free dates to choose from, your family can have fun exploring museums and learning together this year. We'll continue updating this list as museums release their free days for 2026! If you learn of one we haven't included yet, let us know at indyschild@indyschild.com. A quick note: Always double-check the event status before you head out. We take care to keep our guides accurate, but events can change after publication. Happy exploring!

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Community Tuesday

2026 Free Museum Days in Indianapolis

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The Sunflower Festival Is Back at Stuckey Farm (2026)

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