• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
sand and snow logo

Sand and Snow

Travel | Food | Beauty | Disney

  • About Sand and Snow
  • Travel
  • Food & Drinks
  • Disney
  • Beauty
  • Talk & Tech
  • Privacy

Do You Know These 15 Fun Children’s Museum of Indianapolis Facts?

February 5, 2021 by Karyn Locke Leave a Comment

0 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet

When I visit Indianapolis, Indiana, I make it a point to check out the cool museums in the area. And one of the top, even if I’m not with my daughter, is The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. Yes, it’s super-highly rated by both kids and adults and has plenty of hands on activities, but there are plenty of things about it you may not know. From original movie props to one-of-a-kind features, here are 15 fun about The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis facts!

Photos courtesy of The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis unless otherwise noted. 

Fun Children’s Museum of Indianapolis Facts – Water, Water Everywhere – Especially for Telling Time

Page Contents

  • Fun Children’s Museum of Indianapolis Facts – Water, Water Everywhere – Especially for Telling Time
  • Fun Children’s Museum of Indianapolis Facts – Young Drummer
  • Fun Children’s Museum of Indianapolis Facts – A Bumblebee of Ginormous Proportions
  • Fun Children’s Museum of Indianapolis Facts – Harry Potterasaurus?
  • Fun Children’s Museum of Indianapolis Facts – Frankly, That Tree’s an Original
  • Fun Children’s Museum of Indianapolis Facts – Wet Work
  • Fun Children’s Museum of Indianapolis Facts – A Century of Giggly Spinning
  • Fun Children’s Museum of Indianapolis Facts – Museum Haunting
  • Fun Children’s Museum of Indianapolis Facts – Hand Blown Fireworks
  • Fun Children’s Museum of Indianapolis Facts – She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Steam Train
  • Fun Children’s Museum of Indianapolis Facts – Where Books Meet Museum
  • Fun Children’s Museum of Indianapolis Facts – Bragtastic Stats
  • Fun Children’s Museum of Indianapolis Facts – Unusual Dino Brain Activity
  • Fun Children’s Museum of Indianapolis Facts – Jock Art
  • Fun Children’s Museum of Indianapolis Facts – Prep-py Paleo
The Children's Museum of Indianapolis facts: Water clock
Giant Water Clock at TCM.

Sure, we have clocks in our phones and on our wrists, but The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis (TCM) wins the prize for the largest water clock in North America.

Coming in at 26 1/2 feet in height, artist Bernard Gilton was commissioned by the museum to create a piece. The clock was built and assembled in the artist’s native country of France and then disassembled and shipped to Indianapolis. 

What makes up the cool timepiece? 40 blown glass pieces, 100 metal pieces, and 70 gallons of a methyl alcohol/water solution. 

And if you love a good retro scene, check out these 14 things to do for some retro fun in Indy right now.

Fun Children’s Museum of Indianapolis Facts – Young Drummer

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis facts: Edward Block's drum
The Youngest soldier in the Civil War’s (Edward Black) drum.

When Edward Black of Indianapolis was eight years and (almost) two months old, he enlisted in the Civil War as a drummer. And on July 24, 1861, he became the youngest Civil War soldier. 

But what happened to the drum he carried? Along with 130,000 other artifacts, it’s kept safe and sound at TCM. 

Fun Children’s Museum of Indianapolis Facts – A Bumblebee of Ginormous Proportions

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis facts: Bumblebee from Transformers
Bumbleebee from Transformers at TCM. Photo Credit: Steven Locke

I’ve been on the Transformers ride at Universal Orlando Resort and it’s a fun virtual reality of an attraction. But seeing an actual prop from the “Transformers” movie is pretty cool, too. 

Happily, TCM has the Autobot Bumblebee to view at the main entrance. Coming in at a hefty 2,000 pounds and standing 17 feet tall, the vibrantly-colored figure was a prominent fixture in the movie. As for what Bumblebee transformed into, for the movie it was a zippy Chevy Camaro – different from the comic books of the 1980’s where he became a Volkswagen Beetle. 

Fun Children’s Museum of Indianapolis Facts – Harry Potterasaurus?

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis facts: Harry Potter dinosaur
Dracorex hogwartsia at TCM.

In the Dinosphere, there are several beautiful skeletons of dinosaurs, both large and small. But the coolest one has a tie to the Harry Potter books. 

Dracorex hogwartsia, a newly-found species of dino, looks like something out of a fairy tale. With its head covered with spikes and knobby parts, the Pachycephalosaur is unique in that fact that it’s the only one of this genus and species that’s ever been found. 

Literally translating to the “Dragon King of Hogwarts”, the name is in honor of the school where Harry and his mates attend classes. 

Fun Children’s Museum of Indianapolis Facts – Frankly, That Tree’s an Original

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis facts: Anne Frank Tree
The Anne Frank horse chestnut tree at TCM.

The story of Adolph Hitler and his concentration camps is horrific and terrifying. And teenager, Anne Frank, and her writings shed light on the conditions that she, her family, and a few others had while hiding from the Nazis in an annex in her father’s company building. 

Outside was an horse chestnut tree and a sapling from the original tree, the Remembering Tree, resides at TCM. The first sapling to be planted in America, the museum also launched a book in 2015, telling the story of Anne, her sister, and the tree. 

Fun Children’s Museum of Indianapolis Facts – Wet Work

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis facts: Spanish Shipwreck
Children’s Museum of Indianapolis shipwreck cannon at Archaeology Lab.

When historical artifacts are recovered, most go to a laboratory for conservation and research. Collaborating with the Dominican Republic’s government, a 16th Century Spanish shipwrecked verso, aka small rail-mounted cannon, was sent to TCM for cleaning and repair. 

Taking several years and styles of treatment methods, electrolysis was successfully used to treat and preserve the cannon. Additionally, other pieces are also conserved in the Archaeology Lab in the National Geographic Treasures of the Earth gallery.

Fun Children’s Museum of Indianapolis Facts – A Century of Giggly Spinning

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis facts: Dentzel Carousel
The Dentzel Carousel at TCM.

In 2017, the Dentzel Carousel celebrated its 100th anniversary. In a counter-clockwise motion, the hand-carved animals whirl and twirl and always bring a smile to the faces of its riders. 

At TCM, a genuine Dentzel Carousel, complete with both “jumping” and stationary pieces, is located in the Carousel Wishes and Dreams area of the museum since 2000. For museum members and kiddos under thew age of two, rides are free. Not a member? A spin costs only $1. 

Fun Children’s Museum of Indianapolis Facts – Museum Haunting

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis facts: Haunted House
Haunted House at TCM. Photo Credit: Karyn Locke

Each October, a section of The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis is given a creepy, kooky Halloween-style update. Super popular, its Haunted House frequently swaps out themes, offers live actors, carnival games, and even live shows. 

Fun Children’s Museum of Indianapolis Facts – Hand Blown Fireworks

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis facts: Chihuly
Fireworks of Glass by Dale Chihuly at TCM. Photo Credit: Karyn Locke

If you’re a fan of glass art, Dale Chihuly has undoubtedly made your radar. He, along with his team of skilled artists, have created some of this country’s most recognizable glass pieces to date. 

In TCM, 3,200 pieces of Chihuly’s make up an exhibit called Fireworks of Glass. With the ability to look from below at the 43-foot tall art, the piece reminds me of a massive kaleidoscope. While the piece itself doesn’t move, a revolving seat below it does, making the whimsical beauty an ideal addition to the museum. 

Fun Children’s Museum of Indianapolis Facts – She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Steam Train

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis facts: Steam Train
The Reuben Wells Steam Train at TCM.

Instead of putting an authentic steam engine inside TCM, the museum was actually built around one. The Reuben Wells, a 35-foot long, 55-ton steam engine resides in All Aboard! and delights fans of railroads as its immersive feeling takes us all back to the late 19th Century. 

Coming from Madison, Indiana, the train’s impressive in the fact that it climbed the steepest grade in the U.S. 

Fun Children’s Museum of Indianapolis Facts – Where Books Meet Museum

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis facts: L:ibrary
The infoZone at TCM.

TCM is the only museum in the U.S. that has a full library on property. A branch of the Indianapolis Library System, infoZone is not only full service, it’s free. 

With 300,000 visits a year, there are over 10,000 books on science, art, humanities, and history available to check out or read onsite. 

Fun Children’s Museum of Indianapolis Facts – Bragtastic Stats

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis facts: Sports Legend Experience
TCM’s Sports Legend Experience. Photo Credit: Karyn Locke

If you think half a million square feet is a feat for a museum, you’re right. TCM is the largest museum of its kind in terms of size.

With a 30-acre campus, it sees over 1.3 million visitors every year. Now those are some hefty facts!

Fun Children’s Museum of Indianapolis Facts – Unusual Dino Brain Activity

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis facts: Gorgosaur
The Gorgosaur at TCM had a VERY rough life.

In Dinosphere, there’s another unusual dino: a Gorgasaurus that had a rough go in life. The poor girl suffered broken bones, a mouth infection, and bad teeth. But her most unusual feature is brain tumor. 

Most likely causing pain and discomfort, scientists have reason to believe that the tumor may have contributed to the Gorgasaur’s injuries throughout her life. But, on a positive note, they also believe she had the help of her pack to get her through. 

Fun Children’s Museum of Indianapolis Facts – Jock Art

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis facts: Art museum of sport
Art Museum of Sport at TCM. Photo Credit: Karyn Locke

Who says that athletes can’t channel their inner artist? At TCM, you can see both art made by athletes and art in honor of them. Almost 1,000 pieces are in the Art Museum of Sport collection and select pieces are on display for guests. 

Fun Children’s Museum of Indianapolis Facts – Prep-py Paleo

The Children's Museum of Indianapolis facts: Paleo Prep Lab
Learning from fossils at the Paleo Prep Lab. Photo Credit: Karyn Locke

Going the extra (Jurassic) Mile, TCM has uncovered and kept over 500 fossils from a dig site in 2019. So when you have 15 tons of fossils to inspect, you need a dino-sized lab to do it in. 

The Paleo Prep Lab is just the place. Collecting from the Bighorn Basin in Wyoming, the lab made accommodations to house the pieces and will spend the next several years collecting data to better understand what life was like in the Jurassic Period.  

Before you go: At this time, masks are required for all guests visiting TCM! Please check its official website for all of the details. 

Filed Under: Travel, On the Go Tagged With: children's museum, Children's museum facts, Children's Museum of Indianapolis, Indiana, Indiana museums, Indianapolis, Indianapolis museums, Midwest, Midwest museums, Museum facts, things to do with kids in Indianapolis, where to visit in Indianapolis

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Thanks for popping by the site! Sand and Snow is dedicated to provided travel tips, fun recipes, reviews, and plenty of theme park planning tools. Email klocke@sandandorsnow.com with questions and comments.

Connect with Us

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Disney Park Planning

TRON Lightcycle / Run Debuts April 4

Tron Lightcycle: A Game-Changing Ride at Magic Kingdom

March 22, 2023 By Karyn Locke

Disney Dress Code Violation - disney bounding like Minnie Mouse

Disney Dress Code Violation – How to Stay Within Guidelines

March 21, 2023 By Karyn Locke

Best Day to Arrive at Disney World

Best Day to Arrive at Disney World – Easy Tips for Every Park

March 7, 2023 By Karyn Locke

10 Disney World Extras that Are Worth It - Fireworks dessert party

10 Amazing Disney World Extras that Are Worth It – and One That’s Not Worth Your Money

February 4, 2023 By Karyn Locke

Footer

About Our Affiliate Links

Sand and Snow uses affiliate links in its posts and articles and is a member of the Amazon Services LLC Program that provides earned advertising fees at no additional cost to the reader.

Recent

  • How to Splurge at Nemacolin Resort – A Guide to Luxury in The Laurel Highlands
  • Hidden Gems in Canton,Ohio: 14 Best Kept Secrets You Won’t Want to Miss
  • Indy’s Retro Scene: 16 Ways for Vintage Fun in Indianapolis
  • 10 Surprising Ways to Celebrate Easter at Disney World
  • 4 Easy Upgrades To Make Right Before You Sell Your House

Search

Copyright © 2023 · Magazine Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

We Value your Privacy
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT