Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites

STATEHOOD DAY

Grade 4
Dec. 8, 2023; 10 a.m-1 p.m.
Statehood Day presentation in Great Hall at 11 a.m.

We invite you to come celebrate Indiana’s birthday at the Indiana State Museum with fun, interactive activities that encourage students to think about what it means to be a Hoosier – past, present, and future. Join us in the Great Hall for our Statehood Day presentation that includes a reading from a winner of the Statehood Day essay contest, and learn what it means to serve by officials from state agencies and offices share. We’ll finish the presentation by singing happy birthday to Indiana!

Space is limited, so please contact the museum at 317.232.1637 to schedule your field trip. Statehood Day programs will also be held at the Indiana State Library and Indiana Statehouse.

The Indiana Statehouse Tour Office, in conjunction with the Indiana Center for the Book, holds an essay competition to commemorate Indiana Statehood Day each year. More information can be found here.

Click here to view Indiana Academic Standards

Holiday Sounds

K-Grade 12
Nov. 29-30 Dec. 1, 6, 7, 12-15, 2023
10-10:30 a.m., 10:45-11:15 a.m. and 11:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m.

Enjoy the sounds of the season in a spectacular holiday atmosphere as school and community choirs, bands, ensembles and soloists perform holiday music daily in the museum’s Great Hall.

Click here to book your field trip. Fill out the form and select ‘Holiday Sounds” from the ‘any additional programming?’ drop down menu. Contact Brittney Basaran at 317.409.7136 or [email protected] with any questions.

Click here to view Indiana Academic Standards

GEOFEST: THE INDIANA STATE MUSEUM GEM, FOSSIL AND MINERAL SHOW

K-Grade 12
Feb. 16-18, 2024; 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Bring your students to explore Paleozoic seas, discover mysteries in Ice Age caves, test their knowledge of Indiana’s geology and investigate the world under their feet. Hands-on activities and million-year-old specimens in our galleries help illustrate Indiana’s geological past. Shopping for gems, fossils and minerals from around the globe is available. Registration is required by calling Visitor Services at 317.232.1637.

Click here to view Indiana Academic Standards

STEAM DAYS

K-Grade 6
March 6 & 7, 2024; 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Students will connect to the museum on a deeper level as they interact with hands-on, minds-on activities throughout the museum on these special STEAM Days. The galleries will have 8-10 activities spread throughout all three levels to tinker and discover Indiana’s connections to science, technology, engineering, art and math. Look for a special bonus in the Education Center for a design challenge that will have your students creating prototypes to solve a real-world challenge.

There is limited space so register early! Only STEAM-related field trips are offered during this time. No self-guided field trips available on these days.

Price: $6/student, $2/chaperone, free for teachers

Click here to book your field trip. Fill out the form and select ‘STEAM Days” from the ‘any additional programming?’ drop down menu. Contact Brittney Basaran at 317.409.7136 or [email protected] with any questions.

CANCELLATION POLICY: School programs cancelled less than 72 hours before the day of the scheduled program will incur a $50 cancellation fee per program.

Click here to view Indiana Academic Standards

ANNUAL PINEWOOD DERBY®

K-Grade 12
March 27-30 & April 3-8, 2024; 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

On your mark, get set … for the second-greatest spectacle in racing! The Indiana State Museum and Crossroads of America Council BSA invite you to build and race Pinewood Derby cars down the two-story, 125-foot racetrack and watch them speed across the finish line!

Click here to view Indiana Academic Standards

Total Solar Eclipse Celebration

K-Grade 12
April 8, 2024; 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

Join space and astronomy enthusiasts for out-of-this-world fun! Learn about the total solar eclipse, how to safely view this phenomenon and enjoy sun, Earth and moon hands-on activities and demonstrations throughout the day. Find your spot on the front lawn for viewing the solar eclipse (weather dependent). Live-streaming of the eclipse will take place in the museum’s auditorium. The museum will have a limited supply of solar viewing glasses available for visitors and additional glasses will be for sale in the Indiana Store.

Click here to view Indiana Academic Standards

ANNUAL ECO-SCIENCE CHALLENGE

K-Grade 12
April 26, 2024; 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Deadline for application: April 12, 2024

Innovative Hoosier students are invited to get involved in becoming the solution to global climate issues. Students can submit science challenge projects on a range of topics including aquaculture, vermiculture, composting, social awareness, urban farming, alternative energy and recycling initiatives in their schools and communities. Monetary prizes will be awarded to the schools of the winning students to assist in continuing eco-science-related work. Click below to submit your Eco-Science Challenge application.

Click here to book your field trip. Fill out the form and select ‘Eco-Science Challenge” from the ‘any additional programming?’ drop down menu. Contact Brittney Basaran at 317.409.7136 or [email protected] with any questions.

Click here to view Indiana Academic Standards