5 Unique Indiana Museums You Must Visit at Least Once

Dedicated to all things Western Art (including gorgeous artifacts), the Eiteljorg Museum at White River State Park in Indianapolis is a beautiful way to learn and become immersed in its culture and beauty. With both indoor and outdoor exhibits and sculptures, the space encourages you to mosey around and discover at your own pace. If you’re taking the kiddos, make sure to head to the basement area - the massive, hands-on space is dedicated to our younger folk. 

If you’re looking for a mind-blowing museum experience, head to Peru, Indiana, and its high school. I, personally, have never known a multi-million dollar fine arts gallery to exist in a public school before or since, but it’s here you’ll see works from master painters and sculptors. 

And while it may seem shocking, wait until you see it for yourself. It all began when alumnus David S. Thompson, after talking with the school’s art teacher, sent crates of ceramics to the school so the children could see them in person. Through the 1930s and 1950s, he continued to send valuable pieces, including those from Salvador Dalí and Joan Miró - there’s even a Picasso on site. 

If you’re a sports lover, the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in New Castle is a must-see. While walking through exhibits and learning about players from Indiana is fun, it’s the interactive exhibits that make it entertaining and a reason to get into the “Hoosier Hysteria.” When you’re finished delving into the passion, head to the enshrinement hall for a peek at its Hall of Fame inductees.

I love a good car museum, and the Studebaker National Museum in South Bend checks all the boxes. Filled with pristinely-kept vehicles, it’s devoted to sharing the story of the automotive industry the city was known for. 

While the term “national treasure” may conjure up images of Nicolas Cage hunting for treasure, it turns out that the museum has seven pieces of its own, including a carriage used by Marquis de Lafayette during his 1824 U.S. Tour. But the gold star on the chart is the actual carriage that carried President Abraham Lincoln to Ford’s Theater on the night of his assassination. 

I just had to throw a wild card museum on this list, and the Antique Fan Museum in Zionsville is it. I wouldn’t know what to do without my nighttime fan for white noise, so walking through this museum would definitely bring a feeling of calm to me. Filled with more than 2,000 antique desk and ceiling fans (from over 140 manufacturers), a few of the pieces date back to the 1880s.