Many Indianapolis-area kids are out of school on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. In honor of the day, local museums are offering special free admission to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day programming. These opportunities will help your kids learn and remember the life and legacy of Dr. King.
We have a complete list of Indy-area museums that offer free admission on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and on other days. Mark your calendar for January 20, 2025. Also, check out our segment on FOX59’s Indy Now for more Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Free Admission Celebrations in Indy.
Be sure to check out the Kennedy-King Landmark for Peace at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park in Indy.
Free Museum Admission in Indianapolis
Newfields
Sunday, January 19, 2025
11:30 am – 4 pm
Celebrate MLK Day with free admission to Newfields on Sunday, January 19. Newfields is closed on Mondays, therefore this celebration will take place the day before Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
- Sunday, Jan. 19 11:30 am to 4 pm
- Honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy through art, music, and reflection. Create your own masterpiece in hands-on workshops led by local artists, explore the Indianapolis Museum of Art, and enjoy the vibrant sounds of Deckademics DJ & Production School.
The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis
Monday, January 20, 2025
10 am-5 pm
Free advance ticket required. Celebrate the life, achievements, and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with special performances by The Griot Drum Ensemble at the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. Guests can also listen as storyteller Portia Jackson introduces guests to courageous children of the Civil Rights Movement.
- Griot Drum Ensemble Performances
- Storyteller-in-Residence Portia Sholar Jackson as she leads the reflection and discussion of quotes by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
- Cake mix, icing, candles, mid-north food pantry
Indiana Historical Society
Monday, January 20, 2025
11 am-3 pm
- Monday, January 20th, 11 am – 3 pm
- Design shopping bags for Charity Cares Clothing Closet
- Watch MLK Speeches in the theater
- Wall of reflection and community mural
34th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Indiana Holiday Celebration
Thursday, January 16, 2025
6 pm
- Thursday, January 16th, 6 pm
- Monument Circle
- Local organizations will gather on the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument for a commemorative wreath placing ceremony
- Followed by a commemorative light show
Free Ice Skating at Bicentennial Unity Plaza Elevance Health Rink
Monday, January 20, 2025
6 pm
- Elevance Health Rink
- FREE admission and skate rental
- FREE parking in the Virginia Avenue Garage
- Complimentary hot chocolate and pizza, while supplies last Live music from local DJs
- Fun and educational activities honoring Dr. King’s legacy
White River State Park
Monday, January 20, 2025
Enjoy free parking and admission to White River State Park and other nearby attractions. For the past 20 years, White River State Park has partnered with Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana to host an annual event on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. In lieu of canned goods, visitors are asked to make monetary donations to Gleaners Food Bank via “dip jars” around the park and the museums.
Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art
Monday, January 20, 2025
10 am-5 pm
Enjoy free admission and get one last chance to visit Jingle Rails until next November. Visitors can immerse themselves in Native American and Western cultures and explore activities at the Nina Mason Pulliam Education Center. Experience the unifying power of rhythm and music during a community drum circle performance. There will also be hands-on art-making activities for all ages.
- Monday, January 20th, 10 am – 5 pm
- Art-making projects
- Community drum circle
- Jingle Rails last day
Indiana State Museum
Monday, January 20, 2025
10 am-5 pm
Celebrate Dr. King’s dream and explore the ongoing struggle for civil rights and equity in America at the Indiana State Museum. Watch some of Dr. King’s most iconic speeches and participate in activities that reflect on what you can do to ensure the dream lives on for future generations.
- Monday, January 20, 10 am – 5 pm
- See original copies of the Emancipation Proclamation and 13th Amendment signed by President Abraham Lincoln
- Videos of Dr. King’s most iconic speeches, activities, and performances will explore civil and human rights
IMAX® Theater
Monday, January 20, 2025
10 am-5 pm
Visit the IMAX Theater at the Indiana State Museum for free movie showings on the giant screen. Tickets will be available at the State Museum ticket booth on a first-come, first-served basis until capacity is met.
- Monday, January 20, multiple show times throughout the day
- Free admission to see Soar with The Blue Angels, in a new documentary featuring never-before-seen footage that chronicles a year with the Navy’s elite Flight Demonstration Squadron.
NCAA Hall of Champions
Monday, January 20, 2025
10 am-5 pm
Though normally closed on Mondays, the NCAA Hall of Champions will be open and offering free admission in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
The Indianapolis Zoo
9 am-4 pm
Admission to the Indianapolis Zoo is free, but a monetary or food pantry donation is encouraged. Weather permitting, the hardier animals will be out to enjoy the day. Alternatively, duck into the indoor exhibits, including Oceans, the Dolphin Dome, Deserts Dome, Simon Skjodt International Orangutan Center, and the Hilbert Conservatory.
- Monday, January 20, 9 am – 4 pm
- Free admission, donations accepted for Gleaner’s Food Bank
Free Admission Martin Luther King Day Events Outside of Indy
Indiana State Historic Sites
Monday, January 20, 2025
Times varyMost of Indiana’s State Historic Sites will host free admission days for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Take a day trip away from Indy and learn something new about our state’s rich history. Tour space is limited. Registration for guided tours at any of the sites on Martin Luther King Jr. Day is required by Jan. 17 and can be made by calling the sites directly.
- Monday, January 20
- Must register by January 17th
Conner Prairie
Online programming only
See the full list of all of the Indianapolis free museum admission days.
Free indoor playgrounds are perfect for cold winter days.
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