If a trip to The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis is on your September calendar, check your dates before loading up the kids. The museum and the entire Riley Children’s Health Sports Legends Experience campus will be closed September 14–25, 2026, with plans to welcome families back on Saturday, September 26.
For parents who count on a museum membership for an easy outing, grandparents planning a special day, or visitors building an Indianapolis itinerary, this is a schedule change to know about now. The planned closure lasts 12 consecutive days and includes the weekend of September 19–20. You can find updates on the museum’s official closure information page.
Things to Know: Children’s Museum Closure
Location: The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, 3000 N. Meridian Street, Indianapolis
Closed: September 14–25, 2026. The entire museum campus, including the Riley Children’s Health Sports Legends Experience, will be closed.
Planned Reopening: Saturday, September 26, 2026
Why the Closure? Essential updates to the museum’s electrical, heating and cooling, and plumbing systems.
All Aboard!: The reimagined train exhibit is scheduled to reopen September 26, 2026.
Playscape Reminder: Playscape has a separate closure September 8–November 6, 2026, and will remain closed when the museum reopens in September.
Why Is The Children’s Museum Closing?
The temporary closure will allow crews to complete essential work on the museum’s electrical, heating and cooling, and plumbing systems. These behind-the-scenes systems help keep the building running for the families who visit.
According to the closure announcement, the work is part of the museum’s long-term infrastructure improvement plan. The entire campus will be closed to guests and staff during this period, and the museum says visitors will notice improvements related to accessibility and overall comfort when it reopens.
While a temporary pause may mean rearranging your family’s plans, this work supports future visits to a place that fills so many Indianapolis childhoods with discovery and play.
Will the Sports Legends Experience Stay Open?
The Riley Children’s Health Sports Legends Experience will also be closed September 14–25. Families should choose another destination for outdoor sports play during those dates.
The closure covers the entire campus, so a change in the weather won’t change which parts are available.
If someone else is taking the kids, make sure they know about the closure, too. A quick message to a grandparent, babysitter, or visiting relative could prevent a disappointing arrival.
What Should Members and Ticket Holders Do?
If you have questions about a membership expiration date, previously purchased admission, or a scheduled program, contact the museum directly about your specific situation.
All Aboard! Is Scheduled to Return September 26
There is something for train-loving families to look forward to when the museum welcomes visitors back. The museum’s All Aboard! exhibit reopens September 26, 2026.
The reimagined exhibit gives families another reason to put a return visit on the calendar. If trains are a favorite in your house, keep an eye on the museum’s announcements as reopening approaches so you can plan around the latest exhibit details.
Parents of Young Children: Playscape’s Separate Dates
Families with little ones should also know that Playscape has a longer closure of its own. The museum’s visit-planning page lists Playscape as closed September 8–November 6, 2026, for updates.
That means the museum’s September 26 reopening does not include Playscape.
For now, mark September 14–25 as the campus closure and September 26 as the planned reopening. Check the museum’s official information again before heading out, especially if you are traveling from out of town or promising the kids a particular exhibit.
