Free & Affordable Vacation Activities in Indianapolis

1. Lockerbie Square Historic District

Lockerbie Square Historic District is Indianapolis' oldest preserved residential neighborhood, named in honor of residential planner Jannett Smith Lockerbie McOuat and her father George Murray Lockerbie. The district dates back to the mid-19th century and was formerly known as Germantown due to a large influx of German residents beginning in 1849. Since 1973, it has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places, preserving beautiful Queen Anne, Italianate, and Federal-style homes and buildings. Notable buildings within the district include the James Whitcomb Riley Museum Home, which is open to the public as a living history home museum Tuesdays through Sundays. Walking tour information for the district is provided by the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana, showcasing 25 historic residences and five modern structures in the area specifically designed to complement historic buildings.

2. The Antique Fan Museum

The Antique Fan Museum is a free-admission museum in Zionsville, showcasing a collection of more than 2,000 antique and historic fan models. The museum was originally opened in Wichita, Kansas in 1997 by the Antique Fan Collectors Museum and relocated to the Indianapolis area in 2009 with the help of ceiling fan manufacturer Fanimation founder and AFCA member Tom Frampton. Today, the museum is operated within the Fanimation facility in Bennett Technology Park, housing collections of fans from both the original AFCA collection and Frampton's personal historic fan collection, including battery, water, steam, and electric powered fans and handheld fans dating back to the 1880s. The museum is open to the public Mondays through Fridays during business hours, with parking available within the adjacent technology park.

10983 Bennett Parkway, Zionsville, IN 46077, Phone: 317-733-4113

3. The Indiana State Police Museum

The Indiana State Police Museum preserves the history and chronology of the Indiana State Police from the organization's founding in 1933 through the present day. The free-admission museum is open to the public Mondays through Fridays during business hours, with additional hours offered on the third Saturday afternoon of each month. Visitors can explore one-of-a-kind police force artifacts, including an historic 1938 Chevrolet police car, preserved police uniforms from the 20th century, and artifacts related to the history and infamy of John Dillinger and the Brady Gang. In addition to self-guided museum exploration, groups of visitors may explore the museum as part of free guided tours with advance reservations.

8660 E 21st St, Indianapolis, IN 46219, Phone: 317-899-8293

4. The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art and Nature Park

The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art and Nature Park is a 100-acre public art park located on the campus of Newfields, formerly known as the Indianapolis Museum of Art, which is one of the largest and oldest encyclopedic art museums in the United States. Though the museum requires ticketed admission, the Art and Nature Park is free and open to the public daily, located along the eastern side of the White River. As one of the nation's largest museum art parks, the park is home to both permanent and temporary site-specific art installations, including works by contemporary artists such as Kendall Buster, Type A, Los Carpinteros, and Jeppe Hein. Other park features include a 35-acre lake, a nesting platform for birds of prey, and large plantings of spring ephemeral wildflowers.

1850 West 38th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46228, Phone: 317-923-1331

5. Indianapolis Artsgarden

Indianapolis Artsgarden is one of downtown Indianapolis' most prominent landmarks, serving as a public pedestrian connector and artistic display venue crossing the intersection of the city's Illinois and Washington Streets. The Artsgarden was constructed in 1995 by Ehrenkrantz Eckstut and Kuhn Architects, the developers of the adjacent Circle Centre Mall, and showcases more than 250 annual public cultural and musical performances within its seven-story enclosed glass dome. A Cultural Concierge desk serves as an official Indianapolis visitor center, offering brochures and performances schedules for area attractions and arts organizations. Visual arts exhibits are also displayed regularly, with a focus on the works of emerging and student artists throughout central Indiana.

110 W Washington St, Indianapolis, IN 46204, Phone: 317-631-3301

6. The Indiana State Soldiers and Sailors Monument

The Indiana State Soldiers and Sailors Monument is Indiana's most-recognizable monument, standing more than 284 feet above the city's Monument Circle traffic circle and retail district within Indianapolis' downtown region. The monument was designed by architect Bruno Schmitz and officially dedicated in 1902 following 13 years of construction, intended to honor Indiana soldiers in the American Civil War. Since its dedication, the monument has also come to popularly honor Indiana soldiers in other historical national and international conflicts, serving as the first United States monument dedicated to the everyday soldier. Visitors may ascend to the monument's observation level for a 360-degree view of the city Wednesdays through Sundays during business hours between May and October, with limited operation hours during the winter months.

1 Monument Cir, Indianapolis, IN 46204, Phone: 317-232-7615

7. Indiana War Memorial Museum

Indiana War Memorial Museum is housed at the Indiana World War Memorial Plaza, a major monument in Indianapolis' downtown honoring veterans of WWI. The memorial is home to the free military museum, which is open to the public Wednesdays through Sundays during business hours. Exhibits showcase the state's military history from the Battle of Tippecanoe through the present day, displaying artifacts such as an AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter, the gallery of the USS Indianapolis, and collections of military firearms and uniforms. More than 400 military flags are also showcased throughout the museum, along with a replica of the state's Liberty Bell.

55 E Michigan St, Indianapolis, IN 46204, Phone: 317-650-9058