The Indy Attraction Pass curated by Visit Indy is a great way for Indy’s 20-and 30-somethings to fall in love with some of Indy’s unique amenities. Just imagine, an entire day where you get to walk among the dinosaurs, witness the macaques flying overhead, learn our state’s Black history and so much more!
Launched in October 2020, the Indy Attraction Pass aims to give Indy residents – you – access to our city’s top attractions for one low price. And while you might be thinking this pass was created for families with children, think again!
IndyHub’s 1828 alumni and Indy’s Hannah Thomas recently spent a Saturday scoping this out and as a young professional in our city, she enjoyed being a tourist in Indy! Her advice: Invite a friend and make a day date out of it.
Read on to hear how she spent her day and who she brought along with her!
—–
I’d argue it’s important to explore our city’s arts and culture. It’s the perfect way to explore our city over the weekend and set aside time to be a tourist in your own city. So, my friend and 1828 Project class member Jeffery Burgin and I set out for adventure with the Indy Attraction Pass in hand (well on our phones).
First stop on our Indy Attraction Pass Adventure: the Indiana State Museum
Right when you walk into the museum, dedicated to telling the history of the great Hoosier state, you’re greeted by the Indiana Obelisk, towering at 55 ft. tall – seriously, it’s monumental and 100 percent photo worthy – do it for the gram. I could go on and on about my major takeaways from the experience – from learning about where mammoths roamed to where Indiana was located on the globe during the prehistoric stages – I’m for real, the natural history portion of the Indiana State Museum is so robust. But, I want to emphasize how incredible the Legacy Theater: The Indiana AFrican American Experience was. The stories of Black people in our state shaped our state’s history and continue to impact our lives to this very moment. It was powerful to see up close how the museum illustrates this narrative from early settlers, during the pioneer period, to contemporaries, including my favorite poet, Mari Evans. They even have my favorite poem, Celebrations, on display at the exhibit.
You can’t go to a museum without visiting the gift shop. Before we left, I snagged a Bicentennial shirt that was on sale, and we took a break to unpack and grab some lunch on Mass Ave.
P.S.: You must check out the 92 County Walk – the art experience designed into the museum’s facade, displaying the 92 counties in Indiana with a perfectly curated sculpture for each county in the state.
Stop 2: The Indianapolis Zoo
As I mentioned, we picked a warm spring day to hit the town with the attraction pass – the Zoo couldn’t have been more perfect. With the sun shining, animals from all over the zoo were out to greet their visitors. Lions, tigers and bears we’re out to say hello and humans from one years old to 70, were elated! The Indianapolis Zoo is incredible for a number of reasons – but most importantly, they’re partnering with global conservationists to protect endangered species and to learn about them locally is so impactful.
Teaser: construction for the alligator exhibit is underway and will open in May!
Last but certainly not least – Stop 3: The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis
Barbie’s, trips to Greece, and Dinosaurs – oh my! One of our favorite parts of this visit was feeling like we were back in the early 2000’s on a field trip, but this time it was on our timeline so we spent so much time in the American Pop Exhibit where we explored fashion, music, film and more. As someone who loves hearing and sharing our city’s stories I highly recommend visiting the Stories from our Community exhibit – you’ll walk away feeling nostalgic for more authentic stories from friends and family.
While we chose to visit just 3 of the museums on the list, there are now 8 – yes, 8! – cultural spaces to visit means this pass more than pays for itself.
It’s your turn! Invite your friend, colleague or family member and hit the city with this attraction pass in tow. You won’t regret it.
How it works:
