The Children's Museum of Indianapolis is gearing up to celebrate a monumental milestone, its centennial, with the launch of a towering new attraction that will give patrons a fresh perspective of the city. According to FOX59, the museum is set to introduce the Centennial Ferris Wheel as part of its 100th birthday festivities, offering unparalleled views of both the museum campus and the downtown Indianapolis skyline.
Expected to stand at 12-stories tall, this new feature will dominate the museum's Riley Children’s Health Sports Legends Experience from March 15, 2025, until November 2, 2025. The placement has been strategically chosen; the Ferris wheel will be built on the northwest corner — where the Hall Family Dragstrip previously resided along Illinois Street. WTHR reports that the decision embraces a blend of celebration and education, aligning with the playful yet impactful mission the museum has maintained over the years.
Gaining access to this sky-high ride isn’t simply a walk in the park; visitors will need to purchase an additional ticket aside from their museum admission or membership to enjoy the thrill. Hassle or not, prices are set at $6 for members and $8 for non-members, as clarified by IndyStar. And while the Ferris wheel will be a new addition, it merely extends the museum’s reputation for excellence, coming off the heels of being named the best children's museum in the nation by USA TODAY/10Best’s reader poll earlier this year.
With a nod to tradition and an eye on the future, the Children's Museum of Indianapolis continues to solidify its reputation as a vanguard of interactive learning and family entertainment. This Ferris wheel doesn’t just offer a ride; it propels the museum into a new century of operation, all while giving visitors a literal elevation in their viewpoint — a symbol of both looking back at the past and ahead to the future. And for a museum that was founded on the city's north side in 1925 and is hailed as one of the largest of it's kind in the world, that seems like a fitting way to celebrate.
