Discover White River

Messy Mondays
2025-10-20 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Indiana/Indianapolis) | Indiana State Museum, 650 W Washington St, Indianapolis, IN, 46204
Let’s Make a Mess!

Join us for this 1-hour program where you and your little one can experiment and make messes! We will explore art, science and our senses through hands-on, messy projects that allow your child to discover at their own pace. This program also features an interactive story time to inspire exploration through play-based activities.

Each child must be accompanied by an adult.

Homeschool Teen Program: Hoosier Artists
2025-10-20 11:00 - 13:00 | Indiana State Museum, 650 W Washington St, Indianapolis, IN, 46204
Discover the vibrant world of Hoosier artists!

Investigate, discover and explore STEAM, history and more hands-on experiences designed to stimulate and expand your interests. This is an optional drop-off program; youth can attend by themselves or one adult per group can attend with their youth.

Dive into the lives and works of Indiana’s most influential artists, explore diverse artistic styles and create your own masterpieces inspired by the rich cultural heritage of the Hoosier State.

The museum is closed to the public on Mondays with the exception of some holidays.

Purchase TicketsRegistration deadline: Three days before the program

Includes $4 parking validation. This event is not included in museum admission and requires tickets. Members receive a 25% discount on tickets as well as free admission to the museum, 11 historic sites across the state, and 300+ other locations.

Harvest Nights
2025-10-20 19:00 - 22:00, 2025-10-21 19:00 - 22:00, 2025-10-22 19:00 - 22:00 | Newfields, 4000 N Michigan Road, Indianapolis, IN, 46208, United States
Join us for Harvest Nights presented by Everwise Credit Union the spooky, not scary, spectacle in The Garden at Newfields. Journey through fog-filled forests along The Pumpkin Path of Peril and take in tens of thousands of gourdgeous pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns.

Brand new this year, 50 larger-than-life, handmade mushrooms by Kara Kent and artists from Expo Design will capture the imaginations in Fungi Forest. Plus, head upstairs in Mischief Manor to the new Cutwater Lounge, which is open to all guests ages 21 and older to sip and savor the experience on a whole different level.

Tickets start at $25 and this year’s Harvest Nights celebration comes with an array of ticketing options to give you ultimate flexibility. Newfields uses variable and dynamic pricing, which means prices vary by date and are subject to change. Get the lowest price by purchasing your tickets in advance. Members always get the lowest price.

The more you know…

Kids five and under are free.

There is a $1.99 processing fee per paid ticket. Access Pass is excluded from processing fees.

Homeschool Naturalist Club
2025-10-21 11:00 - 12:30 | Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park at Newfields, 1850 W 38th St, Indianapolis, IN, 46228
Homeschool families! Join us every other Tuesday in September and October in The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park for the Homeschool Naturalist Club. In this series of workshops, you’ll study the natural world through careful observation. We will spend time observing the cycles and patterns of nature, learning with experts, and flexing our creative muscles through art making.

These workshops are recommended for students ages 8 through 14 with one adult per family. Themes are subject to change.

Themes:September 9: Flowers

September 23: Birds

October 7: Trees

October 21: Mammals

ZooBoo
2025-10-22 14:00 - 21:00, 2025-10-23 14:00 - 21:00 | Indianapolis Zoo, 1200 W Washington ST, Indianapolis, IN, 46222
Is regular October too humdrum, but haunted houses too creepy-crawly? Come to the Zoo for Halloween activities, amazing animals and pumpkins galore! ZooBoo is a fun family experience for itty-bitty ghouls and goblins as well as the bigger kids. October weather means active animals, colorful foliage and a new season to explore. Combine that with engaging, hands-free activities, spooktacular costumes and trick-or-treating, and you’ve got an unforgettable family tradition!

Best of all, ZooBoo is free for Zoo members and included with regular admission.

Twilight Tales: Strange Encounters
2025-10-22 19:00 - 20:30 | Indiana State Museum, 650 W Washington St, Indianapolis, IN, 46204
A family-friendly night of mystery and intrigue!

Join us, in the not-so-dark, for a night of family-friendly mystery and spooky intrigue! Decorate your own candy bag, help solve a mystery as we decode puzzles and find hidden clues throughout the galleries as we explore the museum by flashlight. Costumes are encouraged! Flashlights will be provided.
