Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Free Admission

Date and Time for this Past Event

• Monday, Jan 16, 2023  

Location

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Details

White River State Park attractions are offering free admission and an opportunity to donate to Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, January 16, 2023.

For over 20 years, White River State Park and Gleaners have partnered on this annual event, raising money and building awareness for Gleaners’ fight against hunger in central Indiana. Park visitors are encouraged to donate money to Gleaners via donation Dip Jars that will be located throughout the park at each attraction. Donations can also be accepted online here.

Guests will be able to visit most of the major attractions in White River State Park including the Eiteljorg Museum, IMAX® Theater, Indiana State Museum, Indianapolis Zoo and the NCAA® Hall of Champions.

The following attractions will have free admission on January 16:

• Indiana State Museum: Celebrate Dr. King’s dream and explore the ongoing struggle for civil rights and equity in America. Videos will highlight Dr. King’s most iconic speeches, and activities and performances will explore civil and human rights. Visitors can participate in making a community quilt and learn about Black creators, scientists, inventors and engineers. All ages can take part in hands-on experiments, create protest signs and buttons, perform an act of service and more. The Meraki Dance Troupe will perform at noon, and our partners from WFYI will have their own activities featuring Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman.
• Indianapolis Zoo: Visitors can walk the grounds and see animals, especially the ones that love the cooler temperatures. Guests can catch the dolphin show at 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. The zoo will also offer a $5 meal deal, which includes a hot dog, bag of chips and a canned soda. Dolphin Meet and Greets are available at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. as a paid experience. Visitors who park at the White River State Garage can gain easy access into the Zoo by walking over the park’s pedestrian bridge and entering the Zoo through the Zoo’s east gates at the end of the bridge.
• IMAX Theater: The IMAX Theater in the Indiana State Museum will play Into America’s Wild multiple times throughout the day. This documentary allows viewers to step off the beaten path and connect to their inner trailblazer in this new adventure into the hidden wonders of the natural world. Guests can pick up free tickets for the film at the ticket desk in the Indiana State Museum when they arrive. Tickets cannot be ordered online in advance for this date.
• Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art: Visitors can immerse themselves in Native American and Western art, history and cultures with the museum’s many exhibits. It’s the last chance to visit the Fifth Third Bank Jingle Rails: The Great Western Adventure, a one-of-a-kind G-scale model train experience featuring iconic scenes and treasures of Indianapolis and the American West. Guests can also see the exhibit Snow Days , as well as the new re-envisioned Native American galleries, showcasing Native art in a multi-sensory, state-of-the-art space. Additional information and resources can be found at Eiteljorg.org/MLKDay.
• NCAA Hall of Champions: Visit The Title IX at 50 exhibit, which tracks the history of the landmark legislation’s impact on women’s sports. The display highlights the law’s emphasis on education and how that emphasis impacted the college sports NCAA student-athletes play today. Guests can immerse themselves in fully interactive exhibits to compete virtually and hands-on through sports simulators, a 1930s retro gymnasium, ski simulator and more.

The park is also offering complimentary parking on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Visitors may park in the underground garage located off Washington Street in front of the Indiana State Museum, in the surface parking lots at the Indianapolis Zoo and Victory Field, and in the surface parking lot next to the Park’s Visitor’s Center. Parking is not guaranteed and is on a first-come, first-served basis.