Fun things to do in Indiana

Located in the center of Monument Circle, a circular plaza in the middle of downtown Indianapolis, the 285-foot (87-meter) State Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument was built between 1889 and 1901 to commemorate Indiana's war heroes who died in the the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, the American Civil War, and the Spanish-American War. It was the first monument in the United States dedicated to the common soldier.

The monument was designed by Bruno Schmitz, Germany's foremost designer of national monuments, and is his only commission outside of Germany or Switzerland. His neo-Classical design, called the Symbol of Indiana, was the winning entry in an international design contest. The limestone sculptures are the work of sculptor Rudolf Schwarz of Vienna.

The State Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument features an observation deck that can be reached for free by climbing 331 steps, or by elevator for a small charge. It has a basement which houses the Colonel Eli Lilly Civil War Museum.

Since 1962, the monument has been decorated at Christmastime as what is billed as "the world's largest Christmas tree," with cables and garlands stretching from its top to the ground. Called the Circle of Lights, the "Christmas tree" has 52 strands of garland and 4,784 lights.

The State Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Indiana State Capitol Building was built to house all three branches of state government, including the office of the governor, the Indiana General Assembly (consisting of the Senate and House of Representatives), and the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals. The 70,000-volume Supreme Court Law Library is also located in the building.

The current capitol is actually the fifth building to serve as Indiana's capitol building. The first was located in Corydon, which was Indiana's first capital. The building still exists and is maintained as a state historic site. The Marion County Courthouse served as the second capitol and housed the state government for 12 years after Indianapolis had become the state capital. The third was a large building whose design was inspired by the Parthenon in Athens. However, the foundation soon began to crumble, and part of its ceiling collapsed. The building was condemned and demolished. In the interim period before the current capitol building was built, the state government worked out of an office building that already housed the Surpeme Court. During this period, Indiana in effect did not have a capitol building.

Construction began on the current state capitol building in 1880 and was completed in 1887. It was designed by architect Edwin May in the Corinthian style of architecture with an Italian Renaissance interior. Soon after construction began, however, May died and architect Adolph Sherrer took over the project. The four-story building is in the shape of a cross with a large central rotunda with a glass domed ceiling connecting all four wings. The building was constructed of Indiana limestone, and whenever possible, materials native to the state were used in its construction.

The Indiana State Capitol Building has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

What is now the Indiana State Museum began in 1862 as a natural history collection amassed by then-state librarian R. Deloss Brown. Over the years, the collection was housed in various buildings in the State Capitol Building. In 1967, the museum moved into its first permanent home in the former Indianapolis City Hall building. The new, state-of-the-art facility for the Indiana State Museum opened in 2002, providing over 40,000 square feet (3,716 square meters) of exhibition space on three floors.

The museum's collections contain more than 400,000 artifacts covering the subjects of science, art, culture, and history as they pertain to Indiana. Its exhibits and displays depict all aspects of the state, from its geological past, its natural history, its American Indian past, its rich cultural heritage up to the Golden Age of its growing industrial economy between 1880 and 1920, its present, and its future.

In addition to its exhibits, the museum also offers an interactive learning center, a six-story IMAX Theater, and the 92 County Walk which features a unique sculpture for each of the state's 92 counties.

Being a big day trip person, I would recommend Fair Oaks Dairy. Located about an hour and 20 mins north of Indy on I-65. It isn't an expensive experience, but the bus tour through the dairy is pleasantly interesting. They work hard at harvesting the methane for the electricity and they are proud of the quality of life they provide for their cows. The merry-go round milker is very interesting. Apparently, some of the cows think so and take a second ride. The cheese and ice cream is the freshest you'll have. Seriously, becareful, it can make you a little sick because it is really rich. And if you can stomach seeing a birth, the birthing barn shows the miracle of life several times a day!

The Old Jail Museum was built in 1882. It was the first of seven rotary jails constructed in the United States and is currently the only rotary jail in operating condition.

The rotary cellblock consists of a two-tiered turntable divided into pie-shaped wedges, with a total of 16 cells. The turntable is housed within a stationary steel cage with one opening per story.

The jailer would simply rotate the mechanism to bring a particular cell to the opening, and in this way, prisoners were put into and let out of the cells. The turntable remained in operation until 1939.

The jail was used as the Montgomery County Jail until it closed in 1973 and became a museum in 1975, operated by the Montgomery County Cultural Foundation. The museum exhibits items related to the history, culture and art of Montgomery County as well as artifacts from the jail itself.

Some interesting stories about the jail include that a notorious biker gang that came to Crawfordsville was arrested for their suspicious looking long hair and were only released after they had been given burrs and were clean shaven.

Also one man who was incarcerated here had a peg leg and when he was feeling cantankerous he would wedge his peg leg between the bars preventing the jailer from rotating the cells.

Also, the home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
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The Tibetan Cultural Center was established in Bloomington due to the large Tibetan community in the city. Bloomington has one of only two Tibetan restaurants in the United States, and the nephew of the Dalai Lama calls Bloomington home. (The Dalai Lama visits frequently).

The purpose of the Tibetan Cultural Center is to promote Tibetan culture and history, and to support Tibetans, both those in Tibet and those in exile. It also strives to preserve the Tibetan culture through educational and philosophical programs, including teachings, workshops, meditations, seminars, retreats, and ceremonies relating to Tibetan religious practices.

The 90-acre (36-hectare) grounds of the Tibetan Cultural Center include the Jangchub Chorten, the Kalachakra Stupa, and the Chamtse Ling Temple.

The Indianapolis Zoo is affiliated with the White River Gardens, which is right next door to the zoo. The Indianapolis Zoo opened in 1964, and moved to its present facility in 1988. The zoo houses 3,800 animals of 320 different species.

The Indianapolis Zoo is divided into five separate biomes: the Waters Biome features aquatic life of the world's oceans, rivers, and ponds; the Deserts Biome features life of desert habitats; the Plains Biome features animals of the African and Australian plains; the Forests Biome features animals of temperate and tropical forests; and the Encounters Biome provides children the opportunity to pet and touch domestic animals from around the world.

Only one of two museums east of the Mississippi River with both Indian and Western art, the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art seeks to inspire an appreciation of the art, history, and cultures of the American West and the indigenous peoples of North America.

The museum features permanent exhibits, including Mihtohseenionki (The People's Place) and the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. Its permanent art collection includes The American Western Gallery; the Taos, New Mexico Artists; the Contemporary Collection; and the Native American Collection. Special exhibits also contribute to an understanding of the art and culture of the American Indians and the West.

The museum's unique building was inspired by the land, people, and cultures of the American Southwest.