If you want to be out for MLK Day in the city of Indianapolis, here are some great places to be!
The Indianapolis Zoo
– The Indianapolis Zoo will be open from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Visitors can walk the grounds and see lots of animals and enjoy the exhibits with smaller crowds. Favorite activities will include the 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. dolphin shows, indoor shark petting in the nation’s largest shark touch pool and heating things up with the meerkats in the Deserts Dome, where it’s a comfy 82 degrees. Log on to http://www.indianapoliszoo.com <http://www.indydt.com/www.indianapoliszoo.com%20> or call 317.630.2001 for more information.
Madame Walker Theatre Center and Indiana Avenue
To celebrate and honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the Madame Walker Theatre Center will host a FREE breakfast at the Indianapolis Urban League at 9 a.m. before the annual Freedom Walk on the Avenue. The Freedom Walk will begin at the Indianapolis Urban League on Jan. 16 at 9:45 a.m. and will follow the walkway of Indiana Avenue to the Madame Walker Theatre Center. Preceding the Freedom Walk, The Madame Walker Theatre Center will commemorate American icon Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a 90 minute program featuring Iibada Dance Company and a brief dialogue by Amos Brown. The program, entitled “The View from the Mountain Top”, will feature local artists, dance ensembles, prayer and guest speakers. This annual celebration is FREE to the public. For more information, call 236.2099 or visit http://www.walkertheatre.com <http://www.walkertheatre.com/> .
FREE admission at White River State Park attractions
–Visitors who bring a canned good for Gleaners Food Bank will receive one FREE admission per person per attraction in White River State Park on Monday, Jan. 16 in recognition of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Bring donated items to the Indiana State Museum, Indianapolis Zoo, IMAX Theater, Eiteljorg Museum, NCAA Hall of Champions and Victory Field. There is one FREE admission for each can of food contributed. The Park is also offering FREE parking on MLK, Jr. Day. Visitors may park in the underground garage located off Washington Street in front of the Indiana State Museum, in the parking lots at the Indianapolis Zoo and Victory Field and in the lot across from Victory Field next to the Visitor’s Center.
–Visitors can immerse themselves in the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians & Western Art from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Visit the West in the RB Annis Western Family Experience. See how four families live in the West and walk into a Navajo Hogan or climb aboard a true-to-life stagecoach. More information is available by calling 317.636.9378 or visiting http://www.eiteljorg.org <http://www.eiteljorg.org/> .
–Visit the IMAX Theater for FREE on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and experience “Rescue” in IMAX® 3D. “Rescue” plunges audiences into the hard, but inspiring work of saving lives in the face of a natural disaster. “Rescue” is a journey of real-world disaster and emergency response captured in 3D with unprecedented scale and impact for Indiana’s largest movie screen. New this year will be a blood drive at the IMAX Theatre where donors will receive FREE concession items. Call 317.233.4629 or log on to http://www.imaxindy.com <http://www.imaxindy.com/> for more information.
–Join the Indiana State Museum in celebrating the life and legacy of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with music, dance and theatre performances, poetry readings, art making activities and film viewings throughout the day, along with FREE admission to the museum galleries from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Visit http://www.indianamuseum.org <http://www.indianamuseum.org/> for more information or call 317.232.1637.
–Warm-up with a complimentary cup of hot chocolate or coffee and learn more about what it takes to be an NCAA student-athlete at the NCAA Hall of Champions. Student-athletes from IUPUI will lead fitness clinics at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. There will be continuous screenings of “Game of Change,” a documentary that reaches far beyond sports, demonstrating the significance of the game of basketball in the struggle for racial equality. Visit http://www.ncaahallofchampions.org <http://www.indydt.com/www.ncaahallofchampions.org%20> or call 917.6084 for more information.
–From 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Victory Field, health care professionals from Wishard Hospital will offer blood pressure, glucose and cholesterol screenings. Body Mass Index screenings will also be offered, along with healthy advice regarding portion sizes and what folks should eat relative to their weight. Wishard will also have a booth and representatives on hand with information about the new Wishard hospital, Eskenazi Health. Rowdie, the Indians mascot, will stop by for autographs from 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
–The Indiana Historical Society will offer free admission Jan. 16, as it honors and celebrates the extraordinary life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Throughout the day, guests will celebrate Dr. King by visiting You Are There 1968: Robert F. Kennedy Speaks, viewing special collection items in the library, attending musical, dance and spoken word performances, contributing their reflections of peace and hope to a “dream collage” and making specially themed crafts. The Stardust Terrace Café will offer family-friendly menu items. The History Center will also host the Martin Luther King Community Center’s Living the Legacy Awards in the Frank and Katrina Basile Theater Jan. 16.
Crispus Attacks Museum:
Join the Crispus Attucks Museum in honoring the life of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a special address by African-American history scholar, educator and author, Dr. Stanley Warren. The speech will be followed by an award-winning history documentary that sheds light on the final hours of Dr. King’s life. Visit http://www.crispusattucksmuseum.ips.k12.in.us <http://www.indydt.com/www.crispusattucksmuseum.ips.k12.in.us> <http://www.indydt.com/www.crispusattucksmuseum.ips.k12.in.us> for more information.
The Indiana Museum of Art:
The Indianapolis Museum of Art celebrates the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. from noon – 5 p.m. with FREE admission. Spend the day exploring the galleries with the docents, experience a drumming performance, storytelling, art-related games and make some of your own art including a paper quilt and beads! FREE. Visit http://www.imamuseum.org <http://www.imamuseum.org/> or call 317.923.1331 for more information.
Rhythm! Discovery Center:
Rhythm! Discovery Center and The Indianapolis Jazz Foundation will present a special discussion and performance on Jan. 14 in recognition of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. In addition to the performance, the Center will be offering FREE admission from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. For more information, visit http://www.rhythmdiscoverycenter.org or call 317.974.4488.
IUPUI:
IUPUI’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service is an annual campus tradition. Hundreds of IUPUI students, faculty, staff and guests volunteer at community sites across Indianapolis from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. as a way to honor Dr. King’s commitment to service and social justice. Visit http://life.iupui.edu/osi/volunteer/mlk.html <http://life.iupui.edu/osi/volunteer/mlk.html> for more info.
The Children’s Museum
Celebrate the life, dream and legacy of the late Dr.King at The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis Jan. 16 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. The museum will offer all guests special entertainment throughout the day with FREE admission! For more information, log on to http://www.childrensmuseum.org <http://www.childrensmuseum.org/> <http://www.childrensmuseum.org/> or call 317.334.3322 for more information.
