Free events planned around Indy in Dr. King’s memory
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – On this Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, there are activities planned for families around Indianapolis all day.Rhythm Discovery Center
Joined by the Indianapolis Jazz Foundation, and in association with The NAMM Foundation, is a special discussion and performance at 11 a.m. Rhythm Discovery Center is also offering free admission from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday to honor the legacy of Indianapolis jazz and Martin Luther King, Jr.Indianapolis Zoo
Visitors can walk the grounds and see animals, especially the ones that love the cooler temperatures. Favorite activities will include petting sharks, looking eye-to-eye with orangutans and gazing at dolphins (presentations are at 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.).IMAX Theater
“Hubble: The IMAX Experience” chronicles the effort of seven astronauts aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis as they repair the Hubble Space Telescope. It’s being shown for free as space permits at 10 a.m., 11:10 a.m., 12:20 p.m., 1:30 p.m. and 2:40 p.m. Make sure to get your IMAX tickets early, as there is limited seating capacity and tickets are typically gone before noon.NCAA Hall of Champions
Get your workout in at the NCAA Hall of Champions where current and former student athletes lead classes. At 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., watch the film “Game of Change,” involving the 1963 NCAA men’s basketball tournament regional semifinal. Mississippi State, an all-white team, sneaks out of town in the middle of the night despite protests from the governor and state police of Mississippi to play a Loyola team that features four black starters. Mississippi State overcame an unwritten Mississippi rule against playing integrated teams with a cloak-and-dagger flight to the North just one step ahead of a court injunction.Indiana State Museum
Films, activities and performance art fill the museum as the life and times of the great Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. are celebrated. Actors from the Phoenix Theatre will present excerpts from “Butler,” a Civil War-era play featuring a Union soldier and an escaped slave seeking asylum in Union territory. The Farmer’s Market Café will be serving lunch.Eskenazi Health and the Indianapolis Indians
Both will offer free health screenings at the Indiana State Museum. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., nurses will also be available to discuss the importance of primary and preventive care. Anyone who participates in the health screenings will receive a complimentary ticket to Opening Night at Victory Field on April 14 courtesy of the Indianapolis Indians. Plus, Rowdie, the Indians mascot, will stop by for autographs between 11 a.m. and noon.Eiteljorg Museum
Visitors can immerse themselves in Native American and Western cultures with the museum’s many exhibits. It’s your last chance to visit Jingle Rails: The Great Western Adventure, a one-of-a-kind G-scale train experience featuring the Vegas Strip, Mt. Rushmore, Yosemite, the Golden Gate Bridge, Soldiers and Sailors Monument and much more.White River State Park
The park is offering complimentary 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 surface parking lots at the Indianapolis Zoo and Victory Field, and in the surface parking lot across from Victory Field next to the Park’s Visitor’s Center. Parking is not guaranteed and is on a first-come, first-served basis.The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis
The museum is offering free admission from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday. Families are invited to take part in a series of special events to celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, like creating a photo to share your dream and listening to traditional West African and Diaspora drumming.Conner Prairie
A full day of activities are planned in tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. Monday, a free admission day. Activities will focus on Martin Luther King, Jr.’s peaceful protests. The Asante Children’s Theater will present an interactive music presentation on freedom songs at 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. in Lilly Theater. “Freedom Summer 1964,” a simulation of a 1964 student non-violent coordinating committee training session, will be presented at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. in Lilly Theater. The Joseph Maley Foundation Kids on the Block Troupe will present “Sticks and Stones,” a puppet show about how one can stand up to others. “Sticks and Stones” will be held in Woodland North at noon and 2 p.m.
Governor Mike Pence released the following statement in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
“Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a leader in the civil rights movement, and he will forever be an American icon. Guided by faith and his deep commitment to justice for all, Dr. King changed the course of our nation. His words serve as a source of inspiration still today, and on this holiday, I encourage all Hoosiers to reflect upon the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.”