INDIANAPOLIS (WISH)– Two new exhibits are set to open this weekend at the Indiana State Museum. From the seas to the forest, you’ll be able to immerse yourself in the wild. 

Good Night Forest and Ancient Seas will open Saturday, June 8. Both exhibits are family-friendly.

Good Night Forest

Good Night Forest will give young children the chance to step into a children’s book. The kids will experience nature scenes and engage with sensory activities, says Brian Mancuso, the museum’s chief engagement officer.

“Our visitors can grab a flashlight…and take a journey out into these environments. Maybe use their flashlight to activate some scenes and experience some of our wonderful collections,” Mancuso told News 8’s Colin Baillie.

The exhibit is designed to help kids build confidence and engage their curiosity as they learn more about animals that are in local forests as the sun goes down. 

“We always want to keep families together, learning, having fun, and in Good Night Forest, we’ve created these scenes that feel sort of small and big at the same time,” Mancuso explained.

Mancuso says kids and adults will both enjoy the look of Good Night Forest. It was done by artist Penelope Dullaghan.

“All of this was done by a local children’s book artist, Penelope Dullaghan. She worked closely with us in developing…this is all custom artwork for this exhibit.” 

Good Night Forest runs and through Oct. 31.

Ancient Seas

Also set to open on Saturday is the museum’s reimagined Ancient Seas exhibit.

Ancient Seas offers guests the opportunity to learn more about the fossils of organisms that lived in Indiana’s ancient forests and shallow seas millions of years ago. There are more than 200 fossils to explore. 

The exhibit also features interactive experiences that bring you face-to-face with creatures that lived on earth many years ago.

“It will look pretty alien, but it is still Indiana,” Mancuso said.

Ancient Seas and Good Night Forest are free for members and included with museum admission. Click here to learn more about the exhibits.