Remember how much fun you had as a kid, going to museums on field trips? This museum brings all of that back!
The museum complex is two museums, separated by a parking lot, but all have one entrance. You’ll see a fantastic planetarium / immersive theater, a science museum with fun, hands-on exhibits, a history museum that makes you feel like you’ve stepped into a portal to another time, and a beautiful art collection from modern to the Renaissance. Then, a walk across the parking lot shows you a history of transportation and an incredible miniature city with working trains. And behind that, there is an actual train for you to explore!
This museum is a joy for all ages, with surprises around each corner. It is handicapped-friendly up to entry to the train cars, which would not be expected.
Also of note: Behind the museum is a paved riverfront for jogging, biking, wearing wheelchairs, or just sitting on benches and watching ships float along the Ohio River. There’s also a large, accessible, imaginative playground for the kids. This is simply one of the best areas in Southern Indiana to spend an afternoon.
On the far southwestern edge of Indiana is a remarkable museum on a bluff above the Ohio River: the Evansville Museum. It’s a must-stop in a place I wanted to see for a long time, and I was not disappointed.
Just inside and to the left, you see a partial globe, one that looks like the Death Star, only made out of beautiful wood. This is an immersive theater and planetarium. It has a 40-foot tall screen and a 10,000-watt digital surround sound system inside. To the right are the science and history galleries. Both young and old alike will love this—I know I did.
Starting at the Science Discovery Gallery, you’re greeted by a Kodiak bear, the largest predator in North America. Get your picture next to it. Walking further, you find many hands-on, fun exhibits, like this robotics exhibit. You use these two controls to grab objects. Trust me, the struggle is real. There are also temper exhibits like this one, now with items from NASA. I have to tell you that I enjoyed the walkthrough time. They recreated a small pioneer village and early town. There’s a section about Abraham Lincoln and his family, who lived in Indiana for many years. The cabinet in the corner is an example of Thomas Lincoln’s work. This is followed by a walkthrough of Evansville’s early history. Down every city street, frozen in time, are period artifacts. There’s a section about Evansville’s military past. And finally, entering the town hall, you can learn about things that shaped Evansville as one of Indiana’s largest cities. You can take the stairs next to the planetarium or the elevators to enter the art exhibits. The museum is entirely handicap accessible and easily navigated with a wheelchair.
The Humankind exhibit explores the beautiful art and creations of indigenous people. The Crescent galleries house a collection of modern through Renaissance masterpieces. The Renaissance gallery is simply fantastic. There’s much to see and experience at the Art, History, and Science Museum, and you’re not even finished after two levels.
The Evansville Museum Transportation Center, or M-Track, is just across the parking lot. Before you even get there, you see an impressive locomotive and train cars. Inside the front door, you see a tribute to all modes of transportation and, later, two huge surprises we’ll get to in a moment.
Being along the Ohio River, Evansville has a huge riverboat history. You can even enter a pilot house and turn the wheel like a riverboat captain. There are things to learn about early aviation and life along the railways of Evansville. The other side of the museum picks up with carriages of different types. If you died before the age of the automobiles, you’d be transported to the cemetery in one of these. This is what a fire engine looked like when pulled by horses. Check out this bicycle with a giant wheel that doesn’t look easy to ride. And finally, one of the first actual cars. Then there’s the riverboat miniatures. I can’t imagine the time and patience it took to build all these. Then, one of the big surprises and everyone’s favorite: the city of Evansville in miniature with working model trains. The detail is fantastic. You can even buy railroad souvenirs, such as an engineer’s hat and Christmas ornaments.
Looking outside, you see the second big surprise: you can tour a vintage train from the golden era of transportation. The exhibit consists of an engine, a passenger car, and a caboose. In days gone by, a conductor would have greeted you and helped you aboard. Meals would have been served in style. I can’t get over all of the stainless steel—and finally, the humble caboose with a coal furnace to keep the crew warm. There’s even a real car for inspecting the rails. As Evansville is on Central Time, your clock goes back an hour in Evansville if traveling from Louisville’s Eastern Daylight Savings Time, which is great if you’re getting a late start. Both excellent museums are included in one admission and are open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sundays from 12 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. They are great places to visit.
