INDIANAPOLIS — Families on Wednesday enjoyed a night at the museum ahead of Halloween.
During a special spooky event over four nights, Twilight Tales, visitors to the Indiana State Museum can choose between two themed flashlight tours in pitch-black galleries.
Museum staff turn off all lights and hand flashlights to guests as everyone navigates the dark exhibits. Museum staff advise visitors to dress warmly because the museum gets chilly at night once the lights are off. Comfortable shoes are also suggested. Costumes are encouraged.
Strange Encounters, an interactive escape room-inspired mystery tailored for families with children, began Wednesday night, and will return at 7 p.m. Friday. The storyline centers on stolen candy meant for the museum’s Halloween party. Visitors act as detectives to solve spooky puzzles and riddles hidden within the dark exhibits to crack the case. Before the mystery begins, families can play ghoulish games and listen to music.
Beyond the Grave, an adults-only tour for guests 18 and older, happens at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 28 and Oct. 30. This tour leans into darker, unsettling folklore and history of the state. Live storytellers lead guests through the shadows to reveal Indiana’s notorious historical true stories, legendary cryptids (animals or creatures whose existence is claimed or rumored, but which lack scientific proof), and eerie ghost stories connected to real artifacts in museum exhibits.
The adult experience includes a pretour social hour featuring trivia, themed games, and custom cocktails or mocktails available for purchase through the IMAX Theater.
Registration deadlines are noon on the day of the event, though walk-ups are allowed if space permits. Tickets for the Twilight Tales are $30 per person for nonmembers, $22.50 for museum members. Tickets include flashlight rental, full tour access, and $4 parking validation for the museum garage.
