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Highest-rated specialty museums in Indiana by visitors

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In 1683, Elias Ashmole, an Oxford graduate and true polymath, founded the Ashmolean, the modern world's first public museum. Stocked with his private collection of artifacts, curios, and special scientific equipment, the goal of the museum was to create a center for practical research and the advancement of knowledge. This, Ashmole felt, was a goal "very necessary to humaine life, health [and] the conveniences thereof."

According to figures from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, there are more than 35,000 museums in the United States today. Their collections encompass everything from modern art, like at the MoMA in New York City, to mustard, like at the National Mustard Museum in Middleton, Wisconsin, and everything in between.

Museums are anchors of our communities. The American Alliance of Museums reports that museums support more than 725,000 jobs and contribute upwards of $50 billion to the U.S. economy each year. Three-quarters of Americans agree that museums are an important part of our civil society and have an important role in promoting knowledge and civic engagement.

Beyond their educational and economic significance, museums are just plain fun. Whether you have a developed interest in natural history or just want to learn a little bit more about funerary history (the National Museum of Funeral History in Houston), there's sure to be a museum that strikes your interest. There's simply nothing else quite like spending an afternoon learning about famous figures, arts and crafts, military history, or what else you fancy.

Here, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated specialty museums in Indiana on Tripadvisor as of Aug. 13, 2025. Keep reading to see what unique museums are in your home state. Then, make sure to plan a visit. With many museums facing funding cuts due to the current administration's efforts to dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services, who's to say how much longer these treasure troves will be available to us?

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#30. Early Ford V-8 Foundation & Museum

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#30. Early Ford V-8 Foundation & Museum

- Rating: 4.8/5 (57 reviews)
- City: Auburn
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#28. Museum of Miniature Houses and Other Collections

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#28. Museum of Miniature Houses and Other Collections

- Rating: 4.6/5 (60 reviews)
- City: Carmel Hamilton County
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#27. Hall of Heroes Super Hero Museum

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#27. Hall of Heroes Super Hero Museum

- Rating: 4.1/5 (54 reviews)
- City: Elkhart
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#20. Eskenazi Museum of Art at Indiana University

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#20. Eskenazi Museum of Art at Indiana University

- Rating: 4.4/5 (115 reviews)
- City: Bloomington
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#19. Howard Steamboat Museum & Mansion

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#19. Howard Steamboat Museum & Mansion

- Rating: 4.7/5 (96 reviews)
- City: Jeffersonville
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#17. National Automotive and Truck Museum (NATMUS)

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#17. National Automotive and Truck Museum (NATMUS)

- Rating: 4.3/5 (147 reviews)
- City: Auburn
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#14. Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library

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#14. Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library

- Rating: 4.5/5 (74 reviews)
- City: Indianapolis
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#12. Indiana Medical History Museum

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#12. Indiana Medical History Museum

- Rating: 4.6/5 (128 reviews)
- City: Indianapolis
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#8. Zaharakos Ice Cream Parlor and Museum

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#8. Zaharakos Ice Cream Parlor and Museum

- Rating: 4.3/5 (442 reviews)
- City: Columbus
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#7. French Lick West Baden Museum

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#7. French Lick West Baden Museum

- Rating: 4.7/5 (164 reviews)
- City: French Lick
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#5. Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum

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#5. Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum

- Rating: 4.9/5 (645 reviews)
- City: Auburn
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#3. Studebaker National Museum

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#3. Studebaker National Museum

- Rating: 4.7/5 (628 reviews)
- City: South Bend
- Read more on Tripadvisor

#1. Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum

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#1. Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum

- Rating: 4.6/5 (2,908 reviews)
- City: Indianapolis
- Read more on Tripadvisor

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Madison Troyer, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 51 states.

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