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The health, safety, and well-being of all who come through our doors is a top priority for The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. The museum expects everyone to abide by the letter and spirit of all its rules and guidelines.
This Code of Conduct covers the museum’s commitment to its visitors and its expectations of conduct for all persons on museum property, including:
The museum strives to provide a fascinating, inviting, and thought-provoking visit so that every guest can fully enjoy their experience. We appreciate your understanding of and cooperation with these policies we’ve established to maintain a safe and considerate atmosphere for all guests and staff at the museum.
Our commitment to diversity and inclusion
The Children’s Museum has an unwavering commitment to diversity and inclusion, valuing and respecting our diverse guests, volunteers, and staff, and expecting the same from our guests. Use of inappropriate language and/or behavior will not be tolerated and may result in removal from the museum with no refund.
General conduct guidelines
Please refrain from running (except while in the Riley Children’s Health Sports Legends Experience®), screaming, or engaging in generally disruptive behavior. Please refrain from climbing, sitting, or standing on railings or barricades. Respect museum exhibits and facilities, and the experiences of other visitors. Courteous, respectful behavior is expected of everyone. Please follow posted signs and instructions from museum staff.
Adult supervision requirement
Minor children should not be left unattended. All guests under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult at all times while visiting the museum, without exception.
Attire for all guests 2 and older
Shoes and shirts are required for all guests visiting the museum. We reserve the right to deny admission to or remove any person wearing attire or visible tattoos that we consider inappropriate or that could detract from the experience of other visitors.
Photography and videography
Any video, photographs, and recordings taken on museum property (in areas where such activity is not prohibited) shall be for private, noncommercial use only. No photography is permitted of children or families who are not part of your personal group.
Service Animals
Service animals and service animals in training are welcome on museum property. The check in process for all animals takes place at the Entry Gate upon arrival.
Pets and comfort animals are not permitted on museum property. View our full animal policy.
Waiver of Liability
By entering the museum, you agree, on behalf of yourself and any minor children accompanying you, to voluntarily assume all risk, including the risk of personal injury (including death) or illness, the risk of exposure to communicable diseases including COVID-19, or the risk of lost, stolen, or damaged property, arising from or related to your entry into the museum and participation in any activities on museum property. In addition, you agree that the museum will not be responsible for any such injury or illnesses, property damage, or other loss, and the museum is released and discharged from such liability to the fullest extent of the law.
Policy additions and changes
The museum reserves the right to add, withdraw, or otherwise modify these terms and other policies as it deems in its best interest.
Prohibited behaviors and removal policy
Engaging in any of the behaviors listed below may result in one’s removal from the museum with no refund. Violations perceived as criminal may be reported to local authorities.
- Offensive, abusive, or threatening language or behavior towards other guests and/or museum staff.
- Any behavior that compromises one’s own safety or that of others (e.g., running, climbing, etc.).
- Fighting, provoking a fight, or engaging in disorderly or disruptive conduct.
- Tampering with, defacing, damaging, destroying and/or removing any museum property, including exhibit components and/or artifacts.
- Use of hate language or symbolism, including expressions targeted at race, nationality, gender identity, sexuality, religion, age, education, or physicality. This includes wearing or otherwise displaying profane, obscene, or injurious language, text, or graphics on clothing or elsewhere on one’s person. Example of prohibited language: profanity. Examples of prohibited symbolism: Nazi swastika; Confederate flag.
- Repeated removal of or refusal to properly wear required face coverings or to follow other COVID-19 or other health-related safety measures.
- Unauthorized distribution of pamphlets or any other literature.
- Intentionally interfering with or preventing the execution of duties by museum staff.
- Gambling, selling, soliciting, or campaigning.
- Indecent exposure, or sexual acts or behavior.
- Smoking (including e-cigarettes) or tobacco use on museum premises, including in the parking garage, the Riley Children’s Health Sports Legends Experience®, and within 15 feet of museum entrances.
- Eating and/or drinking in exhibits or other designated prohibited areas.
- Any other behavior determined by museum staff to threaten the safety of guests, staff and/or property.
- Adults are not permitted to wear costume masks at any time; youth may wear a costume mask. Staff may caution mask wearers that they may want to remove their masks if their vision is inhibited.
- Adults must not carry any toy weapons or props while walking through an exhibit and the museum.
- Bringing any prohibited items (listed below).
Prohibited items:
- Firearms (law enforcement personnel excepted)
- Weapons, including knives, pepper spray, and stun guns/tasers
- Toy guns
- Illegal drugs
- Alcoholic beverages not sold on our premises (e.g., during an evening event)
- Hazardous materials of any kind
- Explosives, including fireworks
- Segways or similar devices, except as needed for mobility for persons with disabilities
- Drones
- Hoverboards
- Skates or shoes with wheels
- Latex or helium balloons
- Tripods and other professional photography equipment (without prior museum approval)
- Any other items deemed by museum staff to be dangerous or inappropriate in a public setting
