In the cold winter months, it can be difficult to leave the house and find events to attend. Fortunately, visiting a museum can be an excellent, inexpensive winter activity to occupy your time. Whether you choose to wander the halls of an art gallery admiring paintings or practice a hands-on activity at a science museum, Bloomington has everything you need.
Check out these five local museums, located on and off campus, to plan your next weekend trip.
Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art
One of Indiana University’s most well-known museums, the Eskenazi Museum of Art, is located at 1133 E. Seventh St. The building is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free.
With over 47,000 collections, the museum has three floors of historical artwork for people to enjoy, from African to Islamic art. Currently, there are two exhibitions featured. “Radius: Helen Frankenthaler Prints in Context” features 15 of Frankenthaler’s prints and “Of Men and Gods and Mud” details myths about mankind fashioned from mud.
This spring, Eskenazi is presenting two new featured exhibitions, as well.
“Mulyana: Vital Ecosystems” is open Feb. 7 to June 28. The exhibition is inspired by Indonesia’s coral reef ecosystem and will reimagine a thriving reef environment using hand knits and crochets.
“Rania Matar: Where Do I Go?” will open March 5 and run to Aug. 2. Matar photographed Lebanese women as a way to reimagine the future of Lebanon.
For more information, visit the museums website.
Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology
The Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, which reopened in October 2024, is IU’s newest museum. Located at 416 N. Indiana Ave., the museum is open 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and noon to 5:30 p.m. Saturday. It is closed Sunday and Monday.
“Shipwrecks: Living Museums” is IUMAA’s upcoming exhibition and opens April 11. The immersive exhibition tells the story of underwater archaeology and the advancement of diving technology.
The IUMAA also hosts plenty of free community events. Its next event, “Love at the Museum” is returning at 5:30-7:30 p.m. Feb. 12 and will feature a chocolate bar, live music and craft making.
For more information, visit the museum’s website.
WonderLab Science Museum
The WonderLab Science Museum has ranging hours depending on the day of the week. It is typically closed Mondays but open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free for members and costs $14.50 for non-members. Membership prices can vary and are available to purchase online.
WonderLab features numerous events and exhibitions, including a desert animal exhibit, a saltwater aquarium and an augmented reality sandbox. “Beehive Builder” is a featured exhibit currently on display, where attendees can assemble a 5-foot beehive and learn more about honeybees.
For more on upcoming events and exhibitions, visit WonderLab’s website.
Grunwald Gallery of Art
Located on campus in the Fine Arts Building at 1201 E. Seventh St., the Grunwald Gallery is another great museum for local art lovers. Open from noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, museum admission is always free.
Exhibitions at Grunwald include contemporary exhibitions from student artists as well as professionals. Currently, “Continuum: Eskenazi Faculty Exhibition 2026” is open until Feb. 14. The exhibition displays artwork by over 50 IU artists, architects and designers.
Monroe County History Center
The Monroe County History Center holds over 50,000 items in its collection. Exhibits rotate regularly, while permanent galleries are housed in the 1918 Carnegie Library section of the museum, referred to as the Cook Gallery. Items featured in the Cook Gallery explore the history of Monroe County, from European settlement to modern day.
Located at 202 E. Sixth St., the Monroe County History Center is open from 10 a..m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Admission costs $2 for adults, $1 for children ages 6-17 and free for children 5 and under.
On Jan. 25, the history center is hosting its 11th annual “Puzzlefest” at Switchyard Park. The free event will run from noon to 4 p.m. and will include a puzzle competition between 40 teams.
For more information, visit the history center’s website.
