This $64-million, 64-acre facility celebrated its 42nd anniversary in 2006 and features 2,000 animals roaming through simulated environments . Get up close with an armadillo, try your hand at feeding a giraffe, or catch a show at the huge new Marsh Dolphin Theater . The zoo is in the 250-acre White River State Park, 801 W . Washington St . (tel . 317-634-4567; www .inwhiteriver .com) . The White River Botanical Gardens are also located on the zoo grounds . Admission to the gardens is $7 adults, $6 seniors and children in summer; reduced admission in winter . The gardens are open from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm (longer hours in summer) . Opening Hours:
Memorial Day to Labor Day daily 9:00 am to 6:00 pm; late June to mid-August weekdays 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, weekends 9:00 am to 5:00 pm; December daily noon to 9:00 pm .

This impressive building -- recently expanded to the tune of $20 million and an additional 45,000 square feet -- houses the country's most notable collection of Native American and Western art . The "Art of the American West" collection includes works by Frederic Remington and Georgia O'Keeffe . The Native American artifacts
include clothing, beadwork, and pottery from all over North America, as well as a special section focusing on the three main tribes of Indiana . Parking: Free parking in the White River State Park garage with validation . Cost: Admission $8 adults, $7 seniors, $5 students and children 5-17, free for children under 5 . Hours:
Tuesday through Saturday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, Sunday noon to 5:00 pm; June to August also open Monday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm .

This world-class museum has notable paintings by El Greco, Rubens, American Impressionists, and European neo-Impressionists . Other strengths include African art, Japanese Edo-period paintings, American furniture, textiles, costumes, and a superb collection of Turner works on paper . The museum's contemporary art collection
includes Robert Indiana's famed LOVE . In summer, the museum hosts the Summer Nights concert and film series . Bring a picnic, find a spot on the lawn, and enjoy open-air performances or classic films . The museum's recent multimillion-dollar expansion made room for a new contemporary art gallery and a Wolfgang Puck restaurant, among other changes -- one of which is that the museum now charges admission . Also on the grounds is the Oldfields-Lilly House, a historic 22-room mansion open to the public (admission $5 adults, $4 seniors, free kids 12 and under) . Opening Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday 11:00 am to 5:00 pm; Thursday through Friday 11:00 am to 9:00 pm; Sunday noon to 5:00 pm . Gardens and grounds open daily from dawn to dusk; Closed Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Year's days . Built in 1909, this is one of the most celebrated auto raceways in the world . Each May, more than 400,000 spectators throng to the 2 .5-mile oval course to watch the Indianapolis 500, the largest single day sporting event in the world, boasting the largest purse in motor racing . The Speedway also hosts the United States Grand Prix in June and the NASCAR Brickyard 400 in August . The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum (open daily 9am-5pm; $3 adults, $1 children 6-15) is within the track's oval . The 433-acre speedway also features Brickyard Crossing, an acclaimed golf course with 4 of its 18 holes inside the track . Additional Contact Info: 800-822-4639 or 317-484-6700 to charge tickets to events . Hours: Daily 9:00 am to 5:00 pm .

Housed in an 1862 Victorian mansion, this three-story museum focuses on Victorian decorative arts such as fine silver, tapestries, and Belter & Meeks furniture . Cost: Admission $5 adults, $4 seniors, $3 children 6-16 . Hours: Tours Wednesday through Saturday every half-hour 10:00 am to 3:30 pm; Closed mid-December through January and

This is one of the largest children's museums in the world, with interactive exhibits covering everything from archaeology to world cultures to biotechnology, plus extensive toy and dollhouse displays, a working antique carousel ($1 per ride), and a planetarium . Recent additions include Dinosphere, a $25-million multisensory exhibit
that combines serious science (the largest collections of juvenile fossils in the world) with kid-friendly interactive exhibits (dressing up in a dinosaur costume), and Fireworks of Glass, a 43-foot-tall blown- glass sculpture by Dale Chihuly . If you have kids, this is the place to take them . Hours: March to early September daily 10:00 am to 5:00 pm; early September to February Tuesday through Sunday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm .