INDIANAPOLIS – White River State Park (WRSP) attractions will offer free admission and parking to visitors in exchange for non-perishable food item donations on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Monday, Jan. 20.
White River State Park has partnered with Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana for the past twenty years to host this annual event on MLK, Jr. Day. Now only one of two food collection opportunities provided by Gleaners in the city, this annual event nets one of the largest food donations for the organization. Together, WRSP and Gleaners have collected more than 95 tons of non-perishable, canned food donations.
Special activities will take place throughout the day at most of the major attractions that make up White River State Park, including Eiteljorg Museum, National Institute for Fitness and Sport (NIFS), IMAX Theater, Indiana State Museum, Indianapolis Zoo and the NCAA Hall of Champions, where the Indianapolis Indians will host activities. Attractions are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visitors will be granted free admission to any of the WRSP attractions with a non-perishable food donation to Gleaners. Visitors may also make monetary donations. Tip jar donations of $1 can provide up to five meals and can be made at various locations throughout the Park.
Visitors can enjoy a day with the Indianapolis Indians at the NCAA Hall of Champions from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. promoting their 2020 home opener, scheduled for Thursday, April 9. The first 500 people to visit the table will receive one ticket voucher good for Opening Night. The Indians mascot Rowdie will also be in attendance signing autographs and taking photos from 1-2 p.m.
Experience all 24 NCAA sports through interactive exhibits including a 1930s replica gymnasium, sports simulators, trivia challenges and more. The newest exhibit, “Historically Black Colleges and Universities: Making an Impact,” is featured on the second floor. As in years past, guests can also participate in a scavenger hunt and register for hourly raffle prizes for official NCAA merchandise.
Visitors can immerse themselves in Native American and Western cultures with the museum’s many exhibits, including the last days of Jingle Rails.Visitors can also see a couple of powerful exhibits: Blurring the Line: The Eiteljorg Contemporary Art Fellowship and For A Love of His People: The Photography of Horace Poolaw, a traveling exhibit of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian.
The National Institute for Fitness and Sport (NIFS) will have free group fitness classes starting at 6 a.m. and running throughout the day until 7:35 p.m. The full group fitness schedule for the day can be found at https://www.nifs.org/fitness-center/group-fitness .
Visitors to the IMAX® Theater can enjoy one of five free screenings of the IMAX original film, Superpower Dogs 2D. The film provides an astonishing look at the science behind the life-saving superpowers and amazing abilities of some of the world’s most astonishing dogs, on the immersive IMAX screen. The screenings will run at: 10 a.m., 11:15 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 1:45 p.m. and 3 p.m. Tickets are available on a first come, first served basis until capacity is met. For more information, visit www.imax.com/wrsp.
Visit the Indiana State Museum from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. to celebrate Dr. King’s dream and explore the story of the fight for civil rights. See some of Dr. King’s most iconic speeches, experience activities themed around civil and human rights, and create a “Dream” mural.
Enjoy a special visit to the Indianapolis Zoo on MLK Day. The hardier animals who love the cold will be out to enjoy the day, including sea lions, tigers, walrus, brown bears and more. Guests can get warm in the Zoo’s indoor exhibits — Oceans, Dolphin Dome, Deserts Dome, Simon Skjodt International Orangutan Center and the Hilbert Conservatory. Plus, visitors can enjoy a free Dolphin Presentation. The Zoo is open 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
WRSP will also offer complimentary parking throughout the day between the hours of 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Regular rates will resume after 7 p.m. Visitors may park in the WRSP parking garage located at 650 W. Washington St. or surface lot located at 801 W. Washington St. Parking is not guaranteed and is on a first-come, first-served basis.
For more information about MLK Jr. Day at White River State Park, visit our website at www.whiteriverstatepark.org.