The Children's Museum Guild's Haunted House: Fright Academy

The Children's Museum Guild is back with its 62nd annual haunted house, Fright Academy, running Tuesday through Sunday, October 9–31, at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis. This year's theme is a school for monsters and villains in training, and the setup plays into that school vibe: there's a haunted library, ghastly cafeteria meals, and a hallway spiderweb. It's a long-running tradition in the city, and this is its 62nd year.

The museum splits the day into two very different experiences, so you can pick the one that fits your kids. Friendly Hours bring brighter lights, upbeat music, and greeters without masks who hand out treats. The same scary objects are still there, so it can still be a bit much for some little ones, but it's designed to be approachable. Frightening Hours turn up the scares with dimmed lights, spooky music, jump scares, and haunters in scary masks, focusing on the startle rather than gore. If you're not sure, you can always start with Friendly Hours and see how they handle it.

There are theme days running throughout the month, too. Art Day comes with a crayon giveaway, Bike Safety Day gives away a free bike helmet, and there are Library Day and Math Day. Then there's Twice the Fright Night, when a Frightening Hours ticket gets you two trips through the house. Between the two time slots and the theme days, there are plenty of ways to fit it in.

Friendly Hours run Tuesday through Saturday 10 AM–3 PM, Wednesday 3:30–6:30 PM, and Sunday noon–5 PM. Frightening Hours are Thursday through Saturday 4–9 PM. The house is closed on Mondays, and there are no Frightening Hours on Friday, Oct. 9, or on Halloween. Tickets are $9, $8 for museum members, and $5 with an Indiana Access Pass—just keep in mind that the haunted house ticket doesn't include admission to the museum itself.