Tiana's Joyful Celebration

Tiana's Joyful Celebration is running now at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis, and it's the first traveling museum exhibition ever dedicated to Princess Tiana. It's a hands-on experience that puts kids right into her world, and it's making its stop here before it heads to other museums across the country.

The whole thing drops you into 1928 New Orleans, where Tiana and her crew are getting ready for a Mardi Gras parade that's been moved an hour earlier than planned. That's where the kids come in: they're invited to lend a hand with the preparations. They can decorate festive floats, design costumes at Eudora's dress shop, rehearse with the critter band, learn second-line dances, and stir up a pot of Tiana's daddy's famous gumbo. The experience is built around the art, food, dance, music, and collaborative spirit of New Orleans, and visitors add their own 'special spice' to the mix. There's also a special performance and a magical moment courtesy of Mama Odie.

It's a lot to take in, and the interactive parts mean kids can spend a good while moving from one activity to the next rather than just looking at things on a wall. If you're planning a trip, the exhibit is at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis, 3000 North Meridian Street, Indianapolis, IN 46208-4716. It runs now through January 4, 2027, so you've got plenty of time to fit it in, even over the holidays. Admission is included with museum admission.