Indianapolis Fire Department Museum

My granddaughter is obsessed with fire trucks so I was excited to see the Richard P. Yelp review of the Indianapolis Fire Department Museum on Mass Ave. The museum opens at 8 am, but when we arrived at 9 am the doors were still locked. We wondered around until we found Cindy, a wonderful lady that opened the museum and led us on a personal tour. She gave my granddaughter a toy firefighter hat, which was fun and special. The museum is housed in one of the few remaining original firehouse buildings, 1872 Fire Station No. 2. The museum was recently restored and is now part of a complex of firefighter support offices. The museum is composed of three large rooms and several halls filled with firefighter artifacts. There were several exquisite antique fire trucks, a hose wagon and an antique pump wagon from the water brigades. A display of fire extinguishers and other hand held artifacts are down stairs. Upstairs, is a room set up like a bunk house, where firefighters would have slept. Lots of amazing photos on the walls tell the tragic stories of famous fires and people. My granddaughter was intrigued by all the firefighter helmets hanging on the walls. Outside, there is a memorial that celebrates the lives and duty of all the fallen Indianapolis firefighters. There is also a lovely bronze statue of a firefighter. The facility also offers classes on fire safety. There is a large meeting room and a class room. The museum is free, but encourages donations. This is a must-visit museum and wonderful place to bring the kids to learn about fire and those who put their lives on the line. Our visit was certainly a memorable experience. There is metered parking along Mass Ave.

The Indianapolis Firefighters Museum was opened by Local 416 in 1996 to celebrate the history of firefighting in Central Indiana. It's located in what used to be Fire Station #2, a historic station that had opened in 1872 but had fallen into disrepair and at the time was operating as a laminating business. Local 416 restored the station along with an adjacent livery stable. I'd never contemplated stopping here. I'm not sure why, but I don't think I realized this was actually a museum. It features a 1921 Stutz ladder truck, a 1919 Stutz pumper, a 1941 IFD Shop-built pumper, and a 1949 International Harvester pumper that was refurbished by members of the Warren Township Fire Dept. The museum includes quite a bit of memorabilia, photos, and equipment - much of it donated by local firefighters. The station includes a restored bell tower, twin fire poles, and classical/Italianate architectural features. Station #2 is also home to the Indianapolis Professional Firefighters Union headquarters. The museum is open Monday through Friday year-round. It's opened for limited Saturday hours from April-October. They also have a digital collection you can check out from the website (I updated the website as the existing link no longer works).The Fallen Firefighters Memorial Plaza is in front of the museum - which I did know. It was dedicated in 1996 to the memory of 73 firefighters who have died in the line of duty. As of today, it no includes 120 firefighters who died in the line of duty. In front of the museum is the Fallen Firefighters Memorial Plaza. This Memorial was dedicated in 1996 to the memory of the 73 firefighters who have died in the line of duty. Today the names of 120 Line of Duty Deaths appear on our Memorial. There's an annual reading of the names of all of the firefighters. The East end of the building includes the Walk of Distinction for Local 416 war veterans who actively fought in foreign campaigns. If you go to the website, you can even listen to the local dispatch scanner! Finally, the Firefighters Museum includes the Survive Alive safety program for children with an interactive village. The program reaches around 20,000 children annually. The Firefighters Museum, and also serves as the Survive Alive safety program for children. Using an interactive village, The Survive Alive program uses state-of-the-art technology to simulate fire in a mock house to teach children how to react during a fire and what to say when calling 911. This program reaches approximately, 20,000 schoolchildren a year.This is actually a great stop in an area that has quite a bit to do. It's a free museum (donations are accepted). I plan to return when I have a bit more time to visit!

This is another of the city's hidden gems. It is located in the Indianapolis Professional Firefighters Local 416 Union Hall. It occupies the buildings first and second floors. There is tons of metered street parking in reasonable walking distance and there is also a lot located across the street that I think you have to pay to park in. On the outside of the museum you will find a Fallen Fighters Memorial that was designed by Dale Enochs on the side of the building and a bronze firefighter statue and a bell, along with a sculpture titled Visual and Mental Paradoxes in the front. The outside is well maintained and is aesthetically pleasing.The museum is very clean and organized. It is not very big but it is free to visit. They just request donations. They have donation boxes in the exhibit rooms where you can drop your cash donations. The museum is packed with memorabilia, historical photos, videos. There is even a small replica of Dale Enochs sculpture titled Stride in there. If you are not familiar with it, it looks like a human figure on fire and the color gets hotter, the the higher it goes up the body.The first floor of the museum consists of a meeting room, a hallway with fire department member pictures and two exhibit rooms. The exhibit room to the right has two restored fire trucks, turnout gear, and antique fire equipment such as pumps. It also has a video playing. The exhibit room to the left has a restored antique ladder truck, and pumper truck. You will find firefighter's tools over there such as Halligan tools, pry bars, axes and saws. They have a couple of firefighter's poles set up over there as well. A cool feature that they have is that they have actual radio traffic from local departments broadcasting over a PA system. It is a nice touch and give it a real authentic firehouse feel. Along the top of the walls you will see various firefighters helmets from across the state. The area also has a video playing in what appears to be a replica down/break room.The stairwell leading from the first floor to second floor exhibit area is located in this exhibit room. The second floor has an another small exhibit room that has a replica bunk room and firefighters pole that leads to the exhibit area down below. It is blocked off and cannot be used though. I am sure for safety reasons. There is also a case with a collection of toy fire trucks in the room and a replica fire chief's office. You will see a small exhibit about the 1963 fire helium tank fire at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, along with a couple of stadium chairs from the coliseum that the fire occurred.Some things to note. The exhibits areas of the museum are not interactive. No one is allowed to get on any of the apparatus or trucks, nor allowed to wear any of the gear or use any of the tools.The rest of the second floor, however, is very interactive. It is what is known as Survive Alive and consists of a small auditorium where they teach kids about fire safety a set of Shelter in Place rooms and a small replica neighborhood where they are put in a house that they can put the safety lessons they were taught to use. The houses in the replica neighborhood are capable of producing actual fire that can be extinguish by a fire extinguisher.It is mainly for groups and school field trips, so I was not able to see it in action, but from what I was told. Its amazing.Anyway, this is a nice attraction that gets little publicity that is located right off of the cultural trail and Mass Ave. It is surrounded by some wonderful restaurants and public art. And to top it off, it only costs you a little bit of your time. I spent about an hour here. It is definitely worth checking out, especially for fire fighting aficionados and history buffs.

You know those places that you've passed by many times and never given them a second thought? The Indianapolis Fire Fighter's Museum was that for me. I never even considered stopping in until I stumbled upon it one day and was pulled in by the open garage door entrance given the nice weather. There is no official entrance fee, although there is a box for donations near the door and on the wall in some of the rooms. The volunteers, both retired fire fighters, were accommodating of all our questions and were happy to show us around. I was in awe of the sheer collection of vintage equipment and trucks they had. They did a great job including signage, videos, and stories if you wanted to dive into learning in a specific area. Their hours are Monday to Friday 9-4, but if it's not open the volunteers shared you can go the second floor and ask the staff to open it.This would be a fun stop for a family or someone looking to experience a historical part of the city. I highly recommend stopping in!

Definitely worth a visit if you're interested in Fire department memorabilia, fire engines, or just the history of Indianapolis. The museum sits on a corner and it's a beautiful brick building. There are two stories to the museum and the main attraction is definitely the multiple fire engines and the history of the fire department and city. The building is very clean and well kept which I believe also houses the firefighters union hall It's free to visit and parking is free in the neighborhood behind the museum or there's metered parking in the front. There's nice restaurants, shops, breweries and more surrounding the museum so it's a great spot to enjoy an afternoon or evening.

The Indpls Firefighters' Museum and Survive Alive is located on the first and second floors of the new building on the corner of Mass Ave and St Clair. It is a free museum but will gladly take cash donations in the contribution boxes on both floors. Within the museum, you will see historic fire trucks, equipment, collections of toys, plates, and all things firefighter related. There are photos and videos of routine and extraordinary events that firefighters have had to deal with. Note that there may not be anyone to talk with about what you are looking at.There is usually some metered street parking available on Mass Ave and possibly some free parallel parking on St Clair (east bound only) if you are lucky.The entrance to the museum is on the north end of the building; the same entrance as if you are going into the union. The exhibits are to the left across the lobby though a sign by the elevator directs you to the second floor. I decided to head into the first floor exhibits and later, used the stairs on the south side of the building to review the second floor items.If you are interested in history, like firefighter related memorabilia, or are an Indy buff, there is bound to be something of interest for you.Review #1377

Such an awesome, packs-a-punch little museum with two early 1900's made in Indianapolis, Stutz fire trucks, in great condition and one from 1898. Lots of stories of famous fires in the city, old ephemera, photos and signs, uniform stuff and the like. You can browse at your own pace, ask questions, or have one of the guides steer you through the museum. It's not a place where you must be there at X time--just between the right hours and during the season when they are open. (They open in April and close sometime in the fall) The volunteers are very friendly and knowledgeable. It's in a an authentic former fire station (Number 2) opened in 1872. Great place to take a kid or an adult who wants insight on the evolution of our city heroes!

A real hidden gem of a museum. A couple of classic fire engines great you as you enter. Inside there are a lot of very nice displays celebrating and remembering the brave fire fighters of Indianapolis. Make sure to head up stairs. Did you know that in 1973 there was a massive fire that almost destroyed downtown? There is a lot of potential for this museum to grow and I hope it does. Check the hours because they are very limited, but totally worth it to make time for it, and it is free! I stopped in on a Friday Friday when they stay open until 9pm.

The Museum is currently closed for remodel / construction. Looks like it will be nice when it re-opens.