Conner Prairie will open its grounds one hour early April 9 and offer free admission for guests living with sensory or developmental challenges and their families.
As part of Autism Awareness Month, the grounds will be open from 9-10 a.m., an early opening designed to allow those with sensory challenges to enjoy a quieter experience at Conner Prairie. Guests must arrive between 9-10 a.m. to receive free admission but can stay as long as they choose up until the grounds close at 5 p.m.
Guests can enjoy full access to the grounds and its destinations. Popular activities include getting up close with animals in Animal Encounters, enjoying the tranquility of nature areas, experiencing the historical areas, playing on playground equipment and more.
If needed during this early opening period, guests may utilize designated areas marked as quiet spots that offer solace and a sensory kit that includes a weighted blanket and soft, sensory toys, among other items. Quiet spots are marked on Conner Prairie’s daily visitor map.
Spanning 800 wooded acres in central Indiana, Conner Prairie welcomes nearly 390,000 visitors of all ages annually. As Indiana’s first Smithsonian Institute affiliate, Conner Prairie offers various outdoor, historically themed destinations and indoor experiential learning spaces that combine history and art with science, technology, engineering and math to offer an authentic look into history that shapes society today.
