Carmel is a lovely city just outside of Indianapolis. Over the years we've visited many parks there with options for hiking, playground play, swimming/sliding at a waterpark, etc. In addition, Carmel has an excellent public library and a parks department with a nearly limitless array of programs. This time, we elected to spend a few hours exploring downtown Carmel.
Downtown Carmel is an art lover's paradise. Lined with art dealers, little cafes and restaurants, and plenty of street art, it is easy to enjoy an afternoon there with someone special, or a group of friends, or older or teen kids.
Our visit focused on two great attractions - the World's Smallest Children's Art Gallery and the Museum of Miniatures.
We started off at the World's Smallest Children's Art Gallery, recognized as such by the Guiness Book of World Records. Their frequently changing display featured works by area high school students, and it was AMAZING! The docent told us that they often host younger children's art, and that we should stop back regularly to see the different displays. We definitely want to. We didn't stay long, maybe 15 minutes, but the small size was just perfect for us to truly appreciate the works displayed inside. She told the kids that they should feel free to submit their artwork for consideration, and Brother was quite inspired by her encouragement.
Our second stop was the Museum of Miniatures. It was an impressive
collection! Houses from every era, hand created ceramics, glassware,
rugs, dolls, animals, everything you could think of. There was even a
miniature museum! We were given an audio tour to accompany our walk, and
provided additional information and context that was very helpful. We
were very impressed at the detail and artistry displayed. The museum is
deceptively large, and there was plenty for us to see. I would
recommend this museum for older kids and teens - not for little ones, as
much of it was hands off. The Museum housed an excellent gift shop to
start your collecting or creating.
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| Finding Clues from Sherlock Holmes's books |
We did not take advantage of the wealth of restaurants in the area, but we did enjoy a brief break by a lovely hidden fountain. We also "met" some of the public art, and enjoyed window shopping along our way.
Spending an afternoon in Carmel is relaxing, educational, and just plain fun. I highly recommend it!
Our second stop was the Museum of Miniatures. It was an impressive
collection! Houses from every era, hand created ceramics, glassware,
rugs, dolls, animals, everything you could think of. There was even a
miniature museum! We were given an audio tour to accompany our walk, and
provided additional information and context that was very helpful. We
were very impressed at the detail and artistry displayed. The museum is
deceptively large, and there was plenty for us to see. I would
recommend this museum for older kids and teens - not for little ones, as
much of it was hands off. The Museum housed an excellent gift shop to
start your collecting or creating. 
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