Free & Cheap Things to Do in Evansville

Parks & Waterfront

A brick-paved walkway above tiered, stadium-style seating runs 2.5 miles along the Ohio River, framed by the four 24-foot limestone columns of the Four Freedoms Monument. It's the free 'front door' to the city — a favorite stretch for walkers, cyclists, and famous riverfront sunsets.

Address: 20 SE Riverside Dr, Evansville, IN 47713

Tip: Free public parking at Dress Plaza and along Riverside Drive. The Four Freedoms Monument's 50 pedestals honor each state. The riverfront hosts the huge Fireworks on the Ohio show every July 4th — arrive early for a spot.

Iconic Landmarks

Opened in 1915, Bosse Field is the third-oldest professional ballpark still in use — after Fenway and Wrigley — and the first municipally owned sports stadium in the US. Movie buffs know it as the stadium from A League of Their Own. Catch a summer Frontier League Otters game for a few dollars.

Address: 23 Don Mattingly Way, Evansville, IN 47711

Tip: The historic facade and marquee are free to admire anytime. Evansville Otters baseball runs late May through September with cheap general-admission seats. Don Mattingly, an Evansville native, has the street named for him out front.

History & Architecture

Indiana's oldest public library building, a striking 1885 Victorian Gothic pile of turrets and pointed arches. It's free to step inside and browse, and its second-floor genealogy and local-history collections draw researchers from across the region. Ask about the resident ghost, the 'Grey Lady.'

Address: 21 N First Ave, Evansville, IN 47710

Tip: Free to visit during open hours, Monday–Saturday. The archives and genealogy room upstairs are a draw for family-history buffs. The building's ghost lore has spawned a long-running 'ghost cam' — a fun bit of trivia for kids.

History & Architecture

An 1891 German Beaux-Arts landmark that historians rank among the country's finest 19th-century government buildings, capped by a 216-foot tower and a 4,200-pound bell. The limestone exterior, sculptural figures, and grand entrances fill a city block in downtown Evansville and are free to admire.

Address: 201 NW 4th St, Evansville, IN 47708

Tip: Free to view from the outside anytime; the restored interior now hosts events, so step in when it's open or a function is underway. Pair it with a short walk to the riverfront and Willard Library a few blocks away.

Shopping & Strolling

Built around one of Evansville's original traffic roundabouts, this walkable arts district packs galleries, murals, indie shops, cafes, and a fountain plaza into four historic neighborhoods near the river. Strolling and gallery-browsing are free; the monthly First Friday art walk is the liveliest time to visit.

Address: Haynie's Corner, SE 2nd St & Adams Ave, Evansville, IN 47713

Tip: Free to wander. Time a visit for the First Friday art walk (evenings) when galleries open late and the plaza fills with music and food. Plenty of public art and murals make it a good photo stroll any day.

Family & Wildlife

A compact, affordable zoo and botanic garden where Amur tigers, lions, snow leopards, giraffes, and red pandas anchor the collection, plus a walk-through Amazonia rainforest building. Set in a wooded historic park, it's an easy half-day for families on a budget.

Address: 1545 Mesker Park Dr, Evansville, IN 47720

Tip: Summer rates are $11 adults, $10 kids 3–12; winter (Nov–Feb) drops to $9/$8. Don't miss the Amazonia indoor rainforest. The surrounding botanic gardens and historic stone shelters are part of the visit.

Museums & Galleries

A riverside museum rolling art, regional history, and hands-on science into one ticket — including a walk-through Rivertown street scene, a vintage train at the EMTRAC transportation center, and a planetarium show. A genuine three-in-one stop on the downtown riverfront.

Address: 411 SE Riverside Dr, Evansville, IN 47713

Tip: $14 adults, $9 youth; one planetarium/immersive theater show is included. Free gallery admission the first Friday of each month, 11am–5pm. Free parking in the museum lot. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.

Historic Sites

One of the best-preserved Mississippian towns in North America, inhabited from about 1100 to 1450 AD. Walk among 11 earthen mounds across 600 riverside acres, tour the interpretive center, and see reconstructed dwellings and a stockade on this remarkable archaeological site east of town.

Address: 8215 Pollack Ave, Evansville, IN 47715

Tip: $13 adults, $9 youth; open Wednesday–Sunday. Self-guided trails and mounds are walkable during regular hours — call ahead on free or school days. Allow time for both the grounds and the interpretive center exhibits.

Parks & Nature

The largest tract of virgin old-growth forest within any US city limits — a National Natural Landmark with trees over 400 years old. More than 4 miles of trails, a nature center, and a 5-acre kids' Nature Playscape with a treehouse make it a cheap, immersive outdoor day.

Address: 551 N Boeke Rd, Evansville, IN 47711

Tip: $6 adults, $4 kids; closed Mondays. The boardwalked Mini-Loop and Odonata trails are stroller- and wheelchair-friendly in dry weather. The same nonprofit runs the free Howell Wetlands across town — another easy nature stop.

Historic Sites

Evansville's only Victorian house museum, an 1871 French Second Empire mansion ranked among the country's finest. Guided tours wind through 12 lavishly furnished rooms over two floors, preserving the Gilded Age home of lumber baron John Augustus Reitz in the downtown historic district.

Address: 112 Chestnut St, Evansville, IN 47713

Tip: $10 adults, $5 students, $3 under 12; tours start on the hour Tuesday–Saturday, last tour 2pm. Tours begin in the carriage house behind the home and run about an hour. Closed Sundays and Mondays.

Museums & Galleries

The only fully operational WWII Landing Ship, Tank afloat in US waters, docked on the Evansville riverfront. Hour-long tours cover the tank deck, crew quarters, and bridge of a ship that landed troops at Normandy — restored and still seaworthy by its volunteer crew.

Address: 610 NW Riverside Dr, Evansville, IN 47708

Tip: $20 adults, $10 youth; tours run about an hour. The ship occasionally departs for river cruises, so confirm it's in port before you go. Steep ladders between decks make it less suited to limited mobility.

Family Fun

A lively downtown children's museum (locals call it cMoe) with three floors of hands-on exhibits — a climbing structure, water play, a kid-sized town, and rotating educational galleries. Built for curious kids and an easy rainy-day pick for traveling families.

Address: 22 SE 5th St, Evansville, IN 47708

Tip: $15 per person, with $5 admission for EBT cardholders through Museums for All. Closed Mondays. Last entry is 30 minutes before closing. All children must be with an adult.