What a cool place! My boyfriend and I visited Newfields right when it opened at 10 a.m., and we…read morewere amazed by how much there was to explore. Admission to the gardens, Lilly House, and Newfields Art Museum was about $50, which I thought was reasonable given everything included. We ended up spending four hours there and never once felt bored!
We started by walking through Oldfields-Lilly House and the surrounding gardens, which was my favorite part of the visit.
The gardens made me feel like I had stepped into another world. There were paved trails, but also sections where you could wander directly through the grass and greenery. The grounds seemed to stretch on forever, with beautiful plants, fountains, statues, and nature-inspired architecture around every corner. It was incredibly peaceful and immersive, and I could have spent hours exploring the gardens alone.
While walking through the grounds, we stumbled upon Lilly House and decided to go inside. Since we visited during spooky season, the entire mansion was decorated for Halloween, with each room featuring its own dramatic and elaborate theme. I have never seen anything quite like it! The decorations were incredibly detailed, and the mansion itself was stunning both inside and out. I would especially recommend visiting Newfields during the fall to experience these seasonal displays. Outside the house, the gardens featured enormous pumpkins and fun walk-through tunnels. The backyard also offered beautiful views of the Indianapolis Canal and a large pond near the famous Funky Bones sculpture.
After exploring the grounds, we headed into the main art museum. The museum spans four floors, and we made our way through each one. I was pleasantly surprised by how interactive the exhibits were. In addition to learning about different artists and art forms, visitors could create their own art. There were LEGOs to build with, a station where you could design a dress on a miniature mannequin, and an area for drawing and coloring. These hands-on activities made the experience engaging, even for someone who doesn't typically gravitate toward art museums.
The fourth floor requires an additional admission fee of about $6 and features Giants, Alicia Keys' art collection. The exhibit showcases a diverse range of work by nearly 40 prominent Black American, African, and African diasporic artists. It was a unique and enjoyable collection to explore, and I thought it was well worth checking out.
After exploring the museum, we stopped at the on-site café for a bite to eat. I ordered the chicken salad croissant and was not disappointed! It was delicious, and the customer service was great. Our food came out in about 15 minutes, making it a convenient and enjoyable way to take a break before heading out.
Overall, Newfields is a place where you could easily spend an entire day without running out of things to see or do. We spent four hours exploring the gardens, mansion, museum, and café, and the experience never felt repetitive or boring. Even though I wouldn't consider myself particularly interested in art or history, I genuinely enjoyed the visit. Between the beautiful grounds, historic architecture, seasonal Halloween displays, interactive exhibits, and café, there was something for everyone. I would absolutely recommend Newfields, even if museums aren't usually your thing. I went in with no particular expectations and left with a new appreciation for everything the museum and its grounds have to offer!
