I have been wanting to go to this place for a few years now after initially seeing it while walking…read morearound Downtown Carmel. I finally remembered to go and was completely delighted in what I found! This place is located on Main Street and has parking specifically for the Museum behind the building, which is also where the entrance is located. Upon walking in, I was greeted by a lovely lady and was offered a Scavenger Hunt and an Audio-guided tour. They have 7 different exhibits, all showcasing different themes. They have an amazing Addams Family miniature creation that I was obsessed with. They are really good at providing context and telling the history of miniaturism. They also have a shop that you can buy miniatures from to create and design your own exhibit! If you are a fan of Miniature Things, awesome history or just enjoy learning new things, then you should definitely check this place out! I look forward to going back and doing the audio-guided tour!

This place is a gem of a find! My friend got tickets from a silent auction and I went along with…read moreher. They do have private parking, but the lot is small and it was surprisingly busy on a Saturday afternoon! We checked in and chose the audio option and also a one page scavenger hunt for each room, which helped to dig into the houses a bit more. I was shocked at the level of detail! So much love and work went into these houses. I was in awe of some of the work completed in them. I definitely had my favorite! You can also buy all sorts of pieces to work on your own house too. My friend is redoing her childhood house for her niece so it was a great way to get the creative juices flowing. Definitely something to check out!

The Twisted House is a whimsical, quirky sculpture in the ArtsPark. The house is the 2005 work of…read moreJohn McNaughton. McNaughton was a founding member of the Art Department of University of Southern Indiana. He passed away in 2022. The Twisted House is typical of his fun-loving approach to art. The wood sculpture has a storybook appearance. I can imagine that kids (and maybe even a few squirrels) would have fun visiting and playing in the structure with the crooked door and roof that curves over into the ground. The sculpture brought a smile to my face. The Twisted House worth a visit if you like art. There is no charge to walk through the quiet and serene park. There is free parking at the east side of the park.

It was a cold crisp day in late November when I visited the house. I knocked on the door but…read morenobody was home. Just kidding. It is a piece of artwork. It reminds me of the nursery rhyme about the old woman who lived in a shoe. It is just one piece of outdoor artwork and sculptures available on the grounds of the Indianapolis Art Center. I found plenty of parking available at the Center's parking lot. Then it is short walk from the lot.

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!

I spent last Sunday at Newfields and really enjoyed the visit. The space is a combination of art…read moremuseum, historical home and extension gardens. The ticket price was $25 for adult. I did not pay to see the special exhibit, Giants, which is another $6 I think. The space was very friendly with free parking, plenty of clean bathrooms and free lockers to store your bags. The art museum had a small selection of everything from Asian arts, modern art, mixed media, fashion and a sculpture garden. Not sure if it was luck, but I got a sneak peek at their Mischief Manornwhich transformed their historical home Lilly House into their nighttime haunted house. It is only the main floor with the upstairs only open for special events. I was able to get a gist of the historical house and enjoyed the haunted displays. I did wish someone provided some guidance on what to look for or see. I had to double back to ask if I missed anything since the house was all decorated and I couldn't tell if I saw everything or missed a room.

My husband and I recently had the opportunity to attend a concert here. It was One Night of Queen…read morePerformed by Gary Mullen and The Works. We were hosted by Ally Financial and they had several tables down in what I would consider to be the "VIP" area. The show was really good, but what I liked best about the entire experience is that you could bring in your own food and beverages. No matter where you were seated on the lawn, you could bring in a cooler, pizza, take-out, deli sandwiches...whatever you like. Some folks had really nice set-ups, and others arrived with nothing more than a folded lawn chair under their arm. Children ran free and folks made their way up to the dance floor positioned directly in front of the stage. I look forward to returning again in the future. It was really nice. Beware of the dragonflies. They were the size of my hand!

A Disappointing Visit for Adult Visitors As a former…read morevolunteer who hasn't visited since before COVID, I was eager to return on a glorious autumn day to see what was new at Conner Prairie. Unfortunately, at $25 per person, I left feeling that there are much better ways to spend your money. The New Welcome Center: Significant funds appear to have gone into the main entrance building, but the primary result seems to be an oversized gift shop with a lot of unused, empty space. Additionally, the second floor did not appear easily accessible. Shrinking Access: Our visit was essentially limited to the 1836 Prairietown. While Junction Town (Civil War Journey) used to be an engaging part of the experience, a beautiful historic home in that area is now cordoned off and reserved for staff only, which was quite a letdown. Shift in Focus: The museum has clearly pivoted toward catering almost exclusively to school field trips and young children rather than adult visitors. With major preparations underway for the Headless Horseman exhibit--which is strictly geared toward kids--there is very little left to appeal to an adult audience. We arrived at 1:30 hoping that there would be food service available at the outdoor café, but it was completely closed. The Verdict: If you are planning a family outing with young children, it may be worth the trip. However, if you are an adult planning to visit with another adult, I would skip it and save your time and money. This visit will likely be my last.

We had a delightful tour with former Carmel Fire Chief Jim Martin and his trusty fire dog, Sparky…read more Jim opened the museum just for us and patiently explained the different engines, their eras, and various firefighting equipment on display. This display is certainly a labor of love for Jim and other fire fighters, especially Sparky! There is no charge, but on the front of one of the engines is a QR code for donating (be generous). And Sparky happily accepts treats!

The museum is by appointment only but I highly recommend calling Jim and setting a time to see the…read moreexhibit. There are several firetrucks on display and Jim let my 5yo and 2yo climb into the trucks, ring the bells, and sound the horns. Jim knew the history of the trucks and where they came from and had a phenomenal display. An enjoyable experience for all young and old.

The town I grew up in actually had a Hook's Pharmacy that we used to go to all the time. It's…read morereally neat to see that the Hook's Historic Drug Store is open during the fair. It's air conditioned which is a major plus and it feels so good! It opened in 1966 and as of August 2021 they've had 3 million visitors come through the doors! The inside is floor to ceiling with natural wood and takes you back in time. They have a lot of information about drugs they used backs then and it's a great way to learn and cool off at the same time. They just announced that this year for the 2022 Taste of the State Fair they will be offering a iced mocha coffee float! Sounds good! I always get one of those long licorice ropes and one of the great ice cream floats anytime I've been there. They sell New York egg creams which doesn't have eggs in them at all. It's soda water, ice cream and syrup. Basically if you're wanting some deliciousness and something cold pick one of the many floats they offer.

Went to Hook's during the State Fair and got to Chocolate Caramel Coffee float and loved it! It was…read moreperfectly sweet and had a great sweets to coffee ratio. The inside was old and historical. It was very cool and worth the trip.

I am a huge fan of travel by train. It is my favorite method of getting to and from Chicago and I…read moretry to not let the summer pass without at least one visit to the ITM. If you read my review of the Atlanta New Earth Festival, well, this is the place where you pick up the train to get there. The ITM also runs the ever-popular Indiana State Fair "shuttle" train to and from the Fishers train station and will be offering this same service to the newly relocated Oktoberfest (now held at the Indy Fairgrounds instead of German Park). I've taken a trip from the ITM twice in recent years: to Atlanta to dine at Fletcher's restaurant and to the aforementioned New Earth Festival. The museum also offers other special events including a pizza train, pumpkin train and polar express trip that are good for entertaining the kiddies. One of the most popular ITM outings, however, is the "Dinner in the Diner" trip....I'd tell you all about it, but it's always sold out by the time I think to make reservations. This trip allows one to dine on a four-course meal in an authentic 1930's dining car while making a roundtrip between Noblesville and Tipton. But here's something really cool about the ITM: if you visit, apart from taking train trip, you can check out lots of old train cars of all types, many in various states of restoration. And, if you're lucky, you may even get a private tour of the train car once owned by Henry Morrison Flagler of Standard Oil fame. The car was later purchased by the Hulman family and is now on permanent loan to the ITM. The ITM's Web site describes the car as a rolling hotel suite and that is definitely not an overstatement. It is absolutely fascinating to see what could be done in 1898 - this car has been very carefully restored in keeping with its original design and the gentleman who took us on our tour knew it upside-down and backwards - we felt so fortunate to have been able to grab some of his time on the day of our visit! After touring the Flagler car, our guide also gave us a peek at two engine cars that were in the restoration/repair process - fascinating! While there's no guarantee you'll get to see the Flagler car if you visit the ITM - I guess it just depends on how busy the staff is - you should definitely ask about it - it's one of the best-kept "local flavor" secrets in metro Indy!

I was looking for a place to take my son and his friend, and was disappointed when I found out…read moreafter driving over there, that it doesn't exist anymore. I'm sure it would've been cool if it was still there...that is all.

This is the world's smallest children's art gallery, according to an official plaque outside of…read morethis building awarded by the Guinness World Records. And it IS tiny! It's about as big as a large shed. But inside is a whole lot of art made by children at local Carmel schools. Each month, the artwork changes, and art from different elementary schools are featured. There is also a revolving display of artwork from the Carmel middle schools and Carmel High School. You'll also see artwork from children from Kawachinagano in Japan, which is the sister city of Carmel. The woman who works inside the children's art gallery is super friendly and knowledgable, and was able to answer all of our first-timer questions. Don't plan to stay very long here -- it's super tiny, so at most, it would take you about five minutes to examine all of the art. But it's worth the visit if you happen to be in the area when the gallery is open!

Also known as the Carmel Arts Council Gallery, this tiny building (actually 2 small buildings front…read moreto back) sits on a prime space on Main Street. The front room as you enter is filled with thematic artwork arranged in groupings from local elementary schools. Periodically, the work is changed to showcase the work of a different school. The back room is for the middle and high school artwork. Where the front room is filled with images that feature the combined impact of the themes, the back room has less artwork, but more advanced in technique, allowing the individual pieces to become the focal point. Some of the artwork is very skilled and you really see the progression as you step from the front to the back room. The gallery has very limited hours, so for all my visits to Carmel, this was the first time I've seen the gallery open. Still, I like that it gives the kids a chance to see their work showcased and encourages art in the curriculum. The gallery has an arrangement with two sister cities, one in Japan and one in China. The artwork gets shared and at those times, the students can check out how their counterparts view themes as well as know their work is being looked at in a foreign country. Very cool! The gallery's small size makes for a quick visit, so if you catch them when they are open, then stop by. Review #2495

I truly just enjoy interesting surroundings and the ability to just stroll around and visit the…read morelittle shops lining the street. Takes me back in time when this was the norm. Gives you a bit of that nostalgic small town feel, even so we all know how much Carmel has grown and become so much more like the big cities.

There's a wonderful mural that was created by the Art Department from Carmel High School. The mural…read moreis located just off Main Street in Carmel and was created in 2007. The mural is entitled "Cityscape" and depicts images from the the Art District with some modern twists. I was touched to see faculty and students given the opportunity to express their creativity in their community. The names of the artists are listed on the south end of the mural. The mural is slightly faded with age. There is a small, lovely garden with benches at the base of the mural with a plaque that honors donors.

Tom Frampton is a FANatic. He is showcasing the massive fan collection of the Antique Fan…read moreCollectors Association within his business complex in Zionsville. There are fans from all over the world dating back to the 1800's. I took my 8-year old granddaughter to visit the museum. Fellow collector, Kim Frank, curated our tour. Frank is passionate about antique fans and spends time restoring these old mechanical wonders. Kim's collection of G.E. fans are showcased in the museum, too. Frank demonstrated some of the early pedal operated fans. Frank was engaging with my granddaughter and she was fascinated. There are two floors housing 1000's of pristine fans and associated memorabilia in the museum. Reservations are required for visiting, but I made same day reservations easily by calling. There is no charge for visiting the museum, but donations are accepted. There is plenty of parking in the private lot outside the museum.

It was FANtastic!!!! We flew to Indiana from California to take my son for his 8th birthday. It was…read morea dream come true. We were greeted warmly by the staff. There's fans dated in the 1800s, 1900s and different eras. They were kept in tip top shape each with labels and description. There's 2 floors. The second floor had more ceiling fans with labeled remote controllers. Don't miss the ceiling fans on the stairwell. My son turned on each fan one at a time and he was so happy. It was free admission but I gave them a small donation in the donation jar. It was worth it!! Thanks for wonderful experience FANIMATION!!