Art exhibits are good but any event they host is a mess. The eclipse event was a joke. Had to walk 20 minutes to park, 30 minutes to get in through security line, 1 hour for food, and walkway gates were closed forcing you to walk everywhere the long way. Got there by 11 but sat down to eat 20 minutes before the eclipse. Then right after everything started closing up. What a waste. read more

I remember when I was a child going to the IMA (now Newfields) my entire life. Walking through the gardens and getting to explore the 100 acres was amazing and my family would enjoy walking the grounds since it was free and a great way to have family time. It's been a couple years since we've been able to go, but when my family very recently tried to attend with a newly purchased membership we were not aware that you had to have tickets in addition to that. We had questions that needed answering since the website stated memberships meant unlimited access at anytime, and now we couldn't access anything because general admission tickets were sold out. Unfortunately, the staff were not understanding or kind in their responses, but instead were condescending and made us feel like they didn't want us there at all. read more

They put the worst stuff at the front. Make sure you check the hours online, because the google maps and Apple Maps are incorrect. Refunds are not available if you have any issue. Doesn't compare to other places where art is shown in the area. read more

My son and I sprung a dog from the shelter for the afternoon and brought her to 100 Acres for a field trip. She really enjoyed all of the trails, as did we. I enjoyed the way the trails were broken up by clearings, a pond, interesting pieces of art, park equipment that double as art pieces, and even a small maze of sorts made with strategically grown ornamental grass. It's the perfect park to bring children who enjoy engaging in imaginative play. We were only able to enjoy a small portion of the park today. But we enjoyed it enough that we plan to return when we're sans shelter dog and can enjoy everything the park has to offer. read more

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We loved exploring this park with our pup! The parking lot is kind of hidden so we missed it the first time and had to turn around but that was okay! The park is really pretty and the sculptures are really cool. We walked around the lake and it was peaceful and scenic. read more

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This is a really neat spot, and I can't believe I just discovered it after 4 years in Indy! Parking and admission are free. There's a really cool sculpture area with basketball hoops at the parking lot area, so bring a ball if you want to shoot around! There is outdoor art exhibited all throughout the trail. The first thing that caught our eye were the swings hanging from a huge horizontal tree trunk! The trail goes around a good sized lake with art installations and benches along the way, so we stopped to enjoy the view a couple times. The trail is flat and well kept, we actually brought a stroller with us and it did just fine! It's possible it could get a little muddy based on the weather, but it wasn't muddy at all when we went. We could definitely have spent a longer time there, but will just have to plan to go back again soon! read more

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We recently attended the Halloween Night at Newfields (twice!). this spooky walk through the woods is the perfect amount of Halloween without being too scary for kiddos. Parking is easy and free, with people directing the traffic. Once you go through the line and security, you are led through a glowing jack o lantern forest to a little concessions area. We picked up some amazing hot chocolate and Carmel corn. They also have a small alcoholic drink menu for adults. Our favorite part of the night was definitely the "haunted" house. The entire front of the house is lit up with a ghostly projection that my two year old nephew LOVED! You are also welcome to walk through the house that has been decorated to look like a spooky mansion. Overall loved this experience and recommend for people with young children! (Just make sure to bundle up) read more

Newfields - Here is just a tiny portion of the pumpkins they have lighting up the way! - Parks Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

I love the 100 acre woods to walk at for a change of scenery. My husband and I had gotten parts of our engagement pictures done here a couple of years ago and it turned out beautiful. We recently came for a visit on a sunny day. The large green space is great for a picnic when it's warmer. There were plenty of space for everyone. There are also a couple of art pieces spread throughout the grounds. My husband and I walked the trail around the water. Some parts are narrow and got a little crowded passing other people. Overall, still enjoyed our visit very much and being outside. The park grounds is open everyday and it is free to visit. The entrance is a little tricky to find without signage but that's what makes this a great hidden gem. read more

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The gardens are beautiful and so different in each season. Especially love the spring. read more

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It's impossible to review Newfields without understanding what it used to be. I've visited this campus dozens of times over the past thirty years, and it's slowly, but firmly, transitioned from a community-focused open space to a walled garden filled with projectors, light shows, and stolen antiquities. It's no longer a place I recommend when friends and family visit from out of town. Many in Indianapolis remember the pre-2015 years when the Indianapolis Museum of Art was free of charge. I have so many fond memories in my childhood of visiting the museum multiple times in the same week, taking in gallery after gallery slowly, drawing and writing on the benches, traipsing the grounds with friends and drenching myself in a beautiful space of curiosity and culture. It was diverse and inclusive because of that openness, with students from schools around the city opting to spend time there. By far, my favorite exhibit was the contemporary art on the third floor, which had such a wide variety in its collection of art that I never would have been exposed to without this museum. All of that changed when admission was charged, and steeply so with a jump from $0 to $17 in a year. I can't fault the museum for that -- I'm sure being free wasn't sustainable -- but since then, everything has become increasingly monetized, and most of the art I loved has been pushed to the background. The gardens and grounds have been de-emphasized in favor of high-priced light shows that rarely change, expensive wares sold throughout the path a la carte, and temporary decor that obscures the sculptures and plants that are actually there. The contemporary art exhibit has been completely emptied and replaced by an off-the-rack projector show that seems like it will never go away, leaving behind barren white walls. Meanwhile, the second floor remains full of artifacts with sordid histories -- it's always uncomfortable to see your own religious iconography on display, because there's never a good explanation for how it got there. I've got an extra star in here because the 100 Acres Art & Nature Park still survives as a vestige of the IMA that was. It's a vision of the old museum, but thankfully supported by an endowment that keeps it free and open. And as soon you get to the edge of it, along the White River towpath you reach a bridge to the museum that used to be open, and now is gated shut. Beyond this, you'll likely pay over $100 for a two hour visit with your family. I guess I'll take the hint. read more

Some fun little photos from my walk around the 100 acres! Great place to run or enjoy a stroll around nature, which is hard to find in the city. I love the trail around the lake, can't wait to see it in the spring! Well kept trail and they have a lot of the trees marked by species. There's lots of awesome wildlife out right now which is surprising for the winter. Great place to explore, and there's a Geocache that's fun to find near the bridge if you're taking the family! read more

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What a cool spot! You can walk the perimeter of the lake, enjoy a picnic on the lawn, hike through little trails, or just take some photos. Whatever you choose, you will appreciate the beauty and design of the area. The notorious bones sculpture, famous from the fault in our stars is located here, along with some other architectural art that reminds me of "Black Mirror." Leading down to the pond there is also a sculpture with basketball hoops and a playground with a few swings. read more

Newfields - Parks Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

My friends and I took a trip to Newfields for a few hours and it was amazing. I am from out of the area so I was excited to experience what Indianapolis artists had to offer and we were thoroughly impressed. First of all, the museum is super accommodating to students at Butler and other colleges in Marian County. Our memberships were free, which made the trip even more worth it. We walked through the entire museum and we loved the diversity of art that the museum had to offer because it felt like there was something for everyone to enjoy. We especially enjoyed the Design Gallery and the Sky's the Limit exhibits because of how different they were from the other art we saw. While we liked almost all of the exhibits we fell in love with the gardens on the way to the Lilly House. We were lucky enough to go on a day where the weather was warm, so it made the walk through the gardens that much more enjoyable. We loved seeing the blooming flowers and the floating butterflies during our walk. It was a great day and as we were leaving, we were wondering when we could all come back together to stay longer. Overall, it was a breathtaking experience and we were even more happy with its accessibility as Butler students. Definitely a must-see if you are in the Indianapolis area! read more

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Attended Harvest Nights at Newfields. The event should be shutdown for the safety of its paid guests & the general public. Apparently Newfields oversold tickets based on availability of parking & may have made it worse by hosting an additional event. Traffic was queued up into & past the intersection at MLK & 38th Street with no traffic control on a dark damp evening. You can forget about making a left turn into Newfields when eastbound on 38th street. There were multiple lanes trying to merge into a single line and Newfields was gating entry based on the number of open parking spots. It appears they we're letting cars in based on the number of cars exiting - three to five cars were being admitted at a time with at least five traffic light cycles on 38th street between cars entering. The President & CEO of Newfields is a degreed engineer - she must of skipped class the day they taught queuing theory or computational flow :) There were people getting out of cars into the extremely busy traffic on 38th street in the dark and walking into Newfields so they could start their event. This was dangerous and completely unacceptable. One employee acknowledged that it was unsafe, but did not know who to call to report it. He also stated that he had heard the complaint about 50 times. Newfields knows they have a parking capacity problem when hosting events - The President & CEO knows it & the BOD knows it. Forcing guests to queue up in the extremely busy 38th street is unacceptable. If someone was hurt or killed at this overcrowded event they are likely negligent (or at least morally culpable) and have failed their fiduciary responsibilities to the organization! Despite their awareness of the limitations in parking they oversold the event. As far as the Harvest Nights event- if you have seen it previous years it is not worth returning if you have to put your safety & property at risk. Nearly identical to previous years... Save your money & go out for a nice meal. Also, if you don't like lines and crowds this is not the event to attend!!! And the underground parking - we were directed to a stairway - there was no signage for ADA accessible access to the event. Hmmmm... Apparently Newfields is still struggling with diversity & inclusion. Also, Newfields needs to update their ancient security system. Making guests empty their pockets and remove Apple Watches before going through security.... Really? An Apple Watch should never set off a modern security system. Interestingly, the alarm triggered from my watch, but didn't go off for my wife's metal knee! Now that makes me feel safer :(w read more

Yoga and meditation on saturdays. It's free and a wonderful way to start your weekend exercising, meditating and connecting with nature. It's free. A walk starts at 7:45am with yoga at 8:30am. It's free and the instructor does a wonderful job! read more

Newfields - Yoga on Saturday's! - Parks Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

I was so impressed with this art museum! It was huge and there was so much to see on every floor! At first I thought the admission of $18 was a bit steep, but I ended up really loving our time there. Seeing the original LOVE statue was very cool, and it's positioned in the front, so as soon as you go up the stairs from the reception desk. There's a really pretty colorful wall behind it so it makes for nice photos. I really loved the contemporary exhibit, and the design exhibit. The design exhibit includes a virtual reality experience where you were touring a mid century modern home- so cool! The only thing I can complain about is the food situation. My friend and I wanted a quick snack or something with caffeine in it. We stepped into the "pop up tea shop" space, were seated by a hostess who assured us that someone would be with us soon, and then we waited about five minutes. After no one came to help us, we left. The tea menu was a little odd anyway. We ended up going down to the cafe on the first floor. We saw boxes with cheese and crackers, grapes, etc. and a fountain for soda. We eagerly picked up some stuff and went to pay. There was no one there. We called "hello?" and still no one came. We gave this about 10 minutes- I was craving a diet coke at this point! Still, no one came. These people could have gotten about $20 apiece from us between their overpriced cheese and other snacks. Instead, we left to walk around the gardens feeling sluggish and hangry. read more

When my roommates and I need a break from Butler's campus, we love to walk to Newfields' Fairbanks Art & Nature Park. It's a close and refreshing escape with lots to explore. Each of us has a different favorite spot. Mine is the view of the Lily House through the trees. Every time we go we find a new corner of the park. This time, we found the bird feeders area and Visitors Pavilion that we agreed would be a great study location. The walk from campus is short, and entry to the park is free. We always come back feeling refreshed and better equipped to handle the stress of college life. Being able to walk to the park has been especially significant this year because of the pandemic. It's a beautiful, outdoor space where you can catch up with friends. It would also be a great spot to have a picnic or take pictures. read more

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The grounds and interior are pretty extensive. I suggest eating before hand and a bottle of water to keep on you. This my "I need to zen out" place. Great quick food, a beer garden, and lots to see if you're into the arts and history. I like the old painting for the 16th century and the Japanese exhibit. Check it out for yourself. Be sure to visit the website before you go. They always have something going on year round. People use this place as their wedding venue quite often. I can't blame them. I've been thinking about it for my special day. The views are awesome and the staff is always willing to help. read more

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A fun and free art park to visit. I've been here a number of times over the years and enjoy coming every time. There is plenty to do here from walking to swinging to people watching and hammocking. Parking can sometimes get tricky but if you come early it's not a problem. Most of the art has stayed the same but some of it comes and goes. read more

My friend and I decided to go to Newfields last Saturday and we had such a great time! The lights are absolutely stunning and the tree that was made out of random toys was probably my favorite! They follow COVID guidelines and only allow all customers to walk in one direction. They do offer some treats and drinks as well, and some alcoholic beverages so take your ID! They also have these cute little hand-warming stations throughout the walk. The only suggestion I have is to bundle up because it is cold! It is also a great place for photos! read more

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New to this spot. Love it. So peaceful and majestic right in heart of city. Lots of side trails down to white river or stay on main paths to decrease stress levels and take in lake view fauna. read more

Newfields - Parks Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

I wish I'd brought a basketball. The basketball art court would have been fun with a real ball. 100 acre woods is an art museum. Come here and let your imagination be your guide. I brought my kids (4 & 6) here. They loved it. The only trouble was none of us wanted to leave! We walked the grounds and found all the yellow benches. We hung out in the modern visitors center (not open in the winter). We found the outdoor art to be great fun. Mostly though we played in the woods, walked the trails, and had fun building forts and taking in the scene in this hidden park. Loved it and can hardly wait to get back. By the way - it is free. read more

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This is the park of all parks, my friend. It's big, it's spacious, it's luscious and green (in the summer, obvs) and it's free. Highlights for me: -"Free Basket", that visualizes the trajectory of a bouncing ball -Stratum Pier -- perfect view of the lake (yes, real life lake, bigger than a retention pond) that has a an igloo in the island that someone could live in (close quarters, eh?) -Funky Bones! Read "The Fault in Our Stars" by Indy author John Green and bring a Dutch cheese and tomato sandwich to picnic (TFIOS fans will get this!) Perhaps the best part is all the trails and things to explore. 100 Acres features public arts projects, some permanent and others rotating. A great place to get some fresh air & exercise and take a walk w/ family or friends! read more

Perfect for a fun day of wandering. All ages love and enjoy exploring the 100 Acres. There's lots of usable art. Art that is also swings for children and adults, the famous bones (re-created in the movie Fault in Our Stars) that everyone can climb on, and much, much more. It's the perfect date spot, family outing, or even a blast by yourself. Explore the rest of Newfields while you're at it too! They have tons of rotating exhibits including the latest one: 'Hello Spring' (beautiful flowers galore). There is also a new biergarden open that has twinkle lights and looks amazing. Can't wait to visit it! read more

We have been for the Halloween and Christmas and it was so much fun! Would highly suggest for you to go.. read more

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One of the free parts of the Newfields (IMA) offerings is the 100 Acres Art and Nature Park, just west of the art museum. This island is cool for hiking, checking out public art, and appreciating nature. In the middle of the island is a large lake too! The park has a number of art pieces that were installed in 2010. A few of the pieces were temporary and have since been removed. Disappointingly, those pieces have not been replaced by new pieces which would make return visits more interesting. The park trails are generally flat and most are accessible in all weather. However, during my visit, part of the northern trail around the lake had been closed for conservation purposes. I appreciated that signs were posted advising of that closing before getting all the way to the spot where the trail ended. Still, even with this limitation, there are plenty of paths to hike. On the east end of the park, there is a visitors pavilion with restrooms and seating for resting if you wish to take a break or are getting too hot from hiking. A series of bird feeders are located in front of a large window in the pavilion for those visitors who wish to bird watch. The park was blooming with wildflowers and redbud blossoms during my early May visit. Even though I was close to the traffic on 38th street, I couldn't hear any traffic, just the sound of multiple birds and the wind through the trees. So close to town, yet it felt like I was far away. The park is accessible for free from west bound 38th street. For those who are also visiting the art museum (fee required), you can cross the Waller Bridge that connects the Newfield grounds near the Lilly House to the 100 acre park. Review #845 read more

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Right now the Seasons of Japan exhibit is in full swing and it is absolutely amazing. The pop up noodle shop has delicious food and wonderful tea. They even have genmaicha which is my favorite and really difficult to find in the states. The exhibits themselves are awesome, I especially enjoyed the fashion exhibit! Besides the special exhibits, I adore the LOVE sculpture and the gardens. Definitely worth a day trip. read more

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Gorgeous spot, especially on a sunny spring day. The park is massive, so it's easy to get off the path and feel alone with nature. Did you know this was rated one of the best dog parks? It's not exactly a dog park, but tons of room to stretch your pup's legs! There are plenty of picnic tables, benches, and other areas to relax and admire Indiana's beauty. Also, the park works really hard to keep only Indiana native plants, so all the beauty is indigenous to our home! The park volunteers work hard to weed out anything invasive or not indigenous. There seems to be plenty of parking; I've never had a problem finding a spot. One of the best parts: it's all free! read more

This is a gem in Indianapolis that I frequently forget exists! It is free to access off of 38th street so you don't need to pay Newfields admission. There is plenty of space to walk, eat, and play. Large pieces of art are scattered throughout the park. I recently enjoyed my walk around the island and found it very peaceful. read more

I thought there was free parking, but ended up paying to park, paying to get in and then not able to view the area that I wanted. The volunteers were informative, but it still was an awkward experience for out-of-town guests. read more

Beautiful winter lights especially Latke's and Lights. Nice to honor Chanukah and Christmas!

Now known as Newfields located off of 38th street across from crown hill cemetery you can find this art museum. It used to be known as the IMA, but with rebranding efforts it's now known as Newfields. I've been several times before but decided to go today for the cracked art exibxit. It was awesome! All of these colorful animals are placed all throughout the gardens so you can enjoy the weather and checkout each of the different locations. They also have little displays so you can learn about each animal. Newfields also has a beer garden which is an awesome edition! Lots of good local craft beer and Centerpoint was on site doing a free tasting! The actual museum is great as well, it has many floors and different eras of art! Lots to check out, I always enjoy going and just getting lost and reading about different artists! There was a special exhibit about the mad hatter of Chicago which was really interesting, the hats were a very interesting collective of fashionable pieces! Newfields is awesome! Not only is it art, but they have so many other interesting activities that go on as well! I'll be a lifetime visitor im sure! read more

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My dog and I LOVE walking here! There is a lot of space and tons for him to do. It usually isn't too crowded. He especially loves swimming in the river. Sometimes it's hard to get him to come out so we can go home. People are usually friendly here. Only complaint is that i wish they would open up the trail that goes around the entire lake. You can do most of it but one section is closed. read more

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What a fantastic free, huge, multi-faceted, beautiful, clean park!! This outdoor continuation of The Indianapolis Museum Of Art is great for anyone....bikers, walkers, picnickers, kiddos who just want to play! The park is filled with some truly great kid-friendly installations. The huge skeleton was definitely my little ghouls favorite :). Be careful in the strong sun though, it can get very hot! The double circle was so unique and meditative and the tree trunk on its side which has swings was very cool looking. The basketball court was way neat too! Don't forget to bring your own ball! The tree trunk chairs were a great place for the kiddos to play school and grab some shade. The pretty gardens were filled with daisies and black eyed susan. The entire park including the trails were all very well maintained. We are so glad we stopped by and highly recommend a visit here if your in the area. Makes for a perfect stop for the littles to get the wiggles out if you just visited the museum! If we lived in town this would be our go-to for a family afternoon outside and definitely for our weekly picnics! Free entrance! Free parking! Can't beat that! read more

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Darling, relaxing, inspiring. If you live in Indy or have an hour to kill while passing through, stop here. Plus, if you or someone you know is a John Green fan, this is where you can find Funky Bones! read more

Newfields - Parks Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

Very friendly people. Newfields is the name of the combined acreage of the IMA, the Lilly House museum and the park across the street. The formal gardens are lovely in season. We clearly just missed the Spring and summer is not quite here yet. Based on the photos it was lovely a few weeks ago. You can clearly see where it would be spectacular, we just missed it by a week or so, totally our fault on timing. I will make a point of coming during peak Spring next year, it looks lovely. In addition to the gardens, you also have the museum and the house to tour. There is a beef garden by the house as well. We didn't eat or drink this time, although I have in the past. There is a cafe in the restaurant and a beer garden where you can sit outside. Admission is $20 pp for adults and annual membership is double that but is worth it if you're going to go twice in a year. read more

What's not to love when you art and nature come together on one of the more spectacular properties of Indy? This should absolutely be in your top 5 places to take visitors, all the better on a day with good weather. I love all the collaborations they do--like with the ballet, which performs at the Toby. The team is doing an impressive job of making this have appeal for pretty much everyone and hubby and I are so happy to have a family membership. I also love being involved with the Fashion Arts Society. They have multiple "affinity" groups if you have an area of the art world that you are really passionate about. So much to love here. Thanks for making Indy great! read more

They have a variety of art piece from modern to classical to pointalism to everywhere in between. The new exibhit with the screens on the ceiling shows many different relaxing scenes that help calm you in the everyday busieness of life. There are not as many exhibits as I would have hoped though. In addition, things like the halloween and winter festival seem repeditive from year to year. read more

This place is amazing. The woods, trails and tranquil lake are reason enough to visit this place, the amazing artwork is an entirely different treat! I took my crew bike riding through part of the forest and we had an awesome time. There is so much to explore you can be here several hrs and not get bored. I would love to come back with a picnic lunch with hubby! I would rec this place for all ages! Walking or biking is best as the trails are gravel/rocks in some sections and dirt in others. A 5 star Indy destination! read more

Newfields - Parks Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

Newfields never disappoints! From the amazing traveling art shows to movies to special events - we love this art museum! Want an insider tip? Go up to the contemporary art floor and find the wall of small objects called Seven Spades by Donald Lipski (American, 1947-). Then, look for the three credit cards and three dollar bills hidden within the piece. It takes a keen eye, and is a fun activity for children - old and young! read more

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