Newfields

Newfields is the city's great cultural campus, home to the Indianapolis Museum of Art and spread over rolling grounds at 4000 Michigan Road, about four miles north of downtown. The museum holds one of the larger encyclopedic art collections in the Midwest, ranging across European, American, Asian and contemporary art, and the building's terraces look out over the White River valley. Around it, The Garden mixes formal beds, greenhouses and the historic Lilly House, a grand family mansion on the hill. Below the main campus, The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art and Nature Park adds woodland trails, a lake and large outdoor artworks, and it is open every day from dawn to dusk. In the holiday season Newfields becomes the scene of Winterlights, the city's favourite light show, when nearly two million lights transform The Garden and the first floor of the Lilly House is styled for the season. 2026 marks its 10th year. For a first visit, come in daylight for the galleries and then return after dark for Winterlights, or pick one and do it properly.

Hours: the Indianapolis Museum of Art and The Garden are open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm and closed on Mondays. The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art and Nature Park is open daily from dawn to dusk. Newfields also runs the Miller House and Garden, a modernist landmark in Columbus, Indiana, about an hour south, which opens Tuesday to Saturday from 11am to 4pm for separately booked visits. Admission for the galleries is sold on the Newfields site, and the campus is included on the Indianapolis Attractions Pass.

Winterlights 2026: the 10th season runs on evenings from late November through the holidays. Advance tickets are required, starting at around $25 for adults, with children five and under free and a small processing fee per ticket. Every ticket includes the first floor of the Lilly House, and the Winterwonder Pass adds a flexible arrival time between 5 and 8pm and a lounge upstairs on select dates, including 26 to 28 November and many December nights. Most guests spend about ninety minutes on the route. The event goes ahead rain or shine, guests pass through metal detector screening and a bag check, and outside food, alcohol and pets are not allowed. Reserved priority parking is available for a fee.

Getting there: drive or take a taxi or rideshare from downtown in about fifteen minutes; there is parking on site. Winterlights includes flashing light effects, so check the sensory notes if anyone in your group is sensitive to them. Dress warmly, as the route is outdoors.