Art + Nature + Indianapolis = 100 Acres

When you think of cities full of great art, I'd be willing to bet that Indianapolis isn't one of the top ten to cross your mind.  Maybe not even top 20.  But if you want a place to enjoy art and nature with your family, Indy has a fantastic place to go!

The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park: 100 Acres is right off of 38th Street, not far from the highway, and connected to the grounds of the Indianapolis Museum of Art.  It's simply amazing!  A park filled with art that you can interact with, connect with, and fully enjoy.  In fact, it's one of the largest museum art parks in the country!  

My husband used to have an annual show to attend in Indianapolis for his work, so the kids and I would tag along for the hotel room, and then have fun adventures in the city while he was busy working the show.  Unfortunately, that hasn't happened in a couple of years, but fortunately, we managed to get back there for a long weekend this past spring break.  100 Acres was on our list of places we loved and knew we couldn't miss visiting again.  In fact, my youngest (who was 3 the last time we were there), heard that we were going to Indianapolis and ran to pack his basketball...because he remembered this park.

So, what does basketball have to do with art?


Sometimes, pictures are better than words, so I'll just let the pictures take over.

Besides playing on a sculpture ball court, you can also leap across a ginormous skeleton...

 Or get lost in the woods...

 Or maybe just take a swing on a tree...

Who knows what adventures you'll find!  

These pictures are just a small showcasing of the imagination-feeding creativity of this park!  You can duck in for a quick visit, or stay and enjoy it all day.  We've done both, and I'm sure we'll be back the next time we're in the area.  

100 Acres is open from dawn until dusk daily, and it's completely free.  There are guided tours (check the website for times), or you can take an audio tour using your smartphone.  You can also just walk in and let your inner child take over and run amok.  Fun, culture, nature...that's a pretty awesome trio!