Experience all that Newfields has to offer on the first Thursday of every month. Members and public get free General Admission to the Indianapolis Museum of Art and The Garden, live musical performances, and open studio hours and gallery conversations. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a longtime Member, Free First Thursdays presented by Bank of America are the perfect opportunity to discover something new and have an exceptional experience with art and nature.

Schedule

• 10:30 AM–12:30 PM | Garden Exploration Cart | The Garden

• 11:30 AM | Artful Conversations | Meet at the LOVE sculpture | Floor 2

• 11:30 AM–3:30PM | Open Studio | Studios 1 & 2 | Floor 1

• 1–1:30 PM | Docent-led Tour | Meet at the top of the escalator in Efroymson Entrance Pavilion | Floor 2 

• 1–1:30 PM | Nature Story Time | Stout Reference Library | Floor 1 

• 1–4 PM | Stout Reference Library open | Floor 1

• 1:30 PM | Artful Conversations | Meet at the LOVE sculpture | Floor

• 2 PM–4 PM | Garden Exploration Cart | The Garden

• 3 PM | The Garden Tour | The Garden Entry Pavilion

• 6 PM–8 PM | Open Mic | Beer Garden

Set up your garden for success and get insight and inspiration from three leading experts in a half-day forum at Newfields. Tim Boland, Executive Director of The Polly Hill Arboretum, will reflect on the successes and challenges of growing a resilient and beautiful garden. Bryce Lane, a former Horticultural Science professor from North Carolina State University, will present on colorful and textured shade tolerant plants. Teresa Woodard, author and content writer, will present on her newly released book, Garden to the Max, featuring Newfields own Irvin Etienne’s home garden.  

Light snacks and coffee will be provided.  

Join Bryce Lane, former Horticultural Science professor and current Gardening and Horticulture Speaker, for a tour around The Garden where he’ll discuss the different facets of soil health including texture, organic matter, and more. We’ll start in Adult Lecture Space A where Bryce will give a short lecture before heading out to The Garden.  

This tour is rain or shine. Please wear comfortable shoes.  

Get a behind-the-scenes preview of newly opened exhibitions and significant collection rotations in the Indianapolis Museum of Art with Gallery Forward. Progress through the IMA led by Newfields staff, hit the highlights of each exhibition, sample bites and beverages inspired by the collection, and hear from Newfields experts along the way.  At the end of your tour, you’re invited to mix and mingle in Pulliam Family Great Hall with a cash bar, music, and light bites.  

Plus, you’ll see a rare and iconic pairing of Rembrandt van Rijin’s (Dutch, 1606–1669) Self-Portrait  shown alongside his apprentice, Govaert Flinck’s (Dutch, 1615–1660) portrait of his wife Saskia. And, see a masterpiece from art storage on view for one night only. 

Gallery Forward will highlight these exhibitions & rotations: 

• First look at the brand-new exhibition Luminous Horizons: Celebrating the Legacy of J.M.W. Turner 

• Artists Among Us Season IV 

• Message is the Medium: Contemporary Art 

• Composing Color: Paintings by Alma Thomas from the Smithsonian American Art Museum 

• Resplendent Dreams: Reawakening the Rococo 

• Special pop-up with more to LOVE about LOVE 

Explore, investigate, and create together. In this class designed for 5 to 10-year-olds and their adult, you’ll go on a guided exploration of artworks, create your own book of artwork, and become evidence-based investigators using Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS), a child-led conversation that grows observation skills and vocabulary. 

Each ticket includes one child and one adult. Additional adults will need to purchase a General Admission ticket. All materials provided. 

Schedule

August 16: Work in Progress: Conversations about American Art 

September 20: The Message is the Medium: Contemporary Art 

October 18: African Art 

November 15: The Clowes Pavilion Reimagined 

December 20: Decorative Arts 

Join us for a tour and lecture about the Indigenous Australian bark paintings from the Indianapolis Museum of Art’s permanent collection. Start in THE LUME where you’ll experience vibrant contemporary art and music and see the paintings up close and personal. Following the tour, head down to DeBoest Lecture Hall where Allison Slenker, Associate Conservator of Objects, will give you a deeper dive into the deep historical roots of the bark paintings.

Join our Garden Guides to see The Garden transform throughout the seasons. Each tour will highlight the prominent characteristics of each garden space and discuss flora, architecture, and history. 

Meet at The Garden Entrance Pavilion. 

Don't let the stress of the work week follow you into the weekend. That may seem easier said than done, but at Newfields, it's a walk in the park. 

Each session will start with a short wellness exercise followed by a 30-60-minute walk, depending on the weather and available daylight.  

Meet in The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park under Align at 4:30 PM. Bring water and wear sturdy shoes. This is a rain, shine, or snow event. In cases of heavy rain, thunderstorms, or extreme low temperatures, the event will be cancelled, and you will receive notice via email at the email you used to register.  This webpage will also note if a Wellness Walk in the Park has been cancelled.  

Recharge your spirit through creativity, nature, and community. In this program designed for adults, spend 30 minutes immersed in a guided art activity, followed by a refreshing 30-minute walk through The Garden at Newfields. Experience the health and wellness benefits of artistic expression, gentle exercise, and the beauty of nature—all designed to inspire and rejuvenate. Nurture your creativity and embrace a healthier, more balanced you.