The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park
Open from dawn to dusk every day and always free, The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park is a 100-acre rural oasis situated in the heart of Indianapolis. A living sculpture park focused on experimentation, public interaction, and community engagement, it includes a 35-acre lake, woodlands, wetlands, and the largest native pollinator meadow in Indianapolis.
Several donors made the Park possible, with the lead gift from the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation in memory of Mr. Fairbanks’s second wife, Virginia B. Fairbanks, who loved gardens and nature. With this integral donation from the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation, we have been able to start, grow, and support this beloved resource for all. Newfields was first gifted the land in 1972, and we are proud to regularly present vibrant, new artworks that will keep The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park fresh for all our visitors.
The Hawryluk Sculpture Green
Today you can immerse yourself in art and nature in the newly-endowed Hawryluk Sculpture Green in the heart of the park. Come back “home again” to experience and interact with new art installations in The Hawryluk Collection of Art in Nature launched in 2024.
Take in the Home Again Exhibition, the first in a new and evolving series of outdoor public art installations in The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park, themed around its refresh and rejuvenation. Home Again includes a newly commissioned artwork by Brooklyn-based artist Heather Hart as well as two other interactive multimedia sculptures by Indianapolis-based artist Anila Quayyum Agha, and New York-based artists Mark Dion and Dana Sherwood.
A $3 million gift by longtime Newfields patron Kent Hawryluk will support the ongoing artwork commissions of large-scale contemporary sculpture for years to come. Mr. Hawryluk first became involved with the Indianapolis Museum of Art nearly 20 years ago, when he joined the Young Friends of Art and Contemporary Art Society. Through his experience with these groups and the relationships he built with collectors and curators, he developed the passion for contemporary art that ultimately led to this transformative gift.
Plan your visit
Accessibility
No tickets needed. The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park is completely free year-round from dawn to dusk.
Parking
Free and accessible parking is available at The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park. The parking lot entry is located at 1850 West 38th Street, about one-half block west of the main Newfields entrance.
If traveling by car, the park entrance can only be accessed from westbound 38th Street and is located off the exit ramp for North White River Parkway East Drive.
Walking or Biking to the Park
There is an ADA and stroller accessible parking lot at The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park (directions below). The park is also accessible from the Central Canal Towpath. The towpath runs north from Broad Ripple and south to connect to the White River Trail, leading to Downtown Indianapolis. Bike racks are available at all entrances to the park. There is also a Pacers Bikeshare Station at the Central Canal Towpath entrance. If taking the bus, Newfields is located on IndyGo bus routes #34 and #38.
Restrooms
Accessible restrooms are located at the Ruth Lilly Visitors Pavilion. Please be advised the pavilion is closed from November 1–April 1.
Mobility Access
Portions of The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park include accessible pathways.
In the News
The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park Ranked 7th Best Sculpture Park (USA Today)
Three new art installations planned for 100 Acres park at Newfields (Indianapolis Business Journal)
Big new public sculptures will relaunch art program at Newfields' Fairbanks Park (IndyStar)
