IMA Names Its 152-acre Campus For First Time

The 152-acre campus of the Indianapolis Museum of Art now has a name.

“This October, we will unite our diverse elements, the Indianapolis Museum of Art, Lilly House, the garden, the Virginia B. Fairbanks Art and Nature Park and our performance spaces into a holistic and cultural campus called Newfields -- a place for nature and the arts,” says Charles L. Venable, the Melvin & Bren Simon Director and CEO of the IMA.

“The name Newfields is a celebration of our past and a commitment to our future,” says Venable. “We could not be who we are today without the Lilly’s generous donation of the Oldfields estate, and generations of dedicated supporters of both art and nature."

Newfields is a nod to the IMA's legacy as the "new" property the Lilly family added to the original estate. It's also a commitment to "continually explore new fields of study, pursue new fields of inquiry and to continually expand the experiences available to our community,” Venable says.

Venable stresses that the names of the well-known landmarks are not changing.

“Lilly House will continue to serve as the primary attraction at Newfields, as will the garden," Venable says. "The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art and Nature Park will remain and the Miller House and garden will continue to extend our campus into southern Indiana.”

Museum officials also announced events debuting at Newfields, including Winterlights from Nov. 19 through Jan. 7.  It will be an outdoor light experience celebrating the holiday season. The garden will be illuminated by one million lights. Included in the multi-sensory, strolling experience is a choreographed light show on the Lilly House lawn, food and drink stations, fire pits for roasting s’mores and seasonal music.

Newfields will officially debut in early October with a new website at www.discovernewfields.org.