Indianapolis is full of thrilling outdoor nature attractions. From state parks to hidden gardens, there are dozens of oasis hiding in this Midwestern city. So, on one fine Friday, we planned to visit one of those Nature’s Park.
Fairbanks Art and Nature Park is located on 100 acres of land that includes untamed woodlands, wetlands, a lake and meadows adjacent to the Museum.
As I entered the place, I saw this whimsical naturescape that offer an unforgettable retreat in the middle of hustle bustle of the city. I just wanted to sit on those benches and think of absolute nothingness.
Funky Bones
This outlandish and wild exhibit is one of the major attraction of the park and was even featured in one of my favorite movies A Fault in Our Stars. This huge skeleton sculpture is intended to be interactive, allowing kids and adults the opportunity to rest upon one of the bone sculptures, climb and jump on them, play or simply photograph this unique work of art.
Into the Woods
After jumping enough over the skeleton bones, we started following a trail that lead us into the greenwood. The Birds were chirping and the trees whispering about our presence. In a flash, the place came alive in all its mysterious ways.
Lakeside
We walked a little down the trail and found an enormous 35 acres lake surrounded by dense forest. The sight was so serene that one can spend hours doing nothing but just looking at it.
We walked more deeper into the forest to inflate our lungs with the purest form of oxygen. The trail was well defined with intermittent views of lake through the branches.
Another interesting thing were the bright yellow benches designed by Mr. Hein’s. The benches take fanciful swoops and turns before appearing to tunnel down into the ground and emerge again dozens of feet away, near (or in a few cases far from) the lake’s edge.
Team Building (Align)
Another stunning exhibits in this park was this amazing “floating” sculpture featuring two large rings. The rings are suspended high in the sky and are each 30 feet wide (in diameter). These rings were actually designed so that during the summer solstice, their shadows align perfectly, creating the illusion of only one ring. It is a meditation on the way relationships move in and out of sync that was inspired by two years of team-building exercises conducted with the museum’s staff.
Chop Stick
It was time to unwind our long trek by grabbing one of the swings. Designed from a 100 foot-long poplar tree from Anderson, Indiana, this tree house offers a creative new type of playground for kids and adults.
Basketball court
This gigantic sculpture for basketball lovers will catch your eye instantly as you enter a park. The full-size court with two hoops is filled with a maze of bright red and blue arches – as high as 19 feet and as wide as 51 feet – that represents the imagined trajectory of a bouncing ball changing possession between two teams.
Tips and Facts :
- Admission to the Park and parking is Free. It is open from 11 am to 8 pm every day
- Fishing is allowed with your Indiana Fishing License and if you use artificial bait.
- On the first and third Saturday of the month, meet up at 11:30 a.m. for a guided walking tour of Fairbanks Park.
- Please consult the Newfields campus map to identify accessible pathway locations.
- Dogs are welcome on a leash.
- Restrooms are located at the Ruth Lilly Pavilion.
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