Since you’re coming to Indiana, perhaps you’d like to extend your stay with a side trip to one of these interesting spots in or near Bloomington or in Indianapolis?
Just Outside Bloomington
Take a tour of the Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center, a 90-acre oasis devoted to reflection and meditation. Located about six miles south of the conference site, the center was founded by IU professor Thubten J. Norbu in 1979 to teach about the history and culture of Tibet and support Tibetans everywhere. It has the only Tibetan Chortens in the United States and many works of art to explore. Information about tours or lodging at the center is available on their website.
Bloomington is surrounded by state parks and beautiful natural areas. The Griffy Lake Nature Preserve is at the north side of Bloomington, about three miles from the Indiana Memorial Union. You can rent a canoe or hike around the small lake. To the south is Lake Monroe, which serves as a reservoir for Bloomington’s water needs and a site for recreation. About 15 miles to the west lies McCormick’s Creek State Park, another excellent option for the avid hiker.
A more unusual option is the Sculpture Trails Outdoor Museum. It is located about 30 miles west of Bloomington in hilly Greene County. It is best to drive your car or a rental—the museum is located way out in the country, and I don’t know if Uber or Lyft would be reliable. It is one of the most unmediated artistic experiences around. Hike up a ridge and see sculpture big and small nestled amid the trees and shrubs of a southern Indiana forest or wander a meadow with large sculptures on display. Self-guided tours cost nothing (though a donation in the box is welcome), just download the trails map on their website. You can set up a guided tour for a small fee.
A Day Trip Away
Columbus, Indiana, is famous for its modern architecture. Guided tours and self-guided tours of the city’s famous buildings are described on the tours portion of the city’s website. This is a great place to visit for Mid-Century Modern design enthusiasts, and if you count yourself as an MCM nut, be sure to book a tour of the Miller House and Garden, a treasured MCM residence designed by architect Eero Saarinen, designer Alexander Girard, and landscape architect Dan Kiley. There was a movie named after and shot in Columbus.
If you enjoy a more rustic art esthetic, the artist colony of Nashville, Indiana is a great place to explore. This walkable small town about 20 miles east of Bloomington is nestled in great natural beauty, in fact you pass Brown County State Park on your way there. In town you can visit lots of great shops filled with food and hand-crafted furniture, ceramics, jewelry, and décor.
Hoosier National Forest is 60 miles south of Bloomington and offers 204,000 acres of rolling hills and back-country trails with options for horseback riding, mountain biking, and camping. Goose Pond Fish and Wildlife Area is a favorite with local birders. More than 260 species have been spotted among its 5,00 acres of shallow water wetlands and 1,300 acres of prairie.
An Extra Night or Two
West Baden Springs Hotel, part of the French Lick Resort is a luxury hotel from another age. One where rich folks from Chicago and beyond took the train to Southern Indiana for its healing waters. It fell on hard times and was on the National Trust’s list of endangered historic properties by the 1990s. Local philanthropists Bill and Gayle Cook, and son Carl, funded a full restoration and the property reopened in 2006. The rooms are beautiful and large, and the atrium dome that spans 200 feet is a wonder to behold. Grab a drink at the atrium bar and settle in with a good book or a good conversation.
A Few Hours to Spend in Indianapolis
If you have a few hours in Indianapolis before your flight, there are lots of great things to do in Indy. You could visit Newfields, the art and nature campus that includes what was formerly called the Indianapolis Museum of Art. On the campus is the former home of the Lilly Library’s founding donor, Josiah K. Lilly, Jr. The Lilly House and Oldfields estate are fun to visit but it is a little sad to see this important collector’s library empty of books. Not that we aren’t happy to have them at the Lilly Library!
The Eiteljorg Museum is right downtown in Indianapolis. It is a beautiful museum devoted to inspiring “an appreciation and understanding of the art, history, and cultures of the Indigenous peoples of North America and of the American West.” The Eiteljorg Museum is part of the White River State Park, itself a great attraction. From the Eiteljorg you can also stroll the Indianapolis Canal and take in the budding skyline and maybe even the occasional paddle boat.
Maybe you’d like to sit down and recover from a busy conference week with a bite to eat. Here are a few favorites of staff. Shapiro’s Delicatessen, owned and operated by one family since 1905, is a classic kosher deli and an Indianapolis institution. Lilly Associate Director Erika Dowell has a hard time visiting Indy without stopping for a meal, or at least some rye and corn beef to take home. Outreach librarian Ursula Romero loves Axum Ethiopian Restaurant and Hinata, a Japanese restaurant offering a prix fixe 8-course menu (by reservation only). Consider yourself warned, Ursula says Hinata is amazing but “special occasion expensive.” Wanting a legendary steak to remember? IU Moving Image Archives’ Josh Koepke suggests taking in the famous St. Elmo Steak House. Still unsure, peruse the food hub of Massachusetts Avenue – or what locals refer to as simply “Mass Ave.”
Written by Rebecca Baumann, Erika Dowell, Isabel Planton, Ursula Romero, Lilly Library