Inspiration at IMA

Kudos to the Indianapolis Museum of Art, for helping to create the best experience I’ve ever had at a museum anywhere in the world.

For anyone’s who’s never had a chance to visit IMA, now is the time to go. My wife and I spent Father’s Day 2010 checking out the newest exhibit called 100 Acres, at the Virginia B. Fairbanks Art and Nature Park.

My wife and I don’t have kids ourselves yet, but we spent the day with my brother-in law and his two boys. We started our adventure inside, hoping to avoid most of the midday heat. From the moment we walked in the staff was friendly and accommodating, taking the time to explain the layout of the building and pointing us in the direction of a few exhibits they knew would pique the interest of a 7 year-old and a teenager. Boy were they right.

We started on the top floor, intrigued by a recent installation made up of thousands of feet of steel track. Approaching the massive structure triggered a large white ball that began a winding journey on what seemed like some sort of demented carnival ride. We followed the ball as it led us between rooms, darting in and out of holes cut into the wall. We watched our ball spiral and corkscrew it’s way along what seemed like thousands of feet of track, helped along by gravity and a few mechanical devices.

We spent the next few hours exploring everything from Contemporary art to Asian and African artifacts. Even our usually hyperactive 7 year-old nephew was kept engaged as we made our way through the exhibits. And his teenage brother forgot about the cellphone normally found glued to his hands. The permanent exhibits alone would have made for a fantastic day, but the main attraction was still waiting for us outside.

It was a picture perfect Sunday as we headed outside to explore some of the most beautiful and picturesque landscape Indianapolis has to offer, even if it was a little hot. The grounds of the museum are exquisitely maintained, featuring hundreds of species of colorful plants. We weaved in and out of woodlands, mingling with the thousands of other guests taking in the wonderful day.

100 Acres features eight unique public art installations, offering something for every member of the family. My nephews joined other kids and museum staff in the woods, playing games in the shadows of two 35 foot metal rings suspended high in the air, supported by massive trees. We got a chance to shoot hoops on the craziest basketball court I’d ever seen, and later we watched as dozens of children turned a giant fiberglass skeleton into a playground, all part of a piece called Funky Bones.



My personal favorite was a full size boat, called Eden II, anchored out in the middle of a lake. The artists use a variety of multimedia techniques to give you a voyeur’s view of what’s happening on the ship. A very creative and cool way to engage your senses.



We spent at least 5 hours exploring some of what IMA has to offer, but I assure you we barely scratched the surface. I’m told Sunday’s attendance hit an estimated 10,000 people, more than doubling the expectations of IMA staff. The crowds were so big that some folks were turned away due to lack of parking. For those who were, don’t be discouraged. 100 Acres will be open year round for the next 364 days. And there’s ample bicycle parking for guests looking to avoid the hassle of traffic.

So thanks again to all of the artists and museum staff involved. It was an absolutely fantastic experience. I plan on heading back as soon as possible. That could even be later today.