Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art

We came to see the Jingle Rails and were absolutely amazed! What a huge and incredible display! The galleries have a lot of breathtaking West paintings and sculptures, there is currently also an Inuit art display upstairs. We need to come back to see all the exhibitions. Wonderful people work here!

An absolute gem of a museum. The classic Western art and contemporary Native American art exhibits were fantastic. Visiting nearer the Holidays, they had model railroad tracks setup in the back area that took over the entire place! It was quite an amazing site to see. I highly recommend checking it out because the models and landscape were incredible. If you get a chance to visit, you won't be disappointed.

Definitely a great place to walk around. They have lots of sculptures and random art pieces around the property. Even without going inside this place has a lot to offer. Their grounds were clean with a peaceful atmosphere. Outback they had multiple sets of corn hole/bags which was a nice thing for the kids. Overall this is a nice place to see art and kill some time with the family.

Stopped in to visit the exgibits and walk through Jingle Rails. This place is a gem of artwork and information. Staff was very kind and friendly, museum is clean and well maintained. Jingle rails is always fun for kids and adults alike but there is quite a bit more to see here and it is more than worth the price of admissiion to spend the time to go through the whole museum. Great experienece, we'll visit again.

This museum was PHENOMENAL. The variety of artwork was amazing. We really enjoyed how the museum showcased not only “conventional” native artwork, but also made a point of showing how native artists use traditional techniques with modern materials to highlight issues that they currently face in today’s culture. The museum is a must see if you’re visiting Indianapolis. The children’s area is also packed full of hands-on play opportunities.

Jingle rails attraction was an amazing experience. Very well detailed and the artistry was very well done. The museum was very interesting as well.

Always worth a visit. Gorgeous art, architecture, and currently the Jingle Rails exhibit. Great parking near other downtown attractions. Parking validated with cafe purchase.

I was very excited to see a museum for native American culture in the middle of the state of Indiana! The gift store was fabulous. Unfortunately, some of their native goods are not native made.

What a beautiful museum! I had so much fun visiting the gardens and was completely blown away with the gorgeous art on display--particularly the incredible depictions of the desert and canyons. I also happened to visit when they were having an art sale by current artists and their work was so beautiful!

I had a couple of hours free so I went to the Eiteljorg Museum as it was near our hotel. It's a beautiful museum and it's well regarded, but honestly, I found it boring. As I wasn't in a rush I took my time, but I only spent just over an hour there, as I just didn't find it interesting. That's not to say it's a bad museum; it just wasn't for me. The featured exhibit was a Dorothea Lange photography exhibit. Adult tickets are $18, but as a student (at the time), I got in for $10. You could also get $2 off if you checked-in on Yelp or $5 off if you were attending Gen Con or staying at a nearby hotel. [Yelp collections: Louisville/Indianapolis 2023; Indianapolis, IN 2023; Museums and Art Galleries]

What an interesting and neat museum this is located in downtown Indianapolis. We spent almost two hours here. Tickets for adults are $20/adult. They have a variety of videos, paintings, hands on activities, outfits, etc. They even had a giant puzzle on the main floor that matched one of the paintings on the wall.

It's YE Gurl -- feeding my soul with culture instead of carbs this time Made a quick stop in Indy on 4/19, and my boo knew the way to my heart -- a little art, a little history, and a whole lot of cultural truth-telling at the Eiteljorg Museum. This museum is centered around the art and history of Native American and Western heritage -- all born out of one man's private collection (shoutout to Eiteljorg and his guilt-funded eye for beauty ). Adult admission was $20, and on this dreary, rainy day, I made sure to get every penny's worth -- joined the docent tour, wandered through the exhibits, and soaked in all the visuals. What struck me most: * Early "wild west" depictions were all white men and horses -- textbook manifest destiny. Later art slowly, grudgingly, starts to include everyone else. * The landscape pieces? Gorgeous, vast, and dramatic. Imagine hauling your canvas through rattlesnakes, bandits, and unpredictable weather just to sit in the Grand Canyon for six hours to paint it? That's a different kind of hustle. * Representation mattered here: black cowboys (yes, the original term was derogatory), Mexican vaqueros, Native Tribes, even a Dutch oil-seeker looking for his next big score -- all woven into the larger American narrative. * And yes, the irony was thick -- this man made his fortune from resource depletion and land acquisition, only to spend it collecting art from the very communities affected. But hey, without that paradox we wouldn't have this museum, so... complicated gratitude. Bonus? Got to see an Alaskan Native art exhibit and a contemporary beading showcase that truly bridged the old and the now. Final verdict: If you're ever in Indy and need a place to reflect, learn, and wrestle with the beauty and contradictions of American history -- this is your stop. Preserve the art. Question the legacy. And take the tour.

The most we've explored this museum is during the winter months when the jingle rails exhibit is available. My son absolutely loves trains and loves to see the realistic replicas of the trains. As an adult, it is really cool to see these scaled models of significant places around the country as well as within the city. During this time, they have activities that are training related for kids to interact with which is always a plus for my active toddler. We do visit downstairs and the children area and my son can spend so much time down there with all of the interactive educational activities.

Visited last week for the Indian Market & Festival with family and enjoyed everything. The vednors were plenty, the food was delicious, and the conversations were super informative. The heat was somewhat of a factor, but there were plenty of tables outside available to sit at under the umbrellas, and the inside was cool. This was my 1st time experiencing the event, and I will definitely be back. The culture is dear to my heart, and seeing the authentic art and jewelry creations was amazing.

I love the Eiteljorg! It's one of the places I always recommend to visitors from out of town too. On this visit we visited Jingle Rails which is always a holiday favorite. I love how they add some new buildings and features every year, but also keep the favorites. We also wanted to see the Preston Singletary exhibit, The Raven and the Box of Daylight. I saw another installation of this exhibit in Washington DC at the National Museum of the American Indian and was thrilled to see it was coming here! The artist tells the story through blown and cast glass art, and it is amazing! Definitely don't miss this special exhibit! I really love the changes to the museum that emphasize the artists, and acknowledge when the artist that created a given piece is unknown. And....I need to give extra bonus points to the Eitljorg for providing free parking in the underground White River State Park garage! It saved us $15!

We spent an afternoon at this museum. It is well worth your time to visit. The Eiteljorg is located at White River State Park in downtown Indianapolis l. There is plenty of parking available in an underground structure shared with other attractions. You can get your parking pass validated at the museum admission desk. The Museum itself is a work of art with plenty of space to view the art and artifacts. The art is a wide selection of original native art, modern art by indigenous artists and western art. Plenty of hands on displays. On our way out we stopped by a table where we learned about natural materials that were used by Indiana tribes in daily life and to create art.

The Eiteljorg Museum has some new attractions to visit. The photography of Dorothea Lange is fascinating exhibit depicting scenes from the Great Depression and WWII. There are three galleries of photographs of Lange as well as a few of her contemporaries. The museum does a great job of explaining the circumstances of the photos. Very moving exhibit. The museum has also added a great kid's area in the lower level. There are hands on educational stations including a little farm and barn, an amazing kitchen, a naturalist laboratory and a library. Our granddaughter did not want to leave and talked about her visit for days. The staff at the museum is super friendly and helpful. Members get free parking and 10% off in cafe. During the week, there are no crowds and east parking. Enjoy the outdoor walk along the canal. All the flowers are blooming. So beautiful.

Great museum! Some artworks needed a bit more explanation, but incredible. Cafe was great as well.

If you're in Downtown Indy for a conference and only have time for one or two excursions, be sure to spend an hour at the Eiteljorg Museum, which is just north of the JW Marriott Hotel. I came here in early November 2022 during a conference (I stayed at the Courtyard Marriott which was walking distance to the museum and riverside park). First, it's a lovely space with an inviting exterior that beckons you to enter. Second, you can find a nice cafe with a pleasant interior that serves different sandwiches and chili for lunch. Third, the cultural exhibits are nice and introduce you to the native American peoples and tribes living in Indiana. Fourth, the artwork will bring you to the Great American West. If you're in a hurry and like to scan artwork, I think you can see everything in about 1 hour. If you like to linger and read every description in great detail, I would recommend a little more than 1 hour. There is a calming zen about this museum - which is guaranteed to lower your blood pressure. Maybe it's the pervasive scenery from the outdoors - whatever the cause, be sure to view it for yourself!

I had a truly incredible experience here. They say that the average person takes 90 minutes to enjoy the exhibits, I spent over three hours here and then longer to grab a buffalo meal. The collection is stunning. The touring exhibits are exhilarating I even bought a couple of books about the collection in the gift shop. I look forward to returning again on my next visit to Indiana.

I'm not sure how we missed this little gem after having lived in the Indy area for nearly ten years, but today was our first visit, and we were impressed. When it comes to museums, I don't have a ton of standards, but I do expect them to be clean, with easy to understand signage and directions to the exhibits. Parking was straightforward and free, and the location is great - just off the canal.

As I struggle to figure out how to evaluate this art museum, I am thinking about the expression sometimes used online: "don't read the comments". I think the equivalent here would be: "don't read the captions". A museum devoted to Native American Art sounds apt (in a city named for the American Indians), and the architecture is majestic. However, the quality of art varied considerably, while the narration that accompanied it unfortunately varied too little, espousing an ideological perspective so mind-numbingly blinkered I felt my IQ dropping as I read it. Myths are corrected by snarky signage, myths believed by no one except the person having written the sign. Their main collection criticizes the limited perspectives of the artists, sometimes correctly, but with an utter lack of self-awareness that the museum itself espouses a view of "settler colonialism" developed by upper middle class people of European descent and believed by no one who has any contact with the world outside of a college campus. I've been to museums that delivered a genuinely Native American perspective in their leadership and vision, and it was blindingly obvious that this was not one of them. And it's a shame, because if whoever it is that runs this place would just let the artists speak for themselves, they'd have plenty of things to say more interesting than what I read. There were some thought-provoking pieces on display, and I enjoyed the upper floor, which was more contemporary Native American art, more than the first. In some parts of the museum, genuinely interesting and nuanced historical and cultural facts were on display, in utter contrast to other parts. I stayed a while and tried to get as much out of it as I could. There is so much potential here, and like many American institutions of the time this one is struggling with ideological rot. I hope they take down about half their signage, fire whoever wrote it, and find a mode of curation that delivers the complexity that the artists deserve.

The museum is fascinating ESPECIALLY for the Native American floor! I found this museum on Google while trying to find fun things to do in IN... I really wish more places throughout the US dedicate more exhibitions to Native and the Indigenous communities that exist throughout North America. I learned soo much about their cultures and their history. And am eager to learn more...

I recently attended the Día de Muertos celebration at the Eiteljorg Museum. It was very impressive. They had a program on the stage with youth groups singing. They had hands on crafting and face painting. They had several vendors including one that had fresh Pan de Muertos. They had a community alter/ofrenda as well as several other alters on display. I ate at the cafe got the first time and I got the soup that was on their special menu for the Día de Muertos. It was one of the most delicious soups I've ever had! It was squash bisque with lime cream and Pepitas. They served it with a muffin that I believe was a jalapeño cornbread, also delicious. I enjoy having a membership which allows many events for members. We are very fortunate to have this museum in Indianapolis.

The museum is situated in a beautiful, cozy corner of the city next to the Indiana State History museum. If you love Native American art and artifacts, this is one of the best collections I've ever seen and perhaps the best in the world about the Miami people. I feel museums can be a challenge to navigate; not this one. It's very logical. I didn't care much for the contemporary exhibit (Lange)

Beautiful day at the Eiteljorg. All so a free day celebrating Day of the Dead. Exhibits, dancing, food, great weather. Come on down!!

Beautiful museum! I try to make it here at least once a year and was excited to finally introduce the museum to my toddler a couple weeks ago. I was very impressed with the number of activity stations throughout the exhibits. He was able to stop and design a flag, put together a large puzzle, complete some beadwork, and play with shapes. It kept him busy for much longer than most other museums in the area. And that was before we went to the play stations in the basement. The café has great healthy options too. The museum is always clean and well organized. Staff is friendly. I've always had a pleasant experience and will be back soon.

I have lived in Indianapolis for years and had never made it here. I see the museum all the time as I drive by. With the deer statues sitting on the corner, it definitely catches your eye. Well, I finally made it and as an added bonus, I caught there world famous Jingle Rails exhibit. The Eiteljorg Museum is a well organized and clean museum located next to White River Park. Total disclosure, I went on a day that they were giving free admission. But, it is normally only $15 for adults and $8 for kids. They are taking COVID very seriously and have a few safeguards in place. Before you enter, you are required to take a temperature check and use some hand sanitizer. And of course masks are required. They validate parking, when available, if you park in the White River Park underground parking garage. It has signs that point you in the right direction and an elevator that lets out right at the front door of the museum. The entire staff there is very courteous, helpful and friendly. I am not a huge art fan, but this museum kept me engaged for a bit. Due to COVID, most of the museum's inactive exhibits were closed. With that being said, the little ones were not entertained very much. However, they loved the Jingle Rails exhibit. The details on some of the displays in that exhibit were amazing, including Lucas Oil Stadium, the Indianapolis Speedway (with moving cars), and Monument Circle. And the trains going by all around was like wow. Kudos to who ever puts that displays together every year. This attraction is definitely worth the add on. On the first floor is Jingle Rails, the Western Art Gallery, the cafe, and the gift shop. The second floor has the Mihtohseenionki (the People's Place) exhibit, a Native American, Western expansion exhibit featuring pictures, sculptures and artifacts from that era. The second floor is also the home to my favorite exhibit, the Michael Naranjo exhibit, full of wonderful sculptures that goes against all museum etiquette and ask that you touch them. I just had to do it, because it is rare that you are able to touch any art in a museum. The place is surprisingly big. It has two floors of exhibits and a on-site cafe. I spent a little over an hour there. FYI, this museum is located by many other museums, as well as the zoo (all within walking distance) and could be part of a larger itinerary or package to maximize your day.

What a great museum highlighting Native American art and history. Large galleries and excellent displays made this place a great visit. Highly recommended.

This was our first visit back to the museum post-COVID. We were very comfortable with their precautions which included a temperature check upon entrance and signage designating 6 feet distance. There was a 10 person max allowed in the gift shop. The café was open and they were serving pre-prepared boxed items, in generous portions and which tasted amazing. And cafe tables had signage to reflect "clean" or "dirty". Call museum staff were masked. Some hand sanitizer and wipes were available throughout the museum but I would encourage visitors to bring your own as it was not widely available. Our visit lasted only two hours, and that was more than enough time for my three-year-old and six-year-old to explore and eat lunch. There is one exhibit currently at the museum that I would classify as a do-not-miss, and is the sculpture exhibit by Michael Naranjo, a sculptor whose sight was taken from him by a hand grenade in the Vietnam war...and he continues to sculpt. The exhibit allows for, and even encourages, touching all of the sculptures which is somewhat unique in a post Covid time. There is a video of his story in the exhibit space playing on repeat that my 6 your old watched four times. The grounds outside the museum are gorgeous and set right along the canal and it is such a peaceful experience to go and explore. Bonus: Parking is $10 but is validated at the museum store making it free!

I visited for the first time recently and was disappointed on how the collection was curated. I was hoping that there would be more art from the Native American perspective instead of a fetishization viewpoint by white males! More modern additions by Native people, especially women, would be an added bonus and would freshen up this (literally) dusty museum.

Though I've first visited Eiteljorg for a special exhibit (Jingle Rails), I had a wonderful time enjoying the other galleries within the museum as well. Jingle Rails was such a blast, and being an adult with no children, we had just as much fun as the kids in the room. It was such a neat experience. I absolutely recommend it for all ages looking for holiday fun!

I found it rather expensive for $20 per person. I think it's good option if you want to do something indoors for a couple hours in the afternoon. Depending on your interest level, it could take anywhere from 1 to 2 hours to get through the whole museum. I did see that there's free tours at a particular time on the weekends, but I didn't get to experience that. There's two floors of artwork and the lower level has a family center for kids. There's also a gift shop and cafe. It wasn't the best museum I've ever been to but there is some nice artwork and it was fairly educational.

I was really impressed by a lot of the art they had displayed. They had screens where you can choose what story to listen to and it's played on headphones. They had actual members of the tribes speak about their experiences and also had some the artist speak about their inspiration while creating the piece. I really enjoyed listening to all of them. I love how it's right by the canal. They have free parking located in the first floor of the white river state park garage.

This is such a neat museum. They are handling COVID with extreme caution, which is always great to see. To enter the gift shop you must wear gloves. If you are looking for Native American jewelry/art this is the place to shop. Definitely not cheap, but items are handmade. If you are going during the holidays, check out Jingle Rails. You can schedule a time to go to make sure you won't be around crowds. Staff and volunteers were really helpful. Go check out this wonderful spot!

My family and I went here for their annual Jingle Rails event on Saturday. This was my first time back in this museum since I was a young kid. Upon entering you are screened with temperature checks before you show your tickets to even enter the museum fully, and I liked that. The staff were helpful and attentive as well. This is a great museum for learning about native people and there are lots of statues, art canvas paintings, and quilts. The jingle Rails event was very nice. There are so many trains and my toddler thought it was pretty cool. Once we were done in the jingle rails exhibit we went out to the outside terrace located near the eiteljorg cafe. It was very nice with tables out there and a pathway the leads to the Downtown Indianapolis canal. The other nice thing about this museum is that they will validate your parking for free as well which was very nice. I only have pics of jingle rails but that's a sight to see.

A nice museum. We enjoyed the collection of paintings and sculptures. The holiday train exhibit was great. We also enjoyed the exhibit of Native American crafts / art. The video presentations of various craftsmen and artists was a highlight especially the 12 year old explaining his beadwork. Fascinating and impressive. The gift shop had a fairly good selection of items and the woman working there was friendly and sweet. It makes a difference to have nice employees. The restrooms on the second floor were not wheelchair accessible. However, those on the first floor were. Entrance doors had power door openers and elevators were available. We would visit again.

We went to see Jingle Rails at the Eiteljorg, it was so amazing. We went several years ago and I had forgotten how detailed everything is. I highly recommend it, if you have a little one who loves trains, don't miss it. While you are there be sure to go upstairs into the contemporary gallery. At first, I didn't really understand one of the exhibits, but after reading the statement from the artist, I loved it. Walk through, you won't be disappointed.

Great museum, great experience! The museum has wonderful pieces of art and history, all beautifully laid out. I paid $15 for my museum entrance with the addition to access to their holiday train exhibit (not sure how much the museum would be on a normal day or if it is free). The museum was extremely navigable and they also had many measures in place to ensure that everyone remained healthy during the pandemic. The staff was extremely friendly and helpful. I would recommend everyone visits this museum. They have something for everyone and make sure it is a great experience for everyone!

One of my favorite Hoosier holiday exhibits: Jingle Rails at Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art. Perfect for a quick lunch break activity. The entire train exhibit is made using natural items like pine cones and bark. Several of the displays feature historic sites/attractions like Monument Circle. If you've never had a chance to visit this room filled with whimsy and exhibits representing our national parks from sea to sea, you are missing out! In the exhibit you will find Yellowstone, glacier national Park, small geysers, Mount Rushmore, and several scenes from downtown Indianapolis like Lucas oil stadium and historic buildings. The museum is $13 per adult to visit with easy parking underground that you enter off of Washington Street. The parking lot is shared with Indiana State Museum which is located next-door. The museum is also conveniently located along the downtown canal and on White River State Park property. One of my new favorite additions to their events calendar is the summer concerts on the canal under the canopy - especially the bluegrass! They allow you to bring your pup and ears for this laid back after work series.

This is a smaller museum but still a great one to visit. I liked that there was a gallery of art that was available for purchase. Another aspect I appreciated was the interactive pieces. This museum isn't that pricey and has a large gift shop with a bunch of fun things to look at and purchase. The museum is right next to the canal which is nice to walk along.

This is a wonderful museum with many special events. Teachers and IUPUI students are admitted free. Families should rest assured that there are plenty of things for the kids, including an entire kids' area on the first floor. During the summer, the museum stays open late on Wednesdays for the Summer Under the Sails concerts on the canal. During Christmas time, there is the Jingle Rails exhibit which gets bigger every year. This is a model train exhibit that features scenes from Indianapolis and the national parks. As a bonus, museum members receive free parking in the underground garage.

Thanks to Yelp, I had the opportunity to experience Jingle Rails for the very first time as part of their VIP breakfast held the morning of their grand opening. If you know me well, then you already know that I tend to struggle through the holidays. It's a period of the year when I've experienced multiple life traumas and, quite frankly, I tend to struggle to get myself into anything resembling Christmas spirit. So, for the most part, I avoid people and I avoid Christmas activities. So, I really thought to myself "Do I really want to do this?" While I'm definitely not a Scrooge, I wondered "Is there any chance I'll actually enjoy it?" I simply couldn't pass up the chance to see the exhibit for free, though pre-sale tickets are currently available (adults $11, kids 5-17 $6, kids 4 and under free). Jingle Rails is held annually at the Eiteljorg Museum on the eastern end of White River Park across from Victory Field and the Indiana Government Center. Parking is available in the White River Park garage, which I find ridiculously expensive, but these good folks do validate. In the garage, follow the signs that direct you to Eiteljorg parking as the garage also has sections that are closer to the NCAA, Indiana State Museum, and to the Canal. If you park in the wrong place, as I did, you'll find yourself backtracking a lot. I went in through the front entrance, though Eiteljorg does also have a Canal entrance. As this is a museum dedicated to Native American art, the door is wooden, heavy yet pretty workable. A good majority of the doors in Eiteljorg have automated options. Oh, and they do have an elevator from the parking garage. They quickly checked me in, remember this was a special event, and pointed me toward the continental breakfast and then exhibit room. The continental breakfast, prepared by Kahn's Catering, was simple yet quite awesome. We enjoyed a wide variety of fruits, pastries, etc. and they even provided both coffee and Nantucket Nectars juices. As I've been leaning healthier with my foods/liquids, I loved the options yet the pastries/rolls were such that kids would also be happy. More than one Kahn's employee offered assistance and one young woman moved a chair at the table and quickly took any item I finished. She was sublime. I wondered if I would enjoy the exhibit? Oh my. Within minutes, I was immersed. I loved watching the parents with their children, but truthfully I became a child wanting trains in my own home. The amazing level of detail, from a Hollywood diorama that pleased this film critic to a recreation of Mt. Rushmore and stunning Old West scenes, was absolutely stunning. The trains are timed perfectly so one never gets bored waiting, and I found myself taking more photos than I ever do when I'm out alone. While the room itself is rather simple, it's an immersive experience. They offer a "Find Me" Scavenger Search option that is educational and fun for adults and children, a nice touch given that the exhibit itself is definitely a "Do Not Touch" experience. As a person in a wheelchair, I was able to access every single nook and cranny of this room in my manual wheelchair. I did find one small section that I thought might be challenging in a bigger scooter as I definitely had to be a little bit more careful not to bump anything. However, I was truly impressed with the thought put into every aspect of Jingle Rails. This was a great way for me to try to more immerse myself in the holidays, a low-key, lighter attended special event yet an Indy tradition. As I ran into other familiar Yelpers, my loner self became less of a loner self and even that left me feeling more immersed. Eiteljorg does offer accessible restrooms and they also have a family bathroom, a great option for families and folks with disabilities. The exhibit itself is not an "all day" exhibit. We were there for 90 minutes and I found that pretty sufficient. So, it might be fun to combine it with either an Eiteljorg visit, Christmas at the Zoo or other downtown activities. The exhibit goes on through January 15, 2018.

I was really surprised and really enjoyed the Eiteljorg. I really enjoy contemporary art and it was fascinating to see and learn about how contemporary art was made and expressed Native American artists. The museum is a mix of history and art and hands on activities, great for little kids and adults alike.

We love the Eiteljorg. From the yearly summer market, Jingle Rails during the holidays, to their great exhibits, the cafe, and especially the amazing recently redone children's area; don't miss a visit if you are in the Indy area. If you have young kids like I do, you might be tempted to skip the galleries but the Eiteljorg has done a great job of adding hands on spots within the galleries. My children loved the art space and connecting a beautiful painting of a bison to the bison fur they could touch below it.

Surprisingly enjoyable! They have an excellent selection of paintings, sculptures, ornaments, and photography. Really very nice. But it is the building itself, along with the soothing music that is easily heard in the main hall and the cafe, that helps you unwind and relax and enjoy your stay. I really appreciated the variety of offerings. I went in expecting to spend about 40 minutes, but spent far longer after deciding to eat in their cafe, which was very nice as well.

Eiteljorg Museum is a wonderful facility that highlights Native Culture and Arts. It was the venue for a very special Spirit and Place event last night featuring Stephanie Big Eagle a tattoo artist whose focus is on traditional tattoo arts. She graciously shared with us the historical significance of the body art of her ancestors (mainly Lakota/Dakota Sioux) and other indigenous peoples of the world. Stephanie is the author of Thunderbird Rising her personal survival story, which I cannot wait to read. She designed The Standing Rock tattoo in support of those standing against an oil pipeline running through the Standing Rock Sioux reservation which threatened their only source of drinking water. Her tattoo design raised funds which enabled front line water protectors to be present during major actions. In native culture the tattoo also afforded protection and empowerment to those wearing the ink on their skin. In addition to supporting special programs such as this one the Eiteljorg highlights traditional and contemporary art in multiple media. There are hands on activities for the kids, special events and programs throughout the year, a Cafe and gift shop within the museum. Outside are native plantings and a concert/special event space along the canal. If you haven't visited the Eiteljorg museum you should definitely check it out. Even better they offer yearly memberships with special perks. Plus they validate parking for visitors to the museum, gift shop and Cafe. Coming up soon is the annual Jingle Rails installation featuring multiple vignettes and, of course, a variety of trains. Traditionally a scene is added every year so there is always something new to delight visitors.

This was our third year visiting the Jingle Rails exhibit at the Eiteljorg Museum. It's becoming a holiday family tradition! This year, we had the amazing opportunity to visit the exhibit an hour before it opened to the public during their VIP breakfast (thanks, Yelp!). We got to see all the trains and miniatures without the crowds. Definitely the way to go! New this year was a diorama of Hollywood. It warmed this SoCal lady's heart to see icons of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, such as the Chinese Theatre and the intersection of Hollywood and Vine. All the Hollywood diorama needed was some shady characters dressed up as dirty Spider-Man and Elvis asking for money, and it would have been set! At the entrance of the exhibit are some flash cards with pictures of things to find as you walk around. If you have kids, pick one up! The kiddos love looking around to find everything. It's like a mini scavenger hunt.

The museum itself is really nice, although it's been a while since I last toured it, so I need to remedy that. However, I really like the fact that they also offer things like the Summer Under the Sails free outdoor concert series on Wednesday evenings (6-8 pm) for much of the summer. It's a lovely venue along the Canal, and the music is always enjoyable. You can purchase food and drinks here, and there is free admission to the museum on these evenings between 5 and 8 pm. What's not to love about that!?

We love nature. And those big mountain landscapes and endless images of greenery. So it was a real treat to see those big art pieces of imposing western landscapes. The problem? We really wanted more. Lots more. I realize that they are currently undergoing renovation so maybe that's why we felt like something was missing. I enjoyed looking at all the Native American artworks. Respect. The cinema exhibit of cowboy westerns was cool too. Very instructive and inclusive. For example, did you really realize the Asian influence in the westward cowboy expansion? Help the kids learn. Nostalgic.

Went here for a Christmas session and they have a Christmas special event called Jingle Rails. It was very impressive. It's not too big but it had every important part of what Indiana had to offer. Addition to other states, such as Las Vegas, Route 66, and Grand Canyon. Everything was made with natural materials, which it has explanations for everything that's displayed. Also there are trains that goes around these exhibitions. Museum wise, it was clean and the staff were nice. It had many displays and my favorite part of the western Hollywood. You can see the costumes from the movies and such. It also had a fairly large gift shops that had a lot of unique merchandise. Food wise, I would not recommend. Everything I had was too salty and their drinks were bad. It was a good place to visit and definitely check out the Jingle Rail.

Adults and children alike will love the annual holiday exhibit of trains. The Jingle Rails exhibit is amazing! I'd been previously, but took my family this year. They all loved it. It was so much fun to see their expressions watching the trains go through the intricately designed miniature cities. Every year they add something new. This year they added the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It goes through mid January and well worth seeing. Eiteljorg also validates underground parking.

I have been wanting to see the displays of Jingle Rails. It seems that the season ends after each MLKJ Day (free admission with non-perishable donation on that day). It has expanded to 7 areas of the US. The Indy Lucas Oil Stadium was quite the design so look inside the miniature replica. There were the Colorado skiing, Mt. Rushmore, Las Vegas, and more. Of course, look up and around for the miniature trains. Their café menu was unique and tempting. I wished I had time to sit and eat but there was so much to see and do.

It had been many years since I last visited the Eiteljorg, and I found my way back to visit the Grand Canyon exhibit during summer 2016 - phenomenal! Like others have commented, it is a smaller museum but there are quite a lot of paintings and artifacts surrounding Native American culture. While here, I had the opportunity to hear an hour-long lecture from Dr. Dwight Pitcaithley, former chief historian with the National Park Service. He presented about the history of the NPS, the "sleeper" programs we don't hear about and the future of NPS. Very eye-opening, engaging and informative. Did you know there are 412 national parks?! I really appreciate the role Eiteljorg plays in our community and beyond - showcasing artifacts and programs that educate visitors about Western art and culture, American Indiana heritage and more. Bonus that they have a beautiful outdoor space under the sails with outdoor music, a place to dine al fresco and direct connection to the beautiful Canal Walk. Save $: Show your AAA card for $2 off admission, or print off a coupon from Visit Indy for the same $2 off offer.

We ventured here enticed by Jingle Rails, as we have thought about going to this museum since moving down here but hadn't yet. With COVID-19, they require you to use hand sanitizer upon entering and to have your temperature checked, and as most places, you are required to wear a mask. None of that bothered us, as we are perfectly fine with adhering to safety precautions. However, I did feel a lack of inviting nature upon entering. I don't know if they assumed we have visited before or what, but I had to inquire about every step of the process and each answer was very short and not as friendly as I would expect. But that happens sometimes, as I'm sure they were getting a lot of traffic for the Jingle Rails and having to deal with people not wanting to adhere to their safety measures. I overhead a group later in the day saying to the welcoming team they needed their coats checks in a very demanding way so I'm sure they've had their fair share of trying to please the rude customers. They made up for this lack of greeting by a very nice gesture in the cafe later in the day. We completed our Jingle Rails adventure and were very thirsty. When approaching the cafe, we started to realize it looked like it might not be open, it was about 3:05pm. The lady working the cafe stated they were closed but that she would still be willing to get us drinks; that was going above and beyond and was greatly appreciated! Anyways, the art throughout the museum was beautiful. There was one display that I fell in love with especially and that's the 3 piece painting of the Grand Canyon. It is a very large display and is truly breathtaking. I'm a little biased though, as my husband proposed to me at the Grand Canyon! As far as the Jingle Rails--very detailed miniature displays and very fun to see! I probably wouldn't go again, as it's more of a one time thing but would definitely recommend checking it out if you haven't! The line to get into that section was slightly irritating but again, COVID-19 is effective the way everything functions.

Eiteljorg is one of few museums I've visited which featured solely Native American historical artifacts. With tribal people having historical significance in North America, I was happy to experience different points of history and cultures throughout the museum. The arctic and Antarctic cultures were fascinating. I wish this section of the museum were more expansive. I particularly enjoyed the Christmas train section. The tracks and sets were intricately designed. It brought me back to my childhood when building choo choo train tracks around the living room were popular holiday traditions. Parking is just around the corner by the visitor center. Be sure to check in for the $2 off with Yelp.

Note! They will validate your parking when you buy a ticket. This is a great location to spend a cold day. The museum may seem small, but they've placed SO many exhibits in the space. On the front right and second floors are older works of art; painting, bronze sculpture, and photography. On the left were modern artworks by current artists. This time around there were videos, neon light fixtures, clay sculpture, and suspended bits of printed acetate in addition to paint and photography. During this time of year they have a special Christmas event called Jingle Rails. An area is filled with miniature trains with small stops and attractions made from all natural materials. As someone who lived in San Antonio, I was pleasantly surprised to see a small Alamo. It's a cute and impressive display that was easy to navigate. The gift shop was a nice and clean with friendly staff. I might have to go back an purchase a small turtle I kept eyeing.