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Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park: 100 Acres facts for kids

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Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park: 100 Acres
100 Acres, Fairbanks Park
100 Acres entrance signage close-up.jpg
Park entrance signage in 2022
Type Nature park
Sculpture park
Location Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
Area 100 acres (40 ha)
Designer Edward L. Blake, Jr.
Owned by Indianapolis Museum of Art
Open Daily, sunrise to sunset
Status Open all year
Parking 40-space lot
Bicycle facilities Bike transport Indiana Pacers Bikeshare
Facilities Ruth Lilly Visitors Pavilion

The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park: 100 Acres is a cool public park in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. People often call it the 100 Acres or Fairbanks Park. It's part of the Newfields (Indianapolis Museum of Art) campus.

This park opened in 2010 and is one of the biggest of its kind in the United States. It has a special collection of eight artworks made just for this place. These pieces were created by artists from all over the world. You can also find walking paths, natural areas, and the Ruth Lilly Visitors Pavilion here. The park is free to visit and is open from sunrise to sunset every day.

The park is located near the Indianapolis Museum of Art. It's surrounded by natural features like woods, meadows, and wetlands. There's also a large lake, which used to be a quarry. The park is named after Virginia B. Fairbanks, whose husband, Richard M. Fairbanks, helped fund the park.

History of 100 Acres Park

100 Acres lake and vegetation 3
The park's lake is a remnant of the site's past use as a quarry

The land where the park now sits was once a gravel quarry. Workers dug up gravel for building nearby Interstate 65. In 1972, the company that owned the land gave it to the Indianapolis Museum of Art. For many years, the old quarry site remained mostly untouched.

People started using the area even though it wasn't officially open. So, in 1999, the museum worked with other groups to open the site to the public. They began taking care of the paths and removing plants that didn't belong there. The museum then made a big plan to turn the site into a public art and nature park.

In 2004, the museum asked landscape architect Edward L. Blake, Jr. and architect Marlon Blackwell to design the park. They wanted the design to highlight the park's natural beauty. The Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation gave the museum money in 2001 and 2006 to help start and run the park. In 2007, the museum announced the first artists who would create art for the park.

Some plans for the park changed in 2008. A large walkway designed by artist Mary Miss was canceled because it was too expensive and might harm the environment. The Ruth Lilly Visitors Center also became smaller. Some artists had to delay their projects, but Jeppe Hein joined the group of artists creating art for the park's opening.

When they started building the park on September 18, 2008, the museum's director, Maxwell L. Anderson, said something important. He mentioned how the land went from a natural area to an industrial site, then became a "wasteland," and then nature took it back. He hoped the museum would let nature stay in charge.

The park was supposed to open in 2009 but was delayed due to money problems. Finally, the completed park opened to everyone on June 20, 2010. Lisa Freiman was the main person who dreamed up the park.

In 2017, a new plan was made for the entire Newfields campus, including the park. This plan suggested adding a new footbridge and a path to connect different parts of the area. In 2019, the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation gave more money for park improvements. These included better paths for walking and biking, more restrooms, and new art.

In January 2023, Newfields announced a new art show called "Home Again." This show added three new artworks to the park. These pieces are Oracle of Intimation by Heather Hart, The Pollinator Pavilion by Mark Dion and Dana Sherwood, and This is NOT a Refuge by Anila Quayyum Agha. These new artworks were planned to be put in place in June 2023.

Art Collection at 100 Acres

The park is home to many interesting artworks. Some are still there for you to see, while others were part of past exhibits.

Current Artworks

  • Bench Around the Lake (2010), by Jeppe Hein
  • Free Basket (2010), by Los Carpinteros
  • Funky Bones (2010), by Joep van Lieshout
  • Park of the Laments (2010), by Alfredo Jaar
  • Stratum Pier (2010), by Kendall Buster
  • Team Building (Align) (2010), by Type A

Past Artworks

  • Chop Stick (2012), by visiondivision
  • Eden II (2010), by Tea Mäkipää
  • FLOW: Can You See the River? (2011), by Mary Miss
  • Indianapolis Island (2010), by Andrea Zittel
  • NOTICE: A Flock of Signs (2013), by Kim Beck

Park Features and Grounds

Waller Bridge over the Indiana Central Canal
Interior of the Ruth Lilly Visitors Pavilion
Oldfields visible from the Wild Birds Unlimited Native Pollinator Meadow

The park has several cool features for visitors to enjoy.

Waller Bridge

The Waller Bridge is a footbridge that crosses the Indiana Central Canal. It lets people walk between the park and the main Newfields campus. This bridge is quite old! It was first built in 1873 in a different county. Later, it was moved to its current spot and fixed up.

Central Canal Towpath

Along the eastern edge of the park, next to the canal, is the Central Canal Towpath. This path is made of crushed stone and is great for walking and biking. It connects the park to other trails like the Monon Trail and the Fall Creek Greenway. You can find bike racks and a station for Indiana Pacers Bikeshare bikes here.

Parking and Entrance

If you come by car, there's a parking lot with 40 spaces. You can get to it from W. 38th St. A crosswalk leads you from the parking lot to the park's main entrance.

Ruth Lilly Visitors Pavilion

The Ruth Lilly Visitors Pavilion was designed by architect Marlon Blackwell in 2004. It looks like a fallen leaf and uses wood, glass, and steel. The building is designed to be good for the environment, saving water and energy. It's a 1,290-square-foot (120 m2) building located in the park's woods. Inside, you'll find a room for different activities and restrooms. The pavilion has won awards for its design.

Wild Birds Unlimited Native Pollinator Meadow

The park also has a special area called the Wild Birds Unlimited Native Pollinator Meadow. This meadow was created with help from a large donation in 2019. It's designed to attract and help pollinators like bees and butterflies. Other donations also helped fund this meadow and efforts to keep the park environmentally friendly.

See also