Bloomington, Indiana, a Midwest Gem – A Visitor’s Guide

Established in 1941, the Eskenazi Museum of Art at Indiana University is the foremost university art museum in the country and one of the best things to do in Bloomington, Indiana. Housed in I. M. Pei’s iconic triangular building on the campus of Indiana University, the museum is home to an internationally acclaimed collection of over 45,000 works of art that include paintings by Claude Monet and Pablo Picasso, African masks, and jewelry.

Aiming to inspire, encourage, and enrich the lives of every visitor to the museum through the beauty of art, the IU Art Museum features permanent collection galleries, traveling exhibitions, and special installations. The museum also features on-site sculptures arranged into nine curatorial areas across three floors. Visitors can enjoy guided tours around the museum for free, though they need to be booked in advance.

Eskenazi Museum of Art at Indiana University, 1133 E. 7th Street, Bloomington, Indiana, Phone: 812-855-5445

The WonderLab Museum of Science, Health and Technology is an outstanding science museum in the heart of Bloomington dedicated to providing opportunities for visitors of all ages to experience the wonder of science. The museum accomplishes its goal by providing an excellent range of immersive and hands-on exhibits, displays, and programs that inspire curiosity, stimulate questioning, and encourage exploration of science and technology.

Exhibits include the George and Evelyn Brabson Discovery Garden, the Bubble-arium, the Fitzgerald Hall of Natural Science, and the Lester P. Bushnell WonderGarden, as well as “How Things Work,” and various art displays. If you are wondering what to do in Bloomington with kids, this is a great place to visit. WonderLab also hosts a variety of educational and age-specific programs, hands-on workshops, innovative activities, and live animal programs for both adults and children throughout the year.

WonderLab Museum of Science, Health and Technology, 308 W. Fourth Street, Bloomington, Indiana, Phone: 812-337-1337

Monroe Lake is 10,750-acre reservoir located southeast of Bloomington and is surrounded by nearly 24,000 acres of protected forests and wilderness areas. Spread over the two counties of Monroe and Brown, the lake provides local residents with beautiful and natural recreational areas in which to enjoy the great outdoors.

Ransburg Scout Reservation is located on the eastern shore along with the Fourwinds Resort and Marina, which is home to over 800 boats. Visitors can enjoy year-round fishing on the lake, as well as other recreational activities such as boating, water-skiing, and kayaking. Expert interpretive naturalists present an array of programs at the visitor’s center during the summer season.

4850 S. State Road 446, Bloomington, Indiana, Phone: 812-837-9546

Based at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music (MAC) is one of America’s greatest performance venues. It can accommodate up to 1,460 people and is home to the Jacobs School of Music Ballet Department. The Musical Arts Center and Ballet Department offer a calendar of internationally renowned performances throughout the year, including The Nutcracker, The Barber of Seville, Carmen, and Oklahoma.

The Jacobs School of Music offers a wide range of music programs, summer academies, and adult summer workshops, as well as pre-college programs and music classes for adults and children.

Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, 1201 East Third Street, Bloomington, Indiana, Phone: 812-855-7433

Discover the University of Indiana on a daily campus visit and tour, which will allow you to learn all about the history of the university and the spirited community that calls it home and to explore the magnificent campus grounds.

Three different Indiana University Tours are offered: a group information session, which gives an overview of the university from an academic, cultural, and social point of view, an overall campus tour led by current students that covers the layout of the school, its buildings, faculties, and residences, as well as its beautifully maintained grounds, and a residence hall tour, which takes a look at the places the students call home. Tours are available on most weekdays and need to be booked in advance.

300 N. Jordan Avenue, Bloomington, Indiana, Phone: 812-855-0661

Located in the heart of downtown Bloomington, the Buskirk-Chumley Theater is a performance venue that showcases a range of stage performances, shows, and entertainment for the local community every year. The site also provides a base for both local and nationally-known performers from which to perform, as well as an inviting space for the community to enjoy the arts.

If you are looking for romantic date night ideas in Bloomington IN, watch a performance at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater. Performances range from music and movies to dance and theater, including internationally renowned shows such as Of Mice and Men and Mary Poppins. The theater is located just off the downtown square and situated close to many of the city’s downtown attractions, restaurants, bars, and nightclubs.

Buskirk-Chumley Theater, 114 East Kirkwood Avenue, Bloomington, Indiana, Phone: 812-323-3020

What to do if you are traveling with kids:

The Bloomington Community Farmers Market is a weekly market that sells a variety of farm fresh produce, handcrafted products, and other organic items produced by local farmers, artisans, and artists.

Visitors to the market can explore over 40 vendor stalls to discover a wide variety of delicious locally grown produce, including fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers, as well as dairy, charcuterie, and homemade honey, jam, jellies, and pickles. During the winter months of November and December, the market offers an array of winter produce, cheese, chocolates, coffee, and arts and crafts. The market also features live music and other entertainment.

East Lot, Bloomington Civic Plaza, 1800 W. Old Shakopee Road, Bloomington, Indiana, Phone: 952-563-8700

Activities and Attractions for Couples:

Founded by Thubten Jigme Norbu, brother of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet, the Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center and Kumbum Chamtse Ling Temple are the oldest and largest centers of Buddhism in the United States. Established with the aim of nurturing and preserving the rich culture and heritage of Mongolia and Tibet, the center features several shrines, stupas, sculptures, and prayer wheels.

The beating heart of the center is the Kumbum Chamtse Ling Temple (meaning “Field of Compassion” in Tibetan) and residences for the monks. Visitors can enjoy guided tours through the center, which includes stops at a reception room, special shrine room, and bookstore, giving visitors a chance to learn more about the ancient culture of Buddhism along the way.

3655 Snoddy Road, Bloomington, Indiana, Phone: 812-336-6807

Built in 1835 and owned and operated by Indiana University Libraries, the Wylie House Museum was the home of Andrew Wylie, the first president of Indiana University, and his family. Today, the historic house is a museum dedicated to displaying life at the Wylie home in the mid-19th century, and it offers guided tours to the public.

Aligning itself with the campus curriculum, the museum also provides educational programs and research opportunities for students and faculty of the University. Free guided tours are conducted every day of the week from May to November, and the Wylie House has a small gift shop where visitors can purchase heirloom seeds grown in the museum gardens.

307 E 2nd St, Bloomington, IN 47401, Phone: 812-855-8028