Indiana University

Top choice in Indiana


Indiana University (not University of Indiana!) routinely ranks with the cream of the crop of America's most beautiful college campuses. Founded in 1820 and forged from locally quarried Indiana Limestone, the lush grounds feature cycling and walking trails, alongside numerous sculptures and historic buildings, including Old Crescent, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

This is the home of the lauded Indiana Hoosiers, one of the most successful collegiate basketball programs of all time (If you can get a ticket, a game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall is a must), and the IM Pei–designed Eskenazi Museum of Art. Campus tours depart from the Visitor Information Center at 1pm on Sundays.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Indiana attractions

1. Eskenazi Museum of Art

0.41 MILES

Indiana University's art museum, designed by IM Pei, has an excellent, genre-spanning collection. Highlights include African art, 19th-century American…

3. Gaden KhachoeShing Monastery

5.56 MILES

Roam the quiet grounds tucked away in the woods to see traditional Tibetan colors and designs. The monastery also offers free teachings and meditation…

4. Oliver Winery

7.99 MILES

Situated in lovely grounds 8 miles north of the university, Indiana's oldest and largest winery (the biggest east of the Mississippi, in fact) is a…

5. Brown Country Art Gallery

15.48 MILES

Dating back to 1926, this splendid art gallery is one of America's oldest. It features eight galleries of local art (landscapes, wildlife and photography…

6. Bean Blossom Overlook

15.88 MILES

One of the best spots to take in the rolling hills and color-shifting treetops across Brown County. Particularly good in autumn.

8. Brown County State Park

16.75 MILES

A few miles southeast of Nashville, Brown County is Indiana's largest state park. Trails stripe the 15,700-acre stand of oak, hickory and birch trees, and…

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