What Newfields does

Newfields, Inc. is a private nonprofit cultural institution operating a 152-acre integrated campus at 4000 Michigan Road in Indianapolis, Indiana, with a satellite historic property (Miller House and Garden) in Columbus, Indiana. Founded in 1883 as the Art Association of Indianapolis, the organization was renamed the Indianapolis Museum of Art in 1969 and rebranded as Newfields in 2017 following the unveiling of its five-pillar strategic vision. The portfolio comprises the Indianapolis Museum of Art (IMA) galleries holding a permanent collection that includes works attributed to Rembrandt, Turner, Cézanne, Picasso, O'Keeffe, and Sherman; 52 acres of curated gardens; the 22-acre Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park; two National Historic Landmarks (Lilly House and Miller House); four performance venues; and food, beverage, and retail operations. A new premium-format addition, THE LUME Indianapolis, is a multi-sensory immersive exhibition co-developed with Grande Experiences featuring Indigenous Australian content.

Newfields monetizes the campus through a hybrid revenue model combining unit-priced ticketing (general admission $15-$23; THE LUME $20-$29), tiered annual memberships ($55-$500), corporate memberships, private event rentals across multiple premium venues, on-site F&B (The Café, Garden Terrace, Café Ngura, The Beer Garden), retail (The Museum & Garden Shop), and charitable donations. Community access is funded through free Neighborhood Memberships for residents of five adjacent Indianapolis neighborhoods, free Indiana college-student memberships, First Thursday pay-what-you-wish admission, Access Pass discounted tickets ($5/family member), and donations of 25,000+ free tickets annually to partner organizations. Documented sponsorship and channel partners include Bank of America (Museums on Us), The National Bank of Indianapolis (Summer Nights Film Series title sponsor), Lilly Endowment, Cummins Foundation, Irwin-Sweeney-Miller Foundation, Henry Luce Foundation, Herron School of Art + Design, Classical Music Indy, and The Children's Museum of Indianapolis (Access Pass).

The technology layer is conventional for a mid-major cultural institution: Contentful CMS powers the DiscoverNewfields.org website, Google Analytics handles non-personal aggregate traffic analysis, and YouTube API and Google services support embedded video. Newfields' point of differentiation in immersive technology — THE LUME — is licensed from Grande Experiences rather than built in-house. The organization reports 101-250 employees and operates under a board of trustees with no parent company, no venture or private equity ownership, and no public-market listing.

Name

Newfields

Legal name

Newfields, Inc.

Website

https://discovernewfields.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1883

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Newfields is a private nonprofit operating a 152-acre Indianapolis cultural campus combining the Indianapolis Museum of Art galleries, 52 acres of gardens, two National Historic Landmarks, performance venues, a nature preserve, and an immersive digital art exhibition, serving general visitors, members, students, and corporate event clients across the Midwest.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Museum & Gardens

NAICS

Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Historical Sites (712120), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Museums (712110)

akta.pro primary industry

Art Museums (THAJADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Parks, Gardens & Botanical Attractions (THAJACAH), Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty) (BPAGAHAA), Specialty & Historic Venues (Landmarks, Estates) (THAHAAAK), Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG)

Keywords

• Art museum galleries
• Cultural campus experiences
• Historic home tours
• Garden nature park
• Immersive art exhibitions

Headquarters

HQ city

Indianapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. General Admission Tickets: Revenue from ticket sales for general admission to the Indianapolis Museum of Art galleries, The Garden, and special exhibitions. Adults $23, Seniors $20, Youth $15, Children 5 and under free. Special exhibitions like THE LUME have separate pricing.
2. Membership Subscriptions: Annual membership subscriptions providing free general admission, discounts on events, early access to tickets, and member-only perks. Tiers range from Newfields 1 ($55/year) to Five Seasons Circle ($500/year).
3. Food & Beverage Operations: Revenue from The Café, Garden Terrace, Café Ngura, and The Beer Garden at Garden Terrace, featuring seasonal menus and specialty offerings.
4. Retail Operations: Revenue from The Museum & Garden Shop selling jewelry, glass, textiles, books, stationery, plants, and gift items featuring reproductions from the IMA art collection.
5. Event Rentals: Private event rentals including weddings, corporate dinners, fund-raising galas, and receptions at venues like Randolph H. Deer Special Events Pavilion, Lilly House, and Tobias Theater.
6. Donations & Charitable Contributions: Donations from members and supporters supporting programs like First Thursday and care of art collection and gardens.
7. Corporate Memberships: Annual corporate membership program granting employees access to exhibitions, programs, events, and venues with executive benefits.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels10 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Newfields operates a 152-acre cultural campus in Indianapolis, Indiana, offering integrated art, garden, nature, and historic estate experiences. Core offerings include the Indianapolis Museum of Art galleries (featuring Neo-Impressionist and contemporary art collections), The Garden at Newfields (52 acres), The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park (22 acres), two National Historic Landmark homes (Lilly House and Miller House and Garden), immersive digital exhibitions such as THE LUME Indianapolis, seasonal events, performance venues, and supporting food, beverage, and retail operations.

Product overview

Newfields is a 152-acre cultural campus in Indianapolis, Indiana, operating as a unified platform of art and nature experiences. The portfolio comprises core visitor attractions (Indianapolis Museum of Art Galleries, The Garden at Newfields, The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park, Lilly House, Miller House and Garden), enhanced experiences (THE LUME Indianapolis immersive exhibitions, seasonal events including Winterlights and Harvest Nights, Summer Nights Film Series), amenities (The Café, Garden Terrace dining, The Museum & Garden Shop), and performance venues (The Tobias Theater, Amphitheater, DeBoest Lecture Hall, Randolph H. Deer Special Events Pavilion). Access is facilitated through tiered membership programs and community access initiatives (First Thursdays, Access Pass, Neighborhood Memberships). The campus also supports event rentals and educational/community engagement programming.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Indianapolis Museum of Art (IMA): The primary art museum galleries featuring collections of Neo-Impressionist paintings, Abstract Expressionism, Minimalism, Pop Art, and contemporary works from Asia, ancient Greece, South America and beyond
• The Garden at Newfields
• Lilly House
• Miller House and Garden
• The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park
• The Tobias Theater
• The Café
• Garden Terrace
• The Museum & Garden Shop
• THE LUME Indianapolis

Products and services

• Indianapolis Museum of Art (IMA) Galleries
• The Garden at Newfields
• The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park
• Lilly House
• Miller House and Garden
• THE LUME Indianapolis
• The Café
• Garden Terrace
• The Museum & Garden Shop
• Newfields Memberships
• Winterlights
• Harvest Nights
• The National Bank of Indianapolis Summer Nights Film Series
• Private Event Rentals
• Corporate Membership Program
• Clowes Pavilion Reimagined
• Community Access Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,261 free neighborhood memberships distributed
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Grande ExperiencescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 May 2025Co-created THE LUME Indianapolis immersive exhibition featuring Connection: Land, Water, Sky – Art & Music from Indigenous Australians. Grande Experiences provides the immersive technology and exhibition content while Newfields hosts the experience in its IMA Galleries.
• Classical Music IndyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2024CMI City Sounds project featuring original composition 'Sharing Sacred Space' by Rob Funkhouser, performed in the Clowes Pavilion. Project supported by Arts Council of Indianapolis and Lilly Endowment.
• National Museum of AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-created and produced the Connection exhibition with Grande Experiences, providing Indigenous Australian art content and cultural expertise.
• Herron School of Art + DesignminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudent partnership to create THE LUME Featurettes – three commissioned digital art installations (Echoes of Home, Harmonia, Evren) displayed in THE LUME Indianapolis.
• The Children's Museum of IndianapoliscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAccess Pass program partnership enabling qualified families to purchase $5 general admission tickets to Newfields and other Indianapolis cultural destinations.
• Columbus Area Visitors CentercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorManages Miller House and Garden tour bookings, shuttle services, and ticket sales for visits to the National Historic Landmark property.
• Bank of AmericacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMuseums on Us program providing free general admission to Bank of America, Merrill Lynch, and U.S. Trust cardholders on first full weekend of each month.
• Jewish Federation of Greater IndianapolisminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCultural partnership night at Winterlights celebrating Chanukah.
• Arte Mexicano en IndianaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCultural partnership night celebrating Las Posadas.
• Indy Kwanzaa CommitteeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCultural partnership night for Kwanzaa celebration at Winterlights.
• Indy PrideminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCultural partnership night celebrating Pride at Winterlights.
• Indianapolis Cultural-destinations ConsortiumcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMulti-institution partnership for Access Pass program enabling $5 admission for qualifying families across Indianapolis cultural destinations.
• Crown Hill Neighborhood AssociationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNeighborhood partnership organization collaborating on neighborhood boundaries for free Neighborhood Membership program.
• Mapleton-Fall Creek Neighborhood AssociationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNeighborhood partnership organization collaborating on neighborhood boundaries for free Neighborhood Membership program.
• Riverside Civic LeagueminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNeighborhood partnership organization collaborating on neighborhood boundaries for free Neighborhood Membership program.
• Historic Meridian Park Neighborhood AssociationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNeighborhood partnership organization collaborating on neighborhood boundaries for free Neighborhood Membership program.
• Historic Watson Park Neighborhood AssociationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNeighborhood partnership organization collaborating on neighborhood boundaries for free Neighborhood Membership program.
• Indiana LandmarksminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHistoric Preservation Education Grant provider for programs at Lilly House.
• The National Bank of IndianapoliscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle sponsor of Summer Nights Film Series (celebrating 50 years), providing brand visibility and cross-promotion opportunities.
• Iconic HousesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNetwork membership for Miller House and Garden as an iconic architectural destination.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Art Institute of Chicago: One of the largest encyclopedic art museums in the U.S., located in the same Midwest region. Offers overlapping collection strengths (Impressionism, contemporary, Asian art) and similar ticketing/membership structure, but at substantially greater scale and brand recognition.
• Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art: Bentonville, AR museum integrating American art collection with extensive nature trails and architecture. Comparable art + nature platform model and family/community programming orientation, with significantly larger operating budget and national draw.

Direct peers

• Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art: Kansas City art museum with a similar integration of art galleries and a major sculpture park and grounds. Both institutions pair a permanent art collection with extensive outdoor landscape — making it one of the closest structural peers to Newfields' combined IMA + Fairbanks Park + Garden model.
• Longwood Gardens: Major U.S. botanical garden operating expansive horticultural displays, ticketed admission, memberships, and ticketed seasonal events (Winterlights-style). Closest operating peer to Newfields' combined Garden + performance venue + seasonal programming model.
• Minneapolis Institute of Art: Major Midwestern art museum with free general admission, comparable encyclopedic collection spanning global art history, and similarly integrated public programming. Direct comparable in scale, mission, and audience demographic to Newfields' IMA galleries.
• Denver Art Museum: Mid-sized U.S. art museum with comparable operating scale, ticketed special exhibitions, tiered memberships, and community engagement programs — structurally similar to Newfields in collection breadth, programmatic depth, and revenue mix.
• The Children's Museum of Indianapolis: Indianapolis-based peer and Access Pass partner. World's largest children's museum with comparable free/discounted community access programs, membership tiers, and shared visitor base in the Indianapolis market.
• Conner Prairie: Indiana-based interactive history park and museum on a large campus. Closest geographic and programming peer to Newfields' Fairbanks Art & Nature Park + historic home experiences, competing for regional family and school group visitation.
• Chicago Botanic Garden: Large regional botanical garden in the Midwest offering 52+ acres of curated gardens, seasonal events, dining, and educational programming. Directly comparable to Newfields' Garden component in scale, programming calendar, and membership/event revenue model.
• Indianapolis Museum of Contemporary Art / Eiteljorg Museum: Indianapolis-based cultural institution offering ticketed admission, membership programs, and event rentals, competing for the same Indianapolis cultural tourist and member base as Newfields.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NewfieldsToday
• Facebookfacebook.com/newfieldstoday

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Newfields