Top Free Things To Do In Indiana

Indiana University stops

Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art (pictured) shows off some of its 45,000 artworks in an I.M. Pei-designed building. artmuseum.indiana.edu

Lilly Library contains one of the world's 14 original Gutenberg Bibles, Ian Fleming's James Bond manuscripts and 30,000 mechanical puzzles. indiana.edu

University of Notre Dame sites

Campus Tours Guides lead visitors from the Eck Visitors Center past the Golden Dome, Basilica of the Sacred Heart and the Grotto of our Lady of Lourdes. nd.edu

Snite Museum of Art Religious works dominate this collection; the nearly 28,000 works include pieces by old masters, Native Americans, African groups, and modern and contemporary artists. sniteartmuseum.nd.edu

Free in Indianapolis

Virginia B. Fairbanks Art and Nature Park: 100 Acres at Newfields (pictured) Admire modern art while exploring the woods, meadows, wetlands and lake at this former quarry. The 100-acre park is adjacent to the Indianapolis Museum of Art. discovernewfields.org

Soldiers and Sailors Monument The 1902 monument honors Hoosiers who gave their lives in each of the nation's wars. in.gov

Congressional Medal of Honor Memorial A glass wall in White River State Park honors recipients of the nation's highest military tribute. Each day at dusk, the memorial's sound system plays recorded stories of medal winners and the conflicts in which they fought. visitindy.com

Indiana State Capitol A stained-glass dome in striking shades of blue adorn the rotunda of the 1888 Renaissance Revival building. in.gov

Richmond trails

Stained Glass Trail A five-block area in Richmond features nearly 70 stained-glass windows by Louis Comfort Tiffany. Pick up a map from the Richmond Welcome Center. The trail visits the Morrisson-Reeves Library and three churches including First Presbyterian Church (pictured). indianaglasstrail.com

Chocolate Trail A delicious way to explore the region; grab your Chocolate Trail Passport at the Richmond Welcome Center and receive free chocolate samples at nine different chocolatiers around the city. visitrichmond.org

Whitewater Gorge Park Trail A popular 3.5-mile hiking trail goes through downtown Richmond to Thistlewaite Falls, a bird sanctuary, nearly vertical cliffs, Weir Dam and an old flour mill. waynet.org

For fossil lovers

Falls of the Ohio State Park, Clarksville See one of the largest naturally exposed fossil beds along the Ohio River in Clarksville (about 100 miles southwest of Cincinnati, just across the river north of Louisville, Kentucky).Explore up to 220 acres of fossil beds (although collecting is not allowed). Naturalists lead hikers across the beds from June through October, when the river is low, to see the imprints of creatures from more than 380 million years ago.

Also visit the Blufftop Interpretive Center, which (for a fee) shows a movie recounting the area's history. fallsoftheohio.org

More in Indiana

Parke County Tour, Rockville Explore an area known for the nation's highest concentration of covered bridges (31) after picking up a self-guided tour brochure at the Parke County Tourist Information Center or online at coveredbridges.com

Santa Claus Museum and Village, Santa Claus Learn about how this town got its famous name, page through children's letters to Santa and explore its vast collection of antique toys and Santa Clauses. Then, stop by the Original Santa Claus Post Office where children can sit in antique school desks and write their own letters to Old Saint Nick. santaclausmuseum.org