During your visit to IMA, take a self-guided tour of the art galleries, gardens and grounds. With a permanent collection exceeding more than 54,000 works and spanning 5,000 years, the Museum offers significant holdings from a variety of cultures and periods in art history.
Indianapolis Museum of Art Permanent Collection
Spread across three floors of the Museum is its collection of African, American, Asian and European art with highlights including: contemporary art, textiles, fashion art and the Museum’s growing collection of design art. In the African Art gallery, you will find a collection of art that represents all major regions of the continent including Northern, Eastern, Central, Southern and Western Africa. Over 200 works of art created prior to 1945 can be found in the American Painting and Sculpture to 1945 gallery and explore the question “What’s American about American art?” From Peruvian stirrup-spout pottery from the Chavin, Moche and Nazca cultures to gold and jade jewelry from Central America, Ancient Art of the Americas represents most of the major ancient Mesoamerican cultures. The Ancient Art of the Mediterranean displays objects from Italy, Cyprus, Iran, Greece and Egypt that reflect the relationships among these cultures. In the Asian Art gallery, more than 400 works of art that span over 4,000 years create a panorama of Asian art from China, Japan, Korea, India, Tibet and West and Southeast Asia. Discover new ideas and art experiences in the Contemporary Art gallery. With over 400 objects focusing on design after 1980 in the Contemporary Design gallery, there is much to explore in this nearly 10,000 square-foot space. The Indianapolis Museum of Art’s collection of European and American decorative arts spans centuries, from Renaissance to the present with highlights including: English porcelain of the 18th century, European porcelain, furniture from the colonial period through the modern era, European styles represented by Boulle, Pugin and Majorelle, European and American glass from the late 19th through the early 20th century and American metal work. You can study painting, sculpture, prints and decorative arts from the 12th through the early 20th centuries in the European Painting and Sculpture to 1945 gallery. Mainly focusing on the indigenous people of America, ancient objects mingled with contemporary pieces explore the Olmec and other civilizations of the Gulf Coast of Mexico, the Colima and the Maya in the Native American Art gallery. In the Museum’s Oceanic Art collection you will find more than 100 examples of South Pacific Art from: Melanesia, Polynesia, Micronesia and Indonesia. Boasting over 26,000 works on paper from medieval manuscripts to contemporary photographs, IMA’s Prints, Drawings and Photographs collection is the Museum’s largest permanent collection. The Textile and Fashion Arts gallery explores textiles and fashion from Asia, Europe and North America from Buddhist robes and furnishings from Japan to couture by prominent European designers such as Dior and Versace.
Gardens and Grounds
Explore the Museum’s gardens and grounds, renowned for their beauty and history. Encompassing 26 acres, the Museum’s main campus provides benches, walking trails and views of Robert Indiana’s iconic Love sculpture.
Shopping in the Museum Store
Remember to stop by the Museum Store located on the ground floor of the Indianapolis Museum of Art. A unique selection of jewelry, pottery, textiles, glass, books, and gift and stationary items, many of which feature reproductions from the IMA’s permanent collection, are available for purchase.
- National and international traveling art exhibitions are featured in the Indianapolis Museum of Art in addition to its permanent collection.
- IMA’s café, located on the Museum’s ground floor serves food and drinks. It is ideal for a quick bite, or leisurely meal.