Photo Gallery
IU Bloomington Campus Online Tour: See some of our best features right from your computer.
Events & Attractions
Music, art, dance, sports, ethnic food — it's all here, nestled in a serene Midwest city surrounded by natural beauty. Bloomington, Indiana, is the quintessential college town, and was named by USA Today as one of the country's top 10 college towns. It's a great place to visit, especially if you are considering attending IU.
Events
Annual events of note that can be found at IU and around Bloomington include:
- Little 500 - April 25-25, 2014
- Commencement (Graduation) - May 9-10, 2014
- Taste of Bloomington - June 22, 2013
- Summer Festival of the Arts - May 6 - August 26, 2013
- Summer Music Festival - TBD
- Fourth Street Festival of the Arts & Crafts -August 31-September 1, 2013
- Lotus World Music Festival - September 26-29, 2013
- Freshman Family Weekend - September 20-22, 2013
- Parents Weekend - November 8-10, 2013
- Homecoming Weekend - November 2, 2013
For a more complete listing of events on campus and in the surrounding community:
Attractions
On Campus
Landmarks:
- Indiana University Athletics Cook Hall: Home to the Pfau Shine Legacy Court, a unique museum and exhibit space that chronicles the history of Indiana basketball with photographs, artifacts, trophies, and interactive touch-screen kiosks that celebrate IU's championship teams and basketball traditions.
- Indiana Memorial Union (IMU): One of the nation's oldest and largest student unions, it features bowling, billiards, dining, shopping, and a hotel
Museums:
- IU Art Museum: See masterpieces of art and craft from every era of history and every corner of the globe.
- Lilly Library: View rare and historic books, manuscripts, and letters, like the Gutenberg Bible.
- Mathers Museum of World Cultures: Travel the world from Australia to Zanzibar without leaving Bloomington.
- Grunwald Gallery of Art: Enjoy contemporary art by nationally known artists and IU's own students.
- Wylie House Museum: Take a step back in time to the home of IU's first president.
Performances:
- IU Auditorium: Audiences thrill to Broadway productions, renowned guest speakers, and world-class concerts.
- Jacobs School of Music: Attend concerts, recitals, ballet, opera, and other events year-round.
- Department of Theatre & Drama: Experience award-winning classics and bold new premieres on three different stages.
Off Campus
- Bloomington Convention & Visitors Bureau can give you many ideas
- Bloomington Parks and Recreation, striving to provide the highest quality parks, recreation services, and greenspace to enhance the quality of community life
- Bloomington Playwrights Project
- Brown County State Park, Indiana's largest park is a traditional fall color hot spot, with nearly 20 miles of tree-lined roads and many scenic vistas overlooking miles of uninterrupted forestland.
- Buskirk-Chumley Theater, which hosts a dazzling array of live performances, lectures, and films.
- Cardinal Stage Company
- Downtown Bloomington offers a variety of opportunities for recreation, shopping, and fine dining.
- Lake Monroe, located 10 miles southeast of Bloomington with swimming beaches, public camping areas, boating, and nature trails.
- Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center, a monument and temple founded by Thubten Norbu, IU professor and elder brother of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
- WonderLab, a hands-on museum of science, health, and technology for people of all ages, especially children.
