Length: 90 minutes
Recommended Age Group: Adults (13+)

Explore historic downtown Indianapolis and discover stories hidden within the city’s landmarks. Along the way, learn about architectural styles while competing for prizes in an Indy-themed activity.

Tourgoers will discover the distinctive heart of Indianapolis, seeing exteriors of the Indiana Statehouse, Soldiers & Sailors Monument, St. Elmo’s Steakhouse, and more. Participants will leave with the skills necessary to begin decoding buildings in cities across the country, analyzing their styles and details for a better understanding of local history.

Length: 45 minutes
Recommended Age Group: All Ages

Discover animals in architecture and sculpture while exploring downtown Indianapolis. Guides will share stories and symbolism behind these creatures and how they connect to the city’s history. Learn American Sign Language signs for animals throughout the tour and complete take-home activities to make the experience even more memorable.

Tourgoers will investigate exteriors of numerous landmarks, including the Birch Bayh Federal Building & U.S. Courthouse, Soldiers & Sailors Monument, Circle Tower Building, and more. Participants will leave with a greater appreciation for architectural and artistic details often hidden in plain sight.

Length: 60 minutes
Recommended Age Group: Adults (13+)

Experience Indianapolis’s most recognizable district to uncover how and why these blocks have become a symbol of the city. Along the way, guides will share stories and symbolism hidden in plain sight to help guests better understand their place within the heart of downtown.

Tourgoers will examine landmarks from various eras, including exteriors of the Soldiers & Sailors Monument, Christ Church Cathedral, Circle Theatre, and more. Participants will leave understanding how the district’s unique combination of public and private spaces both reflects and shapes Indy’s role as a capital city.

Length: 60 minutes
Recommended Age Group: Adults (13+)

Discover Indianapolis’s German roots at the historic Athenaeum, as guides trace the building’s evolution from a German clubhouse to a hub of modern urban life. Tourgoers will enjoy unique architectural features throughout the late nineteenth-century building, while learning how they reflect the founders’ “sound mind in a sound body” ethos.

Along the way, guides will highlight the Athenaeum’s connections to the Vonnegut, Lieber, and Schnull families and the mark they left on the streetscape, culture, and business community in a growing Indianapolis throughout the early 1900s. Participants will leave with a better understanding of the German American influence on the city and the importance of preserving cultural landmarks.

Due to anticipated construction surrounding Indianapolis City Market, we are unable to offer Catacombs tours after Oct. 31, 2023. If you would like to notified when tours become available, please email tourism@indianalandmarks.org

Length: 30 minutes
Recommended Age Group: Adults (13+)

Descend into one of the city’s most unique underground spaces, the Catacombs beneath Indianapolis City Market’s west plaza, as guides explain its place in downtown history. Tourgoers will not see bones or crypts, but they will enjoy brick-lined views of two historic landmarks: Indianapolis City Market and the cellar of Tomlinson Hall.

Along the way, learn about the rise and fall of Tomlinson Hall and how its loss impacted the local community. Participants will leave with a greater appreciation for Indianapolis City Market and the importance of ongoing historic preservation efforts.

Due to anticipated construction surrounding Indianapolis City Market, we are unable to offer Catacombs tours after Oct. 31, 2023. If you would like to notified when tours become available, please email tourism@indianalandmarks.org

Length: 45 minutes
Recommended Age Group: Adults (21+)

Descend into one of the city’s most unique underground spaces, the Catacombs beneath Indianapolis City Market’s west plaza. Participants will not see bones or crypts, but they will enjoy brick-lined views of two historic landmarks: Indianapolis City Market and the cellar of Tomlinson Hall.

On this guided, adults-only (21+) tour, bring a beverage from Tomlinson Tap Room and enjoy extended time in the space, as well as photo opportunities. Tourgoers will leave with a greater appreciation for Indianapolis City Market and the importance of ongoing historic preservation efforts.

Discover how Indiana Landmarks transformed a nineteenth-century church into a modern cultural venue. Tourgoers will examine interior and exterior architectural details, while hearing stories of the site’s many lives, from the home of the state’s largest Methodist congregation to its endangered status before its remarkable restoration and adaptive reuse.

Interior spaces covered will include a theatre, reception hall, library, and art gallery. Exact tour route is subject to change based on day-of room availability. Tourgoers will leave with a greater appreciation for the power of historic preservation and the mission of Indiana Landmarks.