Local artist, Michael McAuley, created this bronze statue of local music legend, Hoagy Carmichael…read more Hoagy sits at his bronze piano just outside the IU Auditorium on the IU campus. The patio is surrounded by a lush serene garden. There is no parking close to the statue and you have to walk to see the statue. It took me some time to find, as it is tucked in near a wall just outside the doors of the Auditorium. I recommend visiting when classes are not in session. IU has a lot of interesting and beautiful art scattered around the campus.

Beautiful tribute to one of America's best composers. It captures his image well and it's so…read morerefreshing to see this be a fixture at IU, given his legacy and time there. I love that the pose is of him at work with "Stardust" at his fingertips, as he penned that just a few blocks away. It's easy for me to conjure up the image of what his style of work may have been like and I can totally hear the song in my head as I go by. I'm so happy that this tribute to him exists.

Beautiful fountain along Jordan Avenue by the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University…read more Especially wonderful at dusk or early evening when the fountain is illuminated which separates it from the building.

Showalter Fountain is one of IU's landmark locations. It also is super close to the accessible…read moreparking for IU Auditorium, so there was no way I was going to miss it during a recent Bloomington trip. Showalter Fountain includes a sculpted work from Ralph Laurent showing the mythical goddess Venue coming out of a clamshell (it's actually called "Birth of Venue"). The fountain is named after its benefactor - Grace Montgomery Showalter. It was installed in 1961. For those who remember IU's recent football championship (everyone), you'll likely remember that IU temporarily displaced bronze fish sculptures from this fountain to ensure no major hijinks going on. Laurent was born in France. He immigrated to the U.S. at age 20 to study under painter Hamilton Easter Field. He joined the IU faculty in 1942 and stayed there until retirement in 1961. Showalter Fountain isn't necessarily the fanciest fountain around, however, it's definitely one of IU's iconic landmarks in Bloomington. It was pretty cool to get to see it, especially because I didn't really plan the extra visit. I just looked up and it was there.

Pretty landmark fountain on campus. I love the mermaid theme and the fish around her. It's really…read morenice to walk past the fountain on hot days and feel the slight spray of water as you go by.

My nerdy Star Trek dreams come true. The future birthplace of one of the most popular characters in…read morethe Star Trek universe!

I haven't managed to make it to Riverside Iowa for Captain Kirk's birthplace but I'm here in…read moreBloomington and I got to visit this memorial to Captain Janeway's birthplace. Yes, the Star Trek: Voyager star was born (will be born?) on May 20, 2336. The monument is located not far from the courthouse square along a rail trail. It's not hard to find and if you're at all a Star Trek fan, make the effort. [Review 20565 overall - 102 in Indiana - 1546 of 2023.]

Nice historical society with some solid exhibits. They do a nice job of portraying the history of…read morethe county and have some interesting exhibits that rotate. One thing I was disappointed in was a lack of Hoagy Carmichael representation, since their archive has a bunch of items in relation to him, including pieces of clothing. The only mention of Hoagy I found on exhibit was part of a little exhibit on famous musicians from the county. Hoagy was further down on the list and you had to listen to a bunch of other snippets before you could get to him. I expected him to be more prominent in this location. I really liked that they had reasonably priced gift shop and a really nice selection of used books/DVDs/sheet music, etc. While the exhibit wasn't doing much in the way of Hoagy, I picked up some really nice used items in relation to him.

This local-focused, self-sustaining non-profit is a great find! The Center offers a museum,…read moreresearch library, and gift store. There are many special event throughout the year and the exhibits refresh often. The building is on the National Register of Historic Buildings and the volunteers who work there are amazing. The grounds are beautiful. Museum Admission: $2 adults, $1 children, under 5 Free (most special events are free) Parking: street or one of the parking garages located 3 blocks away Food: none Credit Cards: Visa, MasterCard

I don't get down to Bloomington nearly as often as I used to, though when I do I nearly always find…read moremyself near the area of the iconic Sample Gates. Sample Gates mark the entrance to Indiana University in Bloomington, an already beautiful campus. I spent one lovely semester here and I spent quite a bit of time here back in those days because even after I left I continued dating an IU student. The Sample Gates were donated by Edson Sample, who was named director of the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships while still an IU graduate student back in 1968. He obtained his M.S. in 1971. The gates are named for his parents, Louise Waite Sample and Kimsey Ownbey Sample Sr. Both were present at the dedication ceremony on June 13, 1987. He received a Distinguished Alumni Award from the School of Education in 2017; in 2020, Sample received one of IU's most prestigious honors--the Bicentennial Medal--in recognition of his service and longstanding support of the university. The gates are always open. They are constructed of Indiana Limestone. The two pillars are at the edge of Old Crescent - the historic site of IU's first campus buildings built between1884-1908. If you visit IU, you'll see Sample Gates. Still beautiful. Still iconic. And, I must say, super amazing at night with a light rain in the area.

I'll admit that I just saw the pin and figured I would check this out but as I do my research to…read morewrite the review, these aren't just pretty gates. The concept of a gateway to mark the entrance to the campus dates back to 1932 but they didn't actually get installed until 1987. And ever since, they are the most iconic spot on campus. IU grads know what I'm talking about. So I'll just respectfully stop here and tell you that if you're visiting or perhaps you're an alumni, get your selfie or portrait right here. Every IU graduate know of here. [Review 20571 overall - 108 in Indiana - 1552 of 2023.]