New extended hours and online discount tickets available for iconic model railroad attraction

For Immediate Release:
Monday, Oct. 30, 2023

INDIANAPOLIS – One of Indianapolis’ favorite Hoosier holiday traditions returns this season when the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art presents the 14^th annual Fifth Third Bank Jingle Rails: The Great Western Adventure. Running from Nov. 18 through Jan. 15, the family favorite Jingle Rails model railroad display will also be open late on eight dates between Dec. 16 and Dec. 30 so families have more time and opportunities to enjoy this favorite holiday attraction and the entire museum. Visitors are encouraged to purchase discount tickets in advance at Eiteljorg.org/JingleRails.

Since 2010, Jingle Rails has delighted families across the region, building on lasting memories and creating new ones. Returning to the Eiteljorg each holiday season to experience the unique sights and sounds remains a family tradition for thousands of Hoosier families.

With more than 1,200 feet of track, Jingle Rails is a whimsical model railroad that features a network of G-scale trains winding through tunnels and over trestles, rambling past iconic scenes of Indianapolis and the American West, created with all-natural materials such as tree bark, twigs, leaves, nuts, pine cones and other woodsy materials. The adventure begins in Downtown Indianapolis as trains chug past Monument Circle decked in holiday lights, Lucas Oil Stadium, Union Station, a miniature Eiteljorg Museum and other fixtures of downtown. The display also features other Indianapolis treasures: the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Indiana State Fair. The journey heads West past iconic scenes and landmarks, including the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Las Vegas and the Golden Gate Bridge, among others. The entire Jingle Rails display was designed and built by the creative artists, botanical architects and landscape designers at Applied Imagination in Alexandria, Kentucky.

“Visiting Fifth Third Bank Jingle Rails at the Eiteljorg Museum is a cherished holiday tradition each year for so many families in Indianapolis and around the state,” Eiteljorg President and CEO Kathryn Haigh said. “This season, we are excited to offer extended evening hours on select dates in December so more guests can attend and experience this wonderful holiday attraction, which entertains and fascinates our youngest and oldest visitors alike. We look forward to welcoming back returning visitors and meeting new ones at what has become one of Indianapolis’ most beloved holiday attractions.”

Jingle Rails is included with general museum admission, so visitors can take advantage of all the museum has to offer, including current exhibitions such as UNSETTLE/Converge: The Eiteljorg Contemporary Art Fellowship 2023, the Jingle Rails family area with train tables and activities to delight young visitors, and a family favorite, the R.B. Annis Western Family Experience. This popular discovery area on the Canal Level highlights five diverse families of the American West through immersive play environments.

Discount Jingle Rails Tickets: Purchase $2 off discount tickets in advance at Eiteljorg.org/JingleRails. Museum members and children 4 years old and under are free. Museum memberships can be purchased online or onsite, and open the door to exclusive opportunities throughout the year. The family-grandparent level of membership is ideal for those bringing older children to Jingle Rails. The Eiteljorg Museum is also a proud participant in the Access Pass Program.

Image courtesy of Zach Dobson

Extended Hours: On select dates Dec. 16 through Dec. 30, the Eiteljorg will be open until 7 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and on Sunday Dec. 17. Standard closing time is 5 p.m. Here is a full list of extended hours:

Saturday Dec. 16: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Sunday Dec. 17: Noon – 7 p.m.
Thursday Dec. 21: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Friday Dec. 22: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Saturday Dec. 23: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Thursday Dec. 28: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Friday Dec. 29: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Saturday Dec. 30: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.

There will not be extended hours on Sunday Dec. 24 (Christmas Eve) and Sunday Dec. 31 (New Year’s Eve); the museum will close at the standard time, 5 p.m. on those dates. The museum and Jingle Rails are closed Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 23), Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Regular hours (not extended) will resume Jan. 2, 2024.

New this year, to spotlight Jingle Rails to passing motorists downtown during the holiday season, a whimsical inflatable train will appear on the Eiteljorg’s front lawn. Special programs also are planned, including members-only events, art-making workshops and more. Visit Eiteljorg.org/events for details.

Image courtesy of Zach Dobson

The Eiteljorg is grateful to its group of loyal volunteers who help present Jingle Rails and make the model railroad attraction a success, including model-train hobbyists and others who enjoy meeting and greeting the public. Anyone interested in volunteering during Jingle Rails can contact Rachel Noll at Rnoll@eiteljorg.com.

Fifth Third Bank is once again the title sponsor of Jingle Rails: The Great Western Adventure. Jingle Rails is sponsored by Katz, Sapper and Miller, One America, Barnes & Thornburg LLP, the Indiana Soybean Alliance, The Hagerman Group, The Butler Family Foundation Endowed Jingle Rails Fund, the Sunrise Foundation, Boot Barn, the Indiana Arts Commission and the Arts Council of the City of Indianapolis. Additional support is from Stuart’s Household Furniture Moving and Storage, Inc.

About the Eiteljorg
A cultural pillar for nearly 35 years in downtown Indianapolis’ scenic White River State Park, the Eiteljorg Museum seeks to inspire an appreciation and understanding of the arts, histories and cultures of the Native peoples of North America and the diverse peoples of the American West by telling amazing stories. Located on the Central Canal at 500 West Washington St., the Eiteljorg is a 501c3 nonprofit organization.

Media Contacts
Bryan Corbin
Public Relations Manager
317.275.1315
bcorbin@eiteljorg.com

Bert Beiswanger
Director of Marketing and Communications
317.275.1317
bbeiswanger@eiteljorg.com

Brooke Sullivan
Digital Marketing Manager
317.275.1388
bsullivan@eiteljorg.com

Tim Eterno
Marketing and Communications Intern
317.275.1367
teterno@eiteljorg.com

Editor’s note: Here is some local news media coverage of Jingle Rails:

Indianapolis Recorder newspaper, Nov. 20, 2023

Johnson County Daily Journal newspaper, Nov. 25, 2023