Public Tours

We welcome you to discover, explore and experience historic Crown Hill Cemetery on our award-winning tours! Led by knowledgeable guides, our tours allow you to enjoy Crown Hill and experience nature at its finest as you learn about the history and heritage of our country’s third-largest cemetery. With over 220,000+ stories to tell, we’re just getting started!

Tour groups are limited to 35 and all tickets must be purchased online in advance. There will be no tour tickets sold at the gate. Please get your tickets early!

For student and child groups, please arrange a Private Group Tour for your group.

Heritage Tours

Our most popular tour! The Heritage Tour presents the history of Crown Hill Cemetery while visiting the graves of some of the many interesting people buried here, both the famous and not so famous, recent and long gone. A variety of monuments will be seen, including some of our most recognized statues.
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Our most popular tour! The Heritage Tour presents the history of Crown Hill Cemetery while visiting the graves of some of the many interesting people buried here, both the famous and not-so-famous, recent and long gone. A variety of monuments will be seen, including some of our most recognized statues.

Tour participants will also have an opportunity to enjoy the stunning 360-degree panoramic view of the downtown Indianapolis skyline around sunset from the tomb of the famous Hoosier Poet, James Whitcomb Riley, high atop beautiful Crown Hill. This tour captures highlights from many of our other tours and is interesting for all ages. Highly recommended! This is a walking tour that will cover about one mile at a comfortable pace for most.

This tour is offered five times in 2023:
June 3 – 7:30-9:30 p.m. September 16 – 6:00-8:00 p.m.
July 29 – 7:30-9:30 p.m. October 14 – 4:30-6:30 p.m.
August 26 – 7:00-9:00 p.m.

Tour Tickets:
- $10 per person (children under 5 free)
- No gate sales, tickets must be purchased online
- Ticket sales limited to 35 people
Walking tour! This is a walking tour that will cover about a mile at a comfortable pace for most.

Where to meet: Inside 34th St. Gate in front of the Waiting Station at 3400 Boulevard Place. Arrive 10-15 min. early.

All children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
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Saturday, June 3 Saturday, July 29 Saturday, August 26 Saturday, September 16 Saturday, October 14

Heroes and Heritage Tour

This walking tour will share stories of courage and sacrifice of some of our Public Safety heroes buried on the Heroes of Public Safety Section.
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On the HEROES ADN HERITAGE TOUR, attendees will learn stories of courage and sacrifice of some of our Public Safety heroes buried in the Heroes of Public Safety Section. The group will proceed towards the Crown stopping by some of our most popular Indiana notables. It will conclude with the view at sunset of the downtown skyline from James Whitcomb Riley’s tomb high atop beautiful Crown Hill.

Tour Tickets:
- $10 per person (children under 5 free)
- No gate sales, tickets must be purchased online
- Ticket sales limited to 35 people
Where to meet: Inside 34th St. Gate in front of the Waiting Station at 3400 Boulevard Place. Arrive 10-15 min. early.

All children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
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Saturday, June 17

Civil War Personalities Tour

Crown Hill and the Civil War – did you know that Crown Hill Cemetery was founded in 1863 because of and during the Civil War? The original city cemetery, Greenlawn, became full due to the many Civil War soldiers being buried there. The Civil War was still being fought when Crown Hill opened its gates in June 1864, and the first burial was for Lucy Ann Seaton, the young wife of a Civil War Union Captain.
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Crown Hill and the Civil War – did you know that Crown Hill Cemetery was founded in 1863 because of and during the Civil War? The original city cemetery, Greenlawn, became full due to the many Civil War soldiers being buried there. The Civil War was still being fought when Crown Hill opened its gates in June 1864, and the first burial was for Lucy Ann Seaton, the young wife of a Civil War Union Captain. On our Civil War tour, we’ll examine the lives of the many brave soldiers and generals who took part in the War Between the States, and of the politicians, journalists, and even household servants whose lives influenced and were influenced by our country’s great conflict. Included on this tour is Civil War Union Gen. Jefferson C. Davis, the highest-ranking military officer buried at Crown Hill. (He’s not to be confused with Confederate President Jefferson Davis.)

Tour Tickets:
- $10 per person (children under 5 free)
- No gate sales, tickets must be purchased online
- Ticket sales limited to 35 people
Morning Walking Tour! This is a Saturday morning walking tour that will cover about a mile at a comfortable pace for most.

Where to meet: Inside 34th St. Gate in front of the Waiting Station at 3400 Boulevard Place. Arrive 10-15 min. early.

All children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
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Saturday, July 1

Bird Watching Tour

Join local bird guide and advocate Wes Homoya for an early evening stroll through the Crown Hill Cemetery grounds to see what feathered friends share the property with us.
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Join local bird guide and advocate Wes Homoya for an early evening stroll through the Crown Hill Cemetery grounds to see what feathered friends share the property with us (probably no canaries, but maybe a goldfinch or two!). Wes will point out and share info about whatever birds we come across, wrapping up in time for you to go get dinner and watch the sunset somewhere. Bring your binoculars if you have some; Wes will have a few extra pairs for those who might need them.

Tour Tickets:
- $10 per person (children under 5 free)
- No gate sales, tickets must be purchased online
- Ticket sales limited to 35 people
Where to meet: Inside 34th St. Gate in front of the Waiting Station at 3400 Boulevard Place. Arrive 10-15 min. early.

All children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
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Saturday, July 8

Dillinger & Eastside Notables Tour

This very popular walking tour includes the sections just north of the Waiting Station, which is a part of the cemetery not regularly covered on other walking tours. Bank robber John Dillinger’s grave will, of course, be one of our destinations. We will also stop at the graves of many other interesting and important people, and others – although unknown – have memorialized themselves with some rather unique monuments.
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This very popular walking tour includes the sections just north of the Waiting Station, which is a part of the cemetery not regularly covered on other walking tours. Bank robber John Dillinger’s grave will, of course, be one of our destinations. We will also stop at the graves of many other interesting and important people, and others – although unknown – have memorialized themselves with some rather unique monuments.

Tour Tickets:
- $10 per person (children under 5 free)
- No gate sales, tickets must be purchased online
- Ticket sales limited to 35 people
Walking tour! This is a Saturday evening walking tour that will cover about a mile at a comfortable pace for most. Participants will drive their own vehicles to the Crown at the end of the tour, after sunset, where the entire Indianapolis skyline can be seen from the top.

Where to meet: Inside 34th St. Gate in front of the Waiting Station at 3400 Boulevard Place. Arrive 10-15 min. early.

All children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
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Saturday, July 22

Angels of Crown Hill Tour

Crown Hill is home to many angel statue monuments, from delicate marble angels of the Victorian era to very recent angels of granite and bronze.
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Crown Hill is home to many angel statue monuments, from delicate marble angels of the Victorian era to very recent angels of granite and bronze. Most are very large with crosses, but one, in particular, is a very small marble angel featuring the words of “Silent Night” carved on its base in German. Angels are such a popular and important spiritual symbol in cemeteries, churches, and in the lives of millions of people, so it’s nice to pay special attention to them on a guided tour. Please join us as we stroll through a part of the cemetery to see some of Crown Hill’s angel statues during the beautiful “golden hour” of light leading up to sunset. On this tour, we’ll also learn about the families who erected these beautiful statues and enjoy the stunning 360-degree panoramic view of the downtown Indianapolis skyline at sunset from the tomb of the famous Hoosier Poet, James Whitcomb Riley, high atop beautiful Crown Hill.

Tour Tickets:
- $10 per person (children under 5 free)
- No gate sales, tickets must be purchased online
- Ticket sales limited to 35 people
Walking tour! This is a walking tour that will cover about a mile at a comfortable pace for most. It will end on the Crown around sunset where you can see a view of the entire Indianapolis skyline!

Where to meet: Inside 34th St. Gate in front of the Waiting Station at 3400 Boulevard Place. Arrive 10-15 min. early.

All children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
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Saturday, Aug 5

Stories in Stone Tour

We’ll explore some of the interesting examples of both Victorian and contemporary symbolism on monuments and markers found throughout Crown Hill.
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We’ll explore some of the interesting examples of both Victorian and contemporary symbolism on monuments and markers found throughout Crown Hill. If you’ve ever wondered about unique tree trunk monuments and common symbols such as flowers, ferns, weeping willows, stars, anchors, chains, draped flags, lambs, sun disks, serpents, angels, crosses, open books, and wreaths, then this tour is for you! We’ll also contrast these with more contemporary monuments and markers which often feature engravings of literal representations or quotes that reveal the life of the deceased. It will conclude with the view around sunset of the downtown skyline from James Whitcomb Riley’s tomb high atop beautiful Crown Hill!

Tour Tickets
- $10 per person (children under 5 free)
- No gate sales, tickets must be purchased online
- Ticket sales limited to 35 people
Walking tour! This is a walking tour that will cover about a mile at a comfortable pace for most. Participants will be at the top of the Crown around sunset, the highest hill in Marion County with a 360-degree view of the entire city skyline!

Where to meet: Inside 34th St. Gate in front of the Waiting Station at 3400 Boulevard Place. Arrive 10-15 min. early.

All children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
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Saturday, Aug 19

Crown Hill’s 160th Anniversary Tour

Crown Hill will celebrate its 160th Anniversary on September 25th, 2023. To commemorate this historic anniversary, we are offering this one-time-only 160th Anniversary Tour!
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Crown Hill will celebrate its 160th Anniversary on September 25th, 2023. To commemorate this historic anniversary, we are offering this one-time-only 160^th Anniversary Tour! This tour will encompass the fascinating origins of our beautiful cemetery, along with the stories of Crown Hill’s original Corporators. Come learn how Crown Hill and the people here have shaped the history of our city, state, and country.

Tour Tickets:
- $10 per person (children under 5 free)
- No gate sales, tickets must be purchased online
- Ticket sales limited to 35 people
Where to meet: Inside 34th St. Gate in front of the Waiting Station at 3400 Boulevard Place. Arrive 10-15 min. early.

All children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
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Saturday, September 23

Skeletons in the Closet, Part I Tours

On this interesting and very popular sunset walking tour, we’ll learn about some skeletons in the closet! Was it one of his three wives, or another long-time lover, that Skiles Test kept in a glass coffin in his “House of Blue Lights” along Fall Creek? Why does one headstone say simply, “Mother of Rosalind” and not her full name, which would have been “Helen Orr Hufnall Phaff English Wegmann English English Prince Prince”?
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On this interesting and very popular sunset walking tour, we’ll learn about some skeletons in the closet! Was it one of his three wives, or another long-time lover, that Skiles Test kept in a glass coffin in his “House of Blue Lights” along Fall Creek? Why does one headstone say simply, “Mother of Rosalind” and not her full name, which would have been “Helen Orr Hufnall Phaff English Wegmann English English Prince Prince”? He followed in the footsteps of both his father and grandfather to become bank president, building himself a 40,000 square foot mansion on the east side of town, but by the time Stoughton Fletcher died, he’d lost the house, survived his wife’s suicide, a runaway daughter’s mysterious death, and was working as a hotel elevator operator in Los Angeles when his son committed suicide as well. On this tour, we’ll discuss these lives and the lives of others who show us that money does not necessarily bring happiness. (Spoiler alert!)

Note: this is not a creepy tour about ghosts, but a historical tour about some of the people buried at Crown Hill.

Tour Tickets:
- $10 per person (children under 5 free)
- No gate sales, tickets must be purchased online
- Ticket sales limited to 35 people
Sunset walking tour! This is a walking tour that will cover about a mile at a comfortable pace for most. It will end around sunset at the top of Crown Hill, the highest hill in the county. This amazing vantage point provides a 360-degree panoramic view of the entire city skyline.

Where to meet: Inside 34th St. Gate in front of the Waiting Station at 3400 Boulevard Place. Arrive 10-15 min. early.
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Saturday, October 7

Skeletons in the Closet, Part II Tour

More skeletons! On this tour we’ll learn about the more sensational stories in the Indianapolis news from the 1860s to the 1970s. A few stops will make will be to learn about the infamous Nancy Clem and the Cold Spring Murders; bank robber John Dillinger; the rising executive slain by his mistress in the 1950s; grave robber Hampton West; the 1977 exploits of kidnapper Tony Kirtsis; Dr. Helene Knabe’s brutal unsolved murder in 1911; and the Marjorie Jackson case of 1977.
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More skeletons! On this driving tour, we’ll learn about the more sensational stories in the Indianapolis news from the 1860s to the 1970s. A few stops we’ll make will be to learn about the infamous Nancy Clem and the Cold Spring Murders; bank robber John Dillinger; the rising executive slain by his mistress in the 1950s; grave robber Hampton West; the 1977 exploits of kidnapper Tony Kiritsis; Dr. Helene Knabe’s brutal unsolved murder in 1911; and the Marjorie Jackson case of 1977. Of course, there are many others!

Note: this is not a creepy tour about ghosts, but a historical tour about some of the people buried at Crown Hill.

Tour Tickets:
- $10 per person (children under 5 free)
- No gate sales, tickets must be purchased online
- Ticket sales limited to 35 people
Where to meet: Inside 34th St. Gate in front of the Waiting Station at 3400 Boulevard Place. Arrive 10-15 min. early.

Driving tour! Participants will drive their own vehicles to each stop then get out to see the markers and monuments. Some walking is involved.

All children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
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Saturday, Oct 21

Tombstones & Fall Trees Tour

Learn about the trees of Crown Hill & their human neighbors and see our beautiful fall foliage! On this tour, participants will see the impressive tombstones, and the equally impressive nearby trees on this leisurely walk through the scenic grounds of the cemetery.
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FALL FOLIAGE! Learn about the trees of Crown Hill & their human neighbors and see our beautiful fall foliage! On this tour, led by our staff Arborist and a Crown Hill Tour Guide, participants will see the impressive tombstones, and the equally impressive nearby trees (often much more impressive!) from our TREE TOUR! You’ll take a leisurely walk through some of the scenic grounds of Crown Hill as we take a closer look at some of our tagged trees from the tour. Among the trees, visitors will hear about some of the interesting people buried at Crown Hill, and what they did during their lives.

Feel free to download our beautiful, new color TREE MAP! You can also pick up a copy of our map from the main office, from the box outside the front door of the Waiting Station (inside the 34th St. gate), or from the box attached to the post for Tree #1 next to the Fairbanks memorial, which is in front of and to the right of the Gothic Chapel.

Tour Tickets:
- $10 per person (children under 5 free)
- No gate sales, tickets must be purchased online
- Ticket sales limited to 35 people
Walking tour! This is a Saturday morning walking tour that will cover about a mile at a comfortable pace for most.

Where to meet: Inside 34th St. Gate in front of the Waiting Station at 3400 Boulevard Place. Arrive 10-15 min. early.

All children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
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Saturday, Oct 28

Fall Leaf Collection Tour

Bring your kids out for this FREE TOUR. Geared towards kids, come explore the grounds with our staff Arborist to create a fall leaf collection or just enjoy a fall tree walk.
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Bring your kids out for this FREE TOUR. Geared towards kids, come explore the grounds with our staff Arborist to create a fall leaf collection or just enjoy a fall tree walk. We will discuss the science behind fall leaf color change and why trees lose their leaves in the first place. Whether preparing for a class assignment or a nature art project at home, participants will be able to collect leaf specimens from the grounds in a facilitated tour where questions are welcome. We are bound to find beautiful moments out among our trees!

Feel free to download our beautiful TREE MAP!

Tour Tickets:
- Free tour (registration required)
- Must register in advance online
Where to meet: Inside 34th St. Gate in front of the Waiting Station at 3400 Boulevard Place. Arrive 10-15 min. early.

All children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
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Saturday, November 4