Columbus, Indiana
Miller House and Garden
open 10 AM - 4 PM
Miller House offers an integration of house and landscape that draws upon historical precedents without repeating them, enfolding them in a compelling composition of forms and spaces that captures the genius of its designers, the aspirations of its owners, and the spirit of their time.
Commissioned by industrialist and philanthropist J. Irwin Miller and his wife Xenia Simons Miller in 1953, Miller House expands upon an architectural tradition developed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe—epitomizing the international Modernist aesthetic—with an open and flowing layout, flat roof and stone and glass walls. The rooms, configured beneath a grid pattern of skylights supported by cruciform steel columns, are filled with textiles that feature strong colors and playful patterns. Amid the residence’s large geometric gardens, its grandest feature is an allée of honey locust trees that runs along the west side of the house. In 2000, the Miller House became the first National Historic Landmark to receive its designation while one of its designers, Dan Kiley, was still living, and while still occupied by its original owners. The house showcases the work of leading 20th-century architects and designers Eero Saarinen, Alexander Girard, and Dan Kiley.
Miller House and Garden is made possible through the generosity of Members of the Miller Family, Irwin-Sweeney-Miller Foundation, and Cummins Foundation.
Please note the Miller House and Garden is open by guided tour only and is not included in Free First Thursday.
Browse the information below to learn more about planning a visit to Miller House and Garden. For additional questions, please contact the Columbus Area Visitors Center at (812) 378-2622.
Parking
Tours of Miller House and Garden begin at the Columbus Area Visitors Center (506 Fifth Street, Columbus, Indiana 47201). Accessible parking is available in the main parking lot of the Visitors Center. Unfortunately, because of the property’s location in a residential neighborhood, guests cannot be received directly at the Miller property.
Restrooms
Accessible restrooms are located on the lower level of the Columbus Area Visitors Center. Restrooms are not available at the Miller House and Garden.
AGE REQUIREMENTS
The Miller House tour is oriented to adults and children over 10-years-old. Tickets are required for all guests. Children under 10-years-old are not permitted on the tour (including infants and toddlers).
PHOTOGRAPHY
Photography inside the house is limited. Your guide will apprise you of the specific guidelines. Still photography only. Flash, tripods, and other photographic equipment are not permitted.
Shoes
To protect the carpeting and flooring at Miller House, you will be asked to wear shoe covers or remove your shoes and tour the house in socks. Shoe covers will be provided.
Service Animals
Service animals are welcome in Miller House and Garden. Please see full policy regarding service animals here.
Mobility Access
- The shuttle from the Columbus Area Visitors Center to Miller House is wheelchair accessible upon request. To ensure the shuttle to the house is wheelchair accessible please call Columbus Area Visitor Center at 812-378-2622 when booking your tickets.
- Miller House and Garden has one wheelchair available for free on a first-come, first served basis. To reserve the wheelchair at the house, please call the Columbus Area Visitor Center in advance.
- The tour route through the house is all on one level, with no stairs or changes in elevation.
- There are minor variations at thresholds and points of transition from carpeted to uncarpeted surfaces.
- Doorways in the house are narrow, averaging approximately 30” in width; one wheelchair accommodating these dimensions is available at the Miller House.
- A limited number of lightweight, portable seating is available for use during the interior portion of the tour.