by Ellis Smalley
Get ready for some big changes at Minnetrista!
Indianapolis-based private foundation Lilly Endowment Inc. recently awarded a $5 million grant to Minnetrista Museum & Gardens, and we’d like to give you a sneak-peak at the projects this award will fund over the next three years. Lilly Endowment’s generosity will help us improve our facilities, expand campus accessibility, preserve treasured historic spaces, and increase our capacity to host the events and exhibitions you know and love.
“The grant from Lilly Endowment will enable us to complete dozens of projects that will help make our buildings and campus more enjoyable, safe, and accessible for our visitors and staff,” says Brian Statz, Minnetrista’s CEO. “Together with funds provided by Ball Brothers Foundation, the George and Frances Ball Foundation, and other generous supporters, we will use these grant funds to complete important work on our historic homes and our Center Building, and restore and improve areas on our campus that are among our visitors’ favorites.”
A Campus Full of Projects
Divided into six focus areas, this investment will ensure that Minnetrista continues serving East Central Indiana long into the future.
Area 1: Staff and Fundraising Capacity
Minnetrista seeks to be responsive to our members, donors, and other supporters as we steward your gifts with intentionality and care. To better accomplish this, we will create new Finance and Development staff positions and invest in projects that expand our mission fulfillment and improve our financial sustainability.
Area 2: Staff, Volunteer, and Leadership Development
One of Minnetrista’s biggest assets is the employees and volunteers dedicated to our beautiful grounds, inviting exhibitions, engaging programs, and so much more. To invest in the people who make Minnetrista an inspiring cultural destination and welcoming gathering place, Lilly Endowment funds will provide for staff and leadership training, a volunteer management system, and more.
Area 3: Collections, Exhibitions, and Programs Support
Since its 2020 opening, the Bob Ross Experience has become a favorite campus destination, with thousands of people visiting annually. However, this popularity has led to some exhibition areas that need revitalization and repairs. Alongside a Bob Ross Experience refresh, Minnetrista will also complete a traveling Bob Ross exhibition that will bring the legacy of one of Indiana’s most beloved artists to museums across the country—keep an eye out for this traveling experience to debut right here at Minnetrista.
In addition, the Minnetrista Museum Collection will be better protected through new fire suppression systems, and archives scanners will enhance our digital collections. Lastly, when traveling along Minnetrista Boulevard in the near future, you may notice restoration work being completed on the exteriors of some of our historic houses.
Area 4: Visitor Experience Improvements
Minnetrista wants all our visitors to feel welcomed and engaged on campus, which is why upcoming projects will include updates to Center Building’s lobby, restoration of the Nature Area wetland, and the return of a cherished outdoor space that was damaged in 2022: the Colonnade Garden!
And speaking of outdoor areas, Oakhurst Gardens, where we host Faeries, Sprites, & Lights, will become easier for guests with strollers, wheelchairs, and wagons to navigate. We’ll be widening paths and incorporating smooth and level surfaces without detracting from the magical feeling of our wooded Gardens. Physical accessibility improvements will continue indoors with automatic gallery door openers, Center Building restroom modifications, and a lift in L.L. Ball Home so more people can view original Bob Ross paintings in-person.
Area 5: Facility Capacity Updates
A vast network of behind-the-scenes technology and equipment supports your favorite events and exhibitions at Minnetrista, and many of these elements are in need of repairs or complete replacements. The Center Building is almost 40 years old, so we will be investing in needed equipment updates there and in other areas across campus.
Area 6: Audience Development & Brand Awareness
To assist with campus navigation and provide additional historic and cultural context to visitors new and old, Minnetrista will develop and launch a mobile app. We’re also planning projects to improve your Minnetrista experience through an updated website, enhanced signage, and boosted historical site interpretation.
But Wait, There’s More!
Minnetrista is thrilled to be the recipient of such a monumental gift from Lilly Endowment Inc. “This generous investment will be nothing short of transformational for us,” says Lindsey Horan, Minnetrista’s President. “We are honored to be recognized in this way and are excited to begin making critical improvements across campus that will strengthen Minnetrista for decades to come.”
The grant to Minnetrista is one of 12 invitational grants that Lilly Endowment is making to help Indiana art museums strengthen and enhance their ability to contribute to cultural vibrancy in their communities and regions.
Over the next three years, Minnetrista will provide periodic updates on Endowment-funded projects here in Columns, but we hope you’ll visit us often to experience these exciting changes and improvements for yourself. You won’t want to miss this!