gallery exhibitions
A rotating schedule of diverse exhibitions are featured in Minnetrista’s six gallery spaces. These exhibitions are catered to all age groups and interests, emphasizing art, history, and interactive experiences. One affordable ticket price gets you access to everything available at the time of your visit.
Oakhurst Experience
Oakhurst Home
The Oakhurst Experience tells the story of the George and Frances Ball family through the eyes of their daughter, Elisabeth, “Betty”. The home is filled with interactive exhibitions that make it an exciting place to play and to learn. The Experience explores the themes of literacy, home food preservation, nature, and time spent together—all things the Ball family was passionate about. Read a book from the shelves of the expansive library or challenge a friend to a game from the large collection of board and digital tabletop games. Visitors of all ages and interests are invited to come and get lost in a house full of history and wonder.
Bob Ross Experience
L.L. Ball Home
Bob Ross inspired generations of viewers with his soft-spoken voice and a pallet knife. Explore the life, philosophy, and art of this iconic American painter and arts educator inside the historic home where The Joy of Painting was filmed. Our immersive exhibition features original paintings and artifacts, inspiring visitors with Bob’s message of fearless creativity all in the building where the magic happened.
Ball Stores
Center Building, Heritage Collection Gallery
Step back in time at the Ball Stores exhibition, a captivating journey through the history of this beloved shopping destination. Adorned with the iconic brown plaid, the intimate exhibition boasts a rich collection of objects and artifacts that illustrate the memories shared by those who experienced the magic of the Stores firsthand.
Presented by
In partnership with
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Majestic Mountains at Bob Ross Experience
Bob Ross Gallery
Exciting updates have come to the Art Gallery at the Bob Ross Experience! Spotlighting iconic mountain scenes from Bob’s legendary paintings, this exhibition provides more original Bob Ross paintings for you to love. Don’t miss this opportunity to see a beautifully painted gold panning plate created by Bob during his time spent in Alaska. This rare early painting predates his rise as a public television icon and is the perfect excuse to visit (or re-visit) the Bob Ross Experience.
View more about all things related to Majestic Mountains below!
Deep Roots: Exploring the Ball Family Tree
Oakhurst Galleries
Step into the captivating narrative of the Ball family and their legacy in this original exhibition exploring Muncie’s most famous family. Through family photographs, the exhibition traces the Ball family’s path from Buffalo, New York to their remarkable impact on the East Central Indiana region that continues to this day.
Visitors can also explore their family’s history with the genealogy resources provided.
Good Night Forest
June 7–November 2, 2025
Center Building, Gallery 1 & 2
Visitors will feel like they are stepping into a beloved children’s storybook as they encounter whimsical scenes and engaging sensory activities in this nature-inspired experience. Designed to help build confidence and cultivate scientific curiosity, children will discover and learn about animals that emerge in their neighborhoods and local forests after the sun goes down.
Organized and produced by the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites, with support from the Ball Brothers Foundation and the George and Frances Ball Foundation.
Freedom Bus
Opens October 8, 2025
Center Building Parking Lot
The Freedom Bus is available by request during regular museum hours. Please check in at the Center Building for access.
Now located at Minnetrista Museum & Gardens, the Freedom Bus is a former Muncie Indiana Transit System (MITS) bus transformed into a mobile civil rights museum. With a focus on all the brave individuals who spoke up and stood up to demand equality, the bus shares powerful stories of East Central Indiana’s role in the civil rights movement.
Step inside to explore how local voices and struggles connect to the national fight for justice and equality. The Freedom Bus is more than a history lesson—it is a living reminder that the pursuit of civil rights is both our shared past and an ongoing responsibility.
The objectives of the Freedom Bus are:
to connect students to local civil rights history
to share stories of civil rights activism in East Central Indiana counties
to inspire a desire for and a willingness to work toward civil rights for all East Central Indiana residents through democratic processes
to generate dialogue between children, teachers, and parents about civil and human rights in East Central Indiana
The Freedom Bus is a project of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Dream Team, a 501 (c)(3) organization located in Muncie, IN, in partnership with Ball State University’s Virginia B. Ball Center for Creative Inquiry, the City of Muncie, and the Muncie Human Rights Commission. Members of the MLK Dream Team are dedicated to Keeping Dr. King’s “dream” alive through community-based programming that promotes civil rights education.
Bob Ross Nestled Cabins
October 25, 2025–October 11, 2026
Bob Ross Gallery
Step into the tranquil world of Bob Ross with this unique exhibition highlighting a collection of his beloved cabin paintings. Each work on display features cozy cabins—often the only sign of humans in his work—nestled in serene landscapes. This exhibition offers a look at both the familiar and the unexpected in Ross's celebrated artistic legacy.
Open Space: Art About the Land
November 8, 2025–January 4, 2026
Center Building, Gallery 3
Since 2001, Open Space: Art About the Land has encouraged artists to derive inspiration from the land. This year's offering will be shared between two venues, with one showing at Minnetrista and a sister exhibition hosted at the Anderson Museum of Art. As always, this project supports Red-tail Land Conservancy’s mission to preserve and restore vital habitats where people and wildlife thrive in East Central Indiana.
In partnership with
Presented by:
A Community Portrait: Winter
November 22, 2025–February 1, 2026
Center Building, Gallery 1
Back for the holidays with new images and stories to explore, A Community Portrait turns our neighbors into art through the beauty of portrait photography by Tom Styrkowicz. Join us for the culmination of this three-year-long project that seeks to illuminate our community through the unique individuals who call it home.
Threads of Home
December 6, 2025–March 1, 2026
Center Building, Gallery 2
Metal and glass artist Jessica Calderwood presents a stunning collection of handcrafted domes, each capturing meaningful textile patterns from diverse communities across East Central Indiana. These intricate works not only preserve the beauty of delicate textiles but also highlight their cultural significance for future generations. The exhibition is enriched with maps, photographs, and stories, offering a deeper understanding of the people and traditions behind the patterns.
Presented by:
Supported by:
