Doesn't the name Minnetrista make you think that you'll be visiting a place with puppets? Like…read moremarionettes, right? Well, I hate to disappoint you, but there are no puppets or marionettes here. But there is an exhibit dedicated to Ball jars. Fun fact: Minnetrista was created by the Ball family, who created Ball canning jars, which you can learn about here. They are also the "Ball" behind Ball State University, which is located in Muncie. I had no idea! You will learn interesting facts like these, and others about this area of Indiana, at Minnetrista. The main museum itself is a bit small, and part of it is conference and meeting rooms. But the museum is just one part of Minnetrista. This is actually a 40-acre campus with gardens and paved trails. As you stroll along the grounds, you'll come across some houses. Some of the houses are part of Minnetrista, and you are welcome to pop inside and check out what's going on. What's going on in one of them is an exhibit dedicated to Bob Ross, the painter. At the Bob Ross Experience, you can step inside the historic home where The Joy of Painting was filmed, and see some of the actual filming equipment and art supplies that were used to create the television show. It's sort of surreal that Bob was painting his happy little trees right here in humble Muncie. Some of the houses that you encounter are not a part of Minnetrista, but belong to IU Health or other entities. It's not really clearly marked on the houses which is which. I'm sure if you consulted a map, it might tell you! I consulted no such map, and I was just walking around blindly. I visited during the late fall, when it was cold and the gardens were dormant, for the most part. But I bet this place is amazing in the spring and summer, when everything is in bloom.

Minnetrista is an event center and museum that was built in 1988 by the five Ball brothers. The…read moremodern center is part of a complex of museums and gardens on the former Ball property that sits across from the White River in Muncie. There is an admission fee to visit the galleries of $15/adult and $12/child, but the ticket grants admission to the other museums and garden as well. During our visit, we saw the Narwhal exhibit, which is a small exhibit dedicated to narwhals. A curator greeted us at the entrance and was available to answer questions. My granddaughter is a narwhal fan enjoyed the interactive displays. We also visited a special children's exhibit called Good Night Forest. Again a curator welcomed us and invited us to build a backpack and enjoy the nighttime activities set up for the kids. My granddaughter loved the firer fly dance, wandering through the dark forest listening for animals and the shadow puppet show. There were fun and educational activities suitable for all ages. We also visited a permanent exhibit describing the Ball Store History. I liked seeing all the vintage items and describing them to my granddaughter. We also toured a display for a local artist competition. The staff is super friendly and engaging. The center is immaculate and accessible. There is plenty of parking in their dedicated lot. Minnetrista is a great legacy from the Ball family to the community. Exhibits change and can be found on their website. I highly recommend a visit if you like art and history.

They got a lotta toys here! Especially educational and child-development toys. You know, them fancy…read morekind of toys that aren't just fun but also make your kids think. I did not visit with my kids, but I know my kids would have loved this toy store. They love any kind of store where they can touch and play with the merchandise, and Toys Forever is such a place. It's very hands-on. There are toys all around that people can pick up and experience, which is very cool. Even though my children were not with me, I visited Toys Forever because I wanted to get my kids something from Muncie as a souvenir. You see, I was just passing through this fine city. My kids love things that are superlative: "The world's tallest X" or "The worl'd fastest Y." So when I saw The World's Biggest Candy Necklace near the checkout counter, I grabbed two. Done and done! The candy necklaces were a hit, as I thought they would be, and they only cost a few dollars each. There are fun things for all ages and at all price points here. The people who helped me were super friendly, and I saw that they were helping several other people find what they needed and answered questions. I love charming locally owned stores like this one.

This past weekend, I spent some time in downtown Muncie. While I'm nearly always in Muncie for…read morebusiness or a project, on this visit I actually had some time to do some exploring including checking out downtown's Toys Forever Models & Hobbies shop. Located in the historic Goddard building (originally built in 1884), Toys Forever is a locally owned hobby shop started in 2007 and launched an online presence in 2015. Examples of items carried include radio control, model railroad, plastic & scale model building, games, toys, Melissa & Doug, scientific and educational games, puzzles, and more. I found the employees to be delightful and well-informed and you could tell by kids in the shop that this is a hands-on establishment. This is in downtown Muncie with solidly available street parking and occasional parking lots. Some of the street parking does have a 2-hour limit, however, unless you park down at the Courtyard by Marriott (about 3-4 blocks away) you should be able to snag free parking. Downtown Muncie is a little hit-and-miss with accessibility - curb cuts are fine, however, some stores do have a step to get in them. This shop, however, is perfectly fine in terms of accessibility and the interior is surprisingly solid. Employees seemed very willing to assist as needed. Toys Forever definitely leans more toward classic toys/games/hobbies, with some exceptions. I've long thought about getting into trains and this story really fueled that desire. I don't live in Muncie, however, I would definitely return upon future visits and really enjoyed discovering this Muncie hidden gem.

I don't find a ton of things I like in this flea market but there is one item that they have in…read morespades. They have a lot of craft supplies. They have rubber stamps, scrapbooking papers, dies for die cutting machines, and miscellaneous craft supplies like acrylic paint. So it is worth a visit and the other booths have many different items like home decor, antiques, vintage items, and who knows what else depending on the vendor. Prices are in line with other flea markets in the area. The cashiers are always friendly and I have not ever had any issues with anybody that worked there. I will continue to stop in and see what they have!

Yes you could spend hours in here. The strip mall is a bit questionable when you arrive. There are…read moremany booths to look through. The prices seem reasonable but not cheap. There was a lot of food items interspersed throughout the market. It is a bit of a maze to find your way to exit. I went to find the paper craft supplies. There are a lot of craft supplies from one seller, the selection is good but prices are not bargain basement. If you are in the area, it might be worth a visit. I read they also run auctions but I don't have any information on date and times.

This is the former James Dean Gallery in Fairmont, IN. Personally I do not want to go to the…read moremuseum. This store has any info you need to see the sites on your Dean pilgrimage and you can get some sweet 50's/60's style stuff. The owners are really great and will answer any questions you have about Fairmont, or James Dean. I got a really cool charcoal drawing of Spock and Kirk and some retro glassware.

The selection is true vintage! The staff are fantastic. Customer service is unmatched. Prices are…read morephenomenal! Find vintage toys, ornaments, home goods, and tchotchkes that can decorate one's home!

One of the best used and rare book stores in the state. Silver Age Marvel, pulp books from the 40's…read moreto 60's, Savage Sword of Conan runs from the 70's in magazine format and much more. Deep collection and very knowledgeable owner with 20+ years of experience in the same 2-story location near BSU.

Such a quaint bookstore. My only complaint is it's very unorganized and in some rooms, there's just…read morebooks thrown around. Also, just be aware this is cash only. It's not a big deal, but you gotta get that figured out before you go. Books are cheap and worth it. The owner is very nice.

This is my first visit to this brand new gift shop and I'm really impressed. These ladies have had…read morea few gifts in their cafe for a while but now they have expanded to a location in the building behind their wonderful yummy cafe, Grace Place. Don't expect it to be large, it is only one in room, but they expect to have local artwork on the walls soon and might possibly consider expansion at some time in the future. For a little shop though it has some charming items and yes, it was hard for me to get out of the shop without buying something for myself. (I succumbed!) One of my favorite things about this shop is they are selling items made by local artisans. I love not only shopping local but supporting local people. Quilted items, maple syrup, jewelry etc. There is one issue, however, and that is parking. It is very limited but if you find the parking lot full then take advantage of on-street parking. Just don't park in spaces intended for nearby businesses. Not cool.

Incredibly inviting space, friendly staff. The selection of items is good for gifts, souvenirs, or…read morepersonal home decor. The prices were reasonable for the quality and there are special days with free samples I'll have to go back for!