If you want to know anything about James Dean, please stop at the James Dean Gallery! The owners…read moreare there to answer questions and are very helpful. They have a vintage shop in back of the Gallery that has shirts that a make on site. The people that own the Gallery are very friendly, and very easy to talk to. They make you feel very welcome.

Wonderful place to visit! A lot of information. A lot to see and they even have a small vintage…read morestore in the back of the gallery home.

Have a 18month old that just loves this place. Great place for even older kids to play on the…read moreindoor play equipment. My son could live at the water table. Place is always clean, staff is always welcoming and bathrooms are always clean. We will be back many more times can't rate this place high enough on family fun.

Just barely three stars, and only three stars because my children seemed to enjoy our visit…read more Like someone else said, this children's museum has seen better days, and those days were probably about 20 years ago. Everything is very old, dingy and dated. There are literally computer printouts taped to the walls as decorations. Many of the exhibits have broken and dirty objects in them, like torn upholstery on the chairs, dirty play food, torn carpet. Now, there is some art that is laminated, but those are peeling off the walls and placed on the wall all crooked. All these things make the museum feel so neglected. We got there on a weekday right when it opened, and the staff was still vacuuming while the children were running around and playing. Really? You can't do this before you open? Children were running around and jumping over the vacuum cord. Then, when I went to the gift shop to buy some food, the same dumb vacuum was placed right in front of the door so that I had to walk around it. Each of these things are not very big, but it's little things like this that show lack of attention to detail and bad customer service. The restroom is extremely old, and the handicap stall that I visited did not have a working lock. The toilet seat was literally disintegrating. The whole museum is not very well ventilated, and I kept smelling kid farts everywhere I went. (FYI: Kids fart a lot.) This museum is two stories, but when we visited, the exhibits upstairs were blocked off and no one could use them. Our visit was contained to the downstairs portion. I came with low expectations, but this was ridiculous and disappointing. Well, disappointing to me. My kids had fun, which is the whole point of visiting a children's museum, right? Nevertheless, I most likely won't be back unless the children beg me, which probably won't happen because there are many other places to play that are not in a state of disrepair.

If you're a James Dean fan or if you don't know much about him but you're curious to learn more,…read moreyou need to make this excursion and visit this incredible museum. James died tragically young and he had a very short career, but his talent left a lasting impression and created a legacy that's unmatched. His talent in the arts and in racing were incredible, and if you want to learn about either/both, they have tons of info and real memorabilia from James' family's personal collection here that touch on those themes, as well as lots of info from his childhood into high school, and some from his personal life before his death. Our docent was passionate about Jimmy and spoke of him like he was an old friend, which gave the tour a nice touch. The admission fee of $5 was extremely reasonable, too.

The James Dean Museum My daughter and I made a special road…read moretrip in 1993 to visit James Dean's childhood home, the cemetery where he's buried, Fairmount Museum (now the James Dean Museum) and the James Dean Gallery. I have glossy photos. I wasn't digital back then. If you're a fan of James Dean this place is a must visit. I was in a rough teen angst state when I saw the movie Rebel Without a Cause. In one scene he tells his parents looking at his father "you say one thing", (then looks at his mother), and says "you say another", then to both, "then you switch it all around again!" At that moment I had an out of body experience. Just how I felt, torn in half and angry since I was born. From then on I became the biggest fan. At one time when I owned a home the walls were covered with oil paintings and framed art all of James Dean. Every room had display cabinets with memorabilia. Nothing super valuable. Novelty items from my travels. I imagined charging admission one day to help me pay house tax! That was another lifetime ago. Now I have four of my favorite framed posters on the wall. I still have an old trunk with small items. Maybe one Winter Day I'll take photos. I love the little unusual collectibles I have left. I hope I haven't bored you. I guess I'm melancholy on his birthday. He was gone too soon. No one mentions his birth or death as was done a couple decades ago. I was a member of the fan club too. I wonder what happened to the fan club president. She lived in California. I still have her letters. I don't want to ever forget. The teenage Marianne full of frustration and anger is still a part of me. His expression of the emotions I felt as a teenager helped me realize I was not alone. I hope I'm still not alone.....

I stumbled across the Elwood Haynes Museum while traveling on my recent Tenderness Tour in the…read moreKokomo area. While I'd heard about the museum before, I knew very little about it and I can honestly say that visiting it wasn't on my itinerary for my Kokomo visit until we happened to drive by it while searching for our evening dining location. The Elwood Haynes Museum is located in the mansion owned by Elwood Haynes, a Kokomo-based inventor credited with multiple firsts including being the first to produce cars commercially back in 1894. He lived in Kokomo until his death in 1925. Haynes also invented stainless steel. Seriously. Being that the Elwood Haynes Museum was actually a residence, you might guess that wheelchair access is kind of an issue. It definitely is kind of an issue, though kudos must be given for efforts to make the mansion as accessible as possible. You go up a rather narrow, somewhat steep driveway and park in the back of the house. If you have a high vehicle or an RV type vehicle, the odds you're going to achieve this are slim to none. There's only a few parking spots, a likely indicator that visits to the museum tend to be in smaller groups. The guide who was present for our visit acknowledged that the vast majority of visitors are out of towners rather than locals, though they do host local student groups. They've concocted a rather large, wooden ramp designed to provide wheelchair access. It likely meets ADA requirements in terms of grade, though be aware the wood itself feels a little flimsy. For those with limited range of motion or upper body strength, it may be advised to have a companion or assistant with you. You then enter via a side door that leads to your standard residential hallway. As this was a turn of the 19th century house, you can easily guess that hallways are rather narrow. I had zero issues moving into each room on the first floor - a bathroom on the first floor is largely wheelchair friendly with appropriate rails. The second floor would not be accessible to a wheelchair user, while the third floor, a small area, is not open to the public. They also have a basement area that is not open to the public. There's also an attached carriage house that had three of Haynes's vehicles within it along with a safe that had been created from the materials he invented. The Elwood Haynes Museum really is rather fascinating, though it's a rather quick view with a maximum of 1-2 hours needed to enjoy the entire museum. Admission is free, though donations are welcomed and somewhat encouraged in a low pressure sort of way. The exhibit, in addition to the vehicles, includes a wealth of photos, documents, inventions and other items related to Haynes, a figure who contributed greatly to modern motoring yet remains relatively unknown when compared to many others. The volunteer who was present was friendly and knowledgeable about Haynes's history and worked at a comfortable pace in explaining the museum. This was definitely an unexpected gem during my time in Kokomo.

For history buffs, or car buffs, or fans of invention, this is a "must stop" place to visit while…read morein Kokomo. The home of Elwood Haynes is partly a time capsule showing the Haynes residence and all those wonderful antiques you might expect. The other part of the building is the museum tribute to Mr Haynes and some of the other famous inventors/inventions of Kokomo. I hadn't done any research before going, so I was surprised to learn how many incredible inventions were created/discovered by Haynes. What is most commonly related to is that Haynes designed, funded the building of, and drove the first commercially built auto in the country! Local inventors (The Apperson Brothers) owned a shop and were paid by Haynes to build the frame and moving parts of the first auto after Haynes had bought a one horsepower engine that ran on gasoline. At that time, gasoline was considered a waste product from natural gas production and it was another of Haynes' inventions that made gasoline more usable as a fuel. On July 4, 1994, Haynes successfully drove his vehicle for an hour, covering about six miles. But that was just some of what this man accomplished. He discovered a means for making brass at the age of 15. He also invented the small thermostat that is used to regulate home temperature. He also created numerous alloys, including stainless steel and Stellite (used in blading small turbines and numerous other tools/equipment that should not rust.) The museum shows photos throughout the building from Haynes' life. Upstairs, the rooms are not maintained as living spaces, but rather, as tributes to the other inventors and "firsts" that Kokomo is known for. You will see exhibits about the Appersons, the first pneumatic rubber tire, first carburetor, lots of Delco radio inventions, and even some canning innovations. And of course, there are lots of exhibits about alloys and their uses. The staff is friendly and goes the extra mile to make sure you have all the information you desire. Note: Although the garage is off limits, you can still see three of the first cars produced in Kokomo through the windows. Review #2486

I love a good hidden gem. The David Owsley Museum of Art is hidden in plain sight, though, because…read moreit's located on the campus of Ball State University, one of the biggest universities in Indiana. So, I guess, if you know, you know. But if you don't know? Then, in the words of the late Biggie Smalls, aka the Notorious B.I.G. (RIP): If you don't know, now you know. Either way, you'll find this surprisingly large art museum in Ball State's Old Quad. Parking is kind of a pain: You'll need to park in one of the metered lots. Make sure you pay! Those campus parking attendants don't play and are always out in full force. The museum houses works of art from all around the world. I saw everything from African masks to Greek statues. It's kind of amazing to me the amount of art this place holds. There are two stories of things to see. I forgot that I was on a college campus -- it really is a real-deal art museum. Best of all: This museum is free! Just stroll right in and peruse at your leisure. Just don't plan to visit on a Sunday or Monday, because it's closed on those days.

The Ball State Museum of Art has long benefited from the generosity of the Industrialist Ball…read moreFamily. The renamed "David Owsley Museum of Art" continues that generosity from the grandson of the Ball founders. This two story museum is located in the heart of the Ball State Campus, about a block west of the intersection of Riverside and McKinley. As you approach the museum, you will see several outdoor sculptures including a pair of bronzes by Lila Katzen: "X Notion, Like a J" and "Maxi-Antecedent II" circa 1978. The main entrance to the museum is on the south side (non-street side) and has a small lobby where you can find brochures and a map of the museum. There is also a street side entrance which requires you to climb stairs to enter the museum on the second floor. Due to time constraints and being tired from walking all over campus, I didn't spend enough time to do justice to reviewing all the different rooms. The main floor of the museum starts out with a Sculpture Court with grand staircases that lead up to the upper level. The West end of the main floor has a Special Exhibition room, Native American, Pre-Columbian, African, and Pacific Islands art. The East end of the main floor has Early & Ancient art, South and Southeast Asia, and China & Japan Art. The upper floor has European art surrounding the central sculpture court. To the north of the court, American art progresses from early work on the east to more contemporary work on the west. The wings of the floor have special exhibits, Contemporary Craft, and Decorative Arts. For my visit, I started with the Sculpture Court. Although there aren't many pieces in the court, I was pleased to find a couple joyful pieces by Harriet Whitney Frishmuth from the mid-1920's. Both "Joy of the Waters" and "Crest of the Wave" are water themed pieces that were originally conceived as fountain centerpieces. I moved upstairs to browse the European art. I wasn't personally familiar with the names of most of the artists, but the works that are on display seem quite life like. Many of the painted art pieces were portraits or landscapes. The American art was the most interesting to me since I have been reading about the history of art in America. Early works by Thomas Cole ("Storm King of the Hudson" - 1827), who some consider the "father" of the Hudson River School of Art , and Gilbert Stuart ("Portrait of Anne Eliza Allston" -1805), who was a contemporary of Benjamin West and learned from famed artist Thomas Gainsborough, are on display. One of my favorites on display is Alexander Wyant's "Near Conway, North Wales" (1868). This landscape is remarkably detailed and beautiful. Other paintings by famous artists include John Twachtman's "Waterfall, Greenwich" - 1890, Childe Hassam's "Monmartre" -1889, and "Reflection (Kitty Hughes)" 1917, and Robert Henri's "Jimmie n Blue Jumper" 1920. Artist's with Hoosier ties include William Merritt Chase ("Rest by the Wayside"-1902 and "Portrait of Mme E H Bensel"-1912), T C Steele ("Tennessee Mountain Land"-1899), and John Ottis Adams ("In Poppyland"-1901). I have heard that the museum has quite a few JO Adams paintings, but unfortunately, only one was on display during my visit. This one, also known as "Poppy Field", is from the time he spent living at the Hermitage in Brookville with TC Steele painting the river valley. I also had time to explore some of the craft and contemporary pieces before heading down to the main floor again. There I chose to spend time in the Japan & China exhibit. This section of the museum had more sculpture and ornamental vases than paintings. One of my favorite's is from the Chinese Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE) "Earth Spirits". The pieces, though exaggerated in appearance, seem to embody human personalities in their expressions. The website also has lots of information, including videos of art that has been on display. Pieces from the World's Fair of 1915 (San Francisco) and glass blowing by Dale Chululy show some of the diversity that the museum has. 2021 W Riverside Ave, Muncie, Indiana Open: Mon - Fri 9-4:30; Sat-Sun 1:30 - 4:30 Cost: free Parking: McKinley Avenue Parking Garage $1 (1-3 hours) per hour (cash or credit) Free parking on weekends in the red lot west of the museum Review #264

A very nice, pretty small museum. Bell grew up in Mentone, and when he died, he donated his…read morememorabilia there. Photographs, models, etc. It doesn't really cover the whole history of Bell Helicopters, just from his birth to his death. They do have a Huey, and two Bell 47s, one of which is restored as his personal helicopter, very plush and shiny. They are only open on Sundays, but the rest of the time you can call and make an appointment for a tour. I had seen the sign from the highway many times, I never had a chance to stop in, but this time I did, so I did. Things are nicely arranged. The staff are very friendly and knowledgeable. There's a short movie about his life, and then you can walk around and look at the displays. There's a small gift shop. The local history museum is attached, and the Bell museum used to be in that building. There's also a memorial marker to him around the corner. We'll worth checking out if you are into aviation history and are anywhere nearby.

Found this place on Groupon which k always check when I'm in a new place. It was $14 for two people…read moreso why not? I will say if you are a big science lover this one is not for you. There are a lot of kid activities but unless it gets updated one visit will be enough. I think it has potential to be great but there are about half of the items that were broken or stuff out that shouldn't be out, areas not closed off. There were a few cool things but i definitely wouldn't go back unless it was updated.

Science Central is ASTC reciprocal. I was able to use my membership from another state. Children…read moretwo years old and under are free. They have a great toddler section. The planetarium is new with a personalized tour!

As an activist who is fairly well known around Indiana, I've often had the opportunity to really…read moreget to know Indiana's communities. One of my favorites is Peru, Indiana, a city of a little over 11,000 that has always been warm and hospitable to me and incredibly proactive in supporting its residents with disabilities. For years, Peru was the circus capital of the United States and was the winter headquarters for several famous circuses. While the circus's presence in Peru has slowed down, the city remains a strong presence, both literally and nostalgically, for anyone involved in or having a love of circuses. The International Circus Hall of Fame is a museum and hall of fame honoring many of the icons of the circus industry. It is located on the grounds of the former Wallace Circus and American Circus Corporation Winter Headquarters. These grounds are also a National Historic Landmark. Benjamin Wallace purchased the land in 1891 and its use as a headquarters for circuses flourished until 1944. In 1921, American Circus Corporation bought it all from Wallace and in 1929 American Circus was sold to John Ringling. You should know the name John Ringling. After 1944, the property reverted to agricultural use and, sadly, many of the buildings were altered or even destroyed. The circus industry was declining. Ringling Brothers had established their winter headquarters in Florida and the original incarnation of the International Circus Hall of Fame opened in Sarasota in 1956. It attracted 80,000 visitors annually even into the late 70s, though it became unprofitable and was closed in 1980. In 1981, a group of circus devotees from Peru - community leaders, businesses, etc. - learned of the closure and the availability of many of the Hall of Fame's items. They all united together and, essentially, the community bought the hall of fame and moved it to Peru where it remains to this day. Since acquiring the hall of fame, Peru's Hall of Fame has continued to grow including 16 historical wagons reconstructed in the Hall of Fame's wagon shop and the Peru Wagon Works Shop. Most years, the Hall of Fame inducts new members including familiar names like the Wallendas, John Ringling, Annie Oakley, Emmett Kelly, P.T. Barnum, and dozens of others. The Hall of Fame is over 9 acres of land and it's not uncommon to see displays around the community different times of the year. They have a gift shop that is also available online. The museum is filled with circus artifacts, costumes, circus posters, heralds, photographs, films, route cards, route books, and numerous circus wagons. Five of the original buildings house all of this and all five buildings are Historic Landmarks. The Hall of Fame also houses the Circus Model Builder's Museum and its Hall of Fame. Entry into the museum is affordable - $5 for adults; $2.50 for under 12; and free for military (Peru does have a military base). You can even camp at the hall of fame right on the Mississinewa River. Camping with electricity is only $25 a night; $12.50 for "primitive" camping. There is so much to love here and so much more to say but, alas, reviews have a word limit and I'd rather you experience the place for yourself. While the pandemic still influences things, they have a work week coming up in September and two festivals are on the books for 2022!

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.