Minnetrista campus leaves kids of all ages with a sense of wonder

It's difficult to find one photograph that captures all of the exciting and diverse sights on the campus of Minnetrista in Muncie, Indiana.

The 40-acre campus along theWhite River includes everything from mansions to formal gardens to education about how Native Americans lived when they set up camp near the river.

The mansions were home to several members of the Ball Family (responsible for the famous Ballglass jars and many other products). They moved to Muncie, Indiana in 1887 from Buffalo, New York and built a series of distinctive and lavish homes right next door to one another.

Today the campus welcomes visitors who want to learn about the region's history, study the convergence of multiple ecosystems, take solace in the gardens, or explore the mansions with all their nooks, crannies and secret passageways.

Minnetrista offers field trips to schoolchildren (the education director is a friend of mine so I got the privilege of a guided tour), but whether you're six or 86, you shouldn't wait for a school bus to plan an affordable field trip of your own.

P.S. I'd like to emphasize that Minnetrista is a campus and not just one building, so be sure to wear comfortable shoes because you'll need to do a lot of walking to experience it all.

To visit the Minnetrista Cultural Center:

1200 N. Minnetrista Parkway

Muncie, IN 47303

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