Muncie, Indiana is home of Ball State University and offers visitors plenty of culture, shopping, and dining. Around Ball State University, visitors can see the Ball State Planetarium and Observatory, The University Museum of Art, as well as the Wheeler Orchid Collection and Species Bank. Muncie is home to Garfield cartoon creator, Jim Davis helped to landscape the Minnetrista Cultural Center, where visitors can view gardens, a museum, and art sculptures. While visitors are in town, they need to be sure to stop to see these shopping destinations or enjoy a meal at one of these friendly restaurants.
For visitors who want to fly high, visiting the Academy of Model Aeronautics and the National Model Aviation Museum. Exhibits range from a recreated hobby shop to hundreds of model airplanes that vary in size and color and showcase the aero modeling history for over two hundred years. There are many interactive exhibits so that visitors can experience what it is like to fly a model plane. Anyone who enjoys aeronautical history or model planes will enjoy these two museums.
For the artist in the group, The Artist Within is the place to see. This shop has an assortment of ceramic mugs, figurines, and a gallery of artwork that visitors can browse through. Also, this is a paint-your-own-pottery shop. Artists can choose from various pieces that they want to make. Located in downtown Muncie, this shop features works of a particular artist each month.
Another downtown Muncie shop that all visitors will need to see is Cassella’s Kitchen . This unique store in unlike any other store in the city. Owner, Alison Mertzger and her husband opened this store of hard to find kitchen items four years ago to make sure that anyone who visited could find odd and collectible kitchen items like Joseph Joseph kitchen gadgets and utensils. Proteak cutting boards, and several varieties of jams, dips, and sauces for enjoying later in the hotel. Here the ball fans can find the perfect items that they need for their tailgate party or where the best cook can find the perfect item for their kitchen.
For those looking for a place to eat, Muncie has a lot to offer as well. At 204 South Walnut Street, visitors can enjoy two restaurants in one place. Restaurant 2(oh!)4 and The Blue Bottle are both home to many local dishes and where guests can enjoy seasonal dishes as well. Foods like fresh pasta, soups, salads, or fettuccini with mushroom sauce with fresh spinach and shrimp are just a few of the dishes that welcome guests who walk in the door. Every dish served in either of these restaurants is made in house. The Blue Bottle is the place to go for coffee in Muncie. All the coffee served at The Blue Bottle is locally roasted and brewed onsite and known for being the best in the business.
If travelers are looking for first class dining they will want to go to Vera Mae’s Bistro. At this bistro, guests will find a cozy environment with local artist’s work on the walls and delicious food . Appetizers such as fried green tomatoes and shrimp are favorites on the menu. Fresh seafood makes the dinner menu stand out from all the other restaurants in town. Desserts like bananas foster , which are flamed by the table will make any meal complete and extra special. The bistro has an extensive wine list for guests who are looking to add a little something special to their meal.
Muncie has so many unique sites to offer the traveler who has come from nearby or from far away. The Children’s Museum is nice for families as it has many interactive exhibits to keep the children busy for several hours. There are many museums, historic sites, and gardens for adults to enjoy the day in as well. Muncie does have something for everyone and fun around every corner!