The story of George and Frances Ball—reimagined

Spend time together while exploring the beautiful home of the George and Frances Ball family. This interactive experience celebrates that family’s passions, encouraging visitors to snuggle up with a book from the shelves, play games together from the large selection of board games, and learn more about home food preservation in the kitchen where the Ball Blue Book was created.

Enjoy a story from our Oakhurst Experience collection!

“Betty’s Dollhouse”

“Betty Ball Takes the Train”

“Helen, Betty, and the Treehouse”

“Mother’s Hat Party”

“Elisabeth in Fairyland”

Canning Heroes Game

Canning Heroes was created through an immersive learning collaboration between Ball State University and Minnetrista, led by Dr. Paul Gestwicki, Professor, Computer Science Department (BSU), and George Buss, VP of Visitor Experience (Minnetrista). The game's original version was developed for installation on a multitouch surface in the Oakhurst Home. This special edition was rebuilt so our community can become a “Canning Hero” in their homes.

canning heroes: special edition

campus map

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