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Ball State University Museum of Art records

 Collection
Identifier: RG-21-05-05

Scope and Contents

This colleciton includes news releases, clippings, and photographs collected by the Ball State University Office of University Marketing and Communications ranging from 1955 to 1975. Additionally the collection features correspondense, donor lists, collection information, annual reports, and biennial reports created by the Ball State University Museum of Art from 1943 to 2019.

Dates

  • 1943 - 2019

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Copyright Notice

Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Ball State University, Muncie, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Archives and Special Collections.

Administrative History

In 1886, an economic boom sparked by the discovery of natural gas in Muncie, Indiana, attracted an array of residents to the area. Hoping to raise interest in art, a group of women formed the Art Students' League in 1892. After the success of multiple art exhibits, the group formed the Muncie Art Association in 1905. The group's objectives included organizing annual free exhibitions and purchasing one work of art each year to begin a permanent collection.

The works in the permanent collection were displayed in local high school corridors until 1918, when the Ball brothers founded the Indiana State Normal School. The collection found a new home at the school, which later became Ball State Teachers College and is now Ball State University. Eventually the collection was moved to the school's North Quadrangle Library.

In 1931, plans began for a new art building to house the expanding collection. The Fine Arts Building opened in 1935 and remains the home of the collection. In January 1991, the gallery's official name became the Ball State University Museum of Art.

Construction to expand the museum began in 2000. The $8.5 million project added 5,230 square feet to the facility, doubling the number of works of art displayed. The newly renovated museum opened in September 2002.

Extent

0.6 Cubic Feet (2 Boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

This collection is organized in the following subseries:

Subseries 1: Museum of Art news releases and clippings

Subseries 2: Museum of Art records

Subseries 3: Museum of Art reports

Custodial History

This collection was received by Archives and Special Collections as a records transfer from the Ball State University Office of University Marketing Communications and the Ball State University Museum of Art.

Accruals

Additions expected.

Related Materials

Materials relating to this collection may be found in the following collections in Archives and Special Collections, Ball State University Libraries, Muncie IN:

RG 21/05/01: Ball State University Museum of Art Publications

Processing Information

Collection processing completed 2009/01/20 by Carolyn F. Runyon. Finding aid created 2009/01/20 by Carolyn F. Runyon. EAD finding aid completed 2009/01/20 by Carolyn F. Runyon.

  • Art Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
  • Arts Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
  • Clippings Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
  • Correspondence Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
  • Documents Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
  • Photographs Subject Source: TGM II, Genre and physical characteristic terms
Title
Ball State University Museum of Art Records
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script

Repository Details

Part of the Ball State University Archives Repository

Contact:
Alexander M. Bracken Library
2000 W. University Avenue
Muncie Indiana 47306 USA
765-285-5078