Visit the Museum of Art
The David Owsley Museum of Art is open to the public with visitor hours of 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, closed Sundays and Mondays.
DOMA's administrative office hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday–Friday (7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. during the summer) and staff may be contacted by email or telephone.
There is no admission fee to visit the David Owsley Museum of Art, and it is open to the public year-round.
The museum is closed to the public on major holidays and additional university holidays.
Expected dates DOMA will be closed for Fall 2026 include:
- August 21 (8am - noon), All-Staff Convocation
- September 5 - 7, Labor Day Weekend
- October 10 - 13, Fall Break
- November 25 - 28, Thanksgiving Break
- December 19 - January 2, Winter Break
Requests for group tours and visits will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Three weeks' notice is preferred, especially for scheduling volunteer docents and staff to lead tours. Please scroll down for more information regarding group visits and to request a tour.
DOMA is happy to offer tours at no charge, and visits are supported through donations. To support the museum's educational efforts, please consider giving online or bring or mail a check made out to the “David Owsley Museum of Art." We greatly appreciate your support.
For additional information regarding visiting the campus in general, visit the Office of Community Engagement Visitor Resources page.
The David Owsley Museum of Art occupies most of the Fine Arts Building, located along Riverside Avenue at Warwick Road in the heart of the Ball State campus. The museum’s main entrance faces Riverside Avenue. Inside, you can get to the museum’s main level via a decorative staircase or an elevator. Visitors may also enter the museum on the south side of the Fine Arts Building and at the top of the steps enjoy a view of Beneficence from across the Old Quad.
Please remember the following guidelines during your visit:
- Parcels, purses, briefcases, backpacks, and umbrellas must be placed in the coatroom or in lockers located near the museum information desk.
- Food, beverages, and smoking are not permitted in the museum.
- Do not touch the works of art, display cases, or pedestals.
- Photographs for personal use may be taken without flash only in the collection galleries. All professional photographers must check in at the information desk and complete paperwork before taking photographs.
- DOMA is not available as an event venue for off-campus groups (i.e. weddings, conferences, receptions). Visit the Ball State Office of Conferences and Special Events to learn about other options on campus.
- Ball State departments interested in reserving the museum for special events should contact the museum for more information on policies, availability, and price.
Drop-off on Riverside Avenue is available. An accessible entrance to the museum is on the ground level of the Fine Arts Building. Elevators provide access to all floors. The museum will make special accommodations for visitors with visual and auditory impairments, and large labels are available in the galleries, which also have seating. Please contact us if you or someone in your group needs assistance. Service animals are welcome.
Group Visit Guidelines
Tips for Preparing for Your Visit
Tour Topics
Guidelines
Please don’t forget to review our general guidelines below for group visits to the museum.
Tours of the David Owsley Museum of Art can be designed to fit your group's specific needs and interests or to relate to current classroom topics. Those who benefit from our institutional tours include:
- R. Wayne Estopinal College of Architecture and Planning
- English
- Family and Consumer Sciences
- History
- Honors College
- Modern Languages and Classics
- Natural Resources and Environmental Management
- School of Art
- Teachers College
- Theatre and Dance
- Virginia Ball Center
Schedule a Tour or Group Visit
If you would like to view specific works of art or exhibitions, or if your students will be given an assignment related to their museum visit, please let us know ahead of time (use the special instructions area of the online request form). If there is a certain artwork you wish to use, we highly recommend you check the work of art is on view as anticipated. You are also welcome to schedule a pre-visit appointment with a staff member to discuss your planned activity.
The museum is open Tuesday–Friday 9am–4:30pm and Saturday 1:30–4:30pm, closed on Sunday and Monday and occasionally for major holidays and other university breaks. Requests for group visits outside of normal operating hours are sometimes possible and are considered on a case-by-case basis.
Schedule Now
Note
If you must cancel your scheduled visit for any reason, please notify the museum, by phone call, as soon as possible.
Tour Topics
It is important to prepare your students by reviewing the museum visit guidelines with them. Please download and share the DOMA Chaperone Guide with all teachers and adults who will be accompanying the students so they will understand the museum's rules and expectations.
CHAPERONE GUIDE
Tours of the David Owsley Museum of Art can be designed to fit your group's specific needs and interests or to relate to current classroom topics.
Schedule a Tour
If you would like to view specific works of art or exhibitions, or if your students will be given an assignment related to their museum visit, please let us know ahead of time (use the special instructions area of the online request form). If there is a certain artwork you wish to use, we highly recommend you check the work of art is on view as anticipated. You are also welcome to schedule a pre-visit appointment with a staff member to discuss your planned activity.
The museum is open Tuesday–Friday 9am–4:30pm and Saturday 1:30–4:30pm, with occasional closures for major holidays and other university breaks. Requests for group visits outside of normal operating hours are sometimes possible and are considered on a case-by-case basis.
If your group is interested in visiting other sites on campus, learn more about combined field trip options.
Schedule Now with DOMA
Note
If you must cancel your scheduled visit for any reason, please notify the museum, by phone call, as soon as possible.
Watch a video about school visits to DOMA.
Students will be greeted and given a brief introduction to the museum. Most groups will be greeted in the Sculpture Court; however, this is subject to change depending on the size of the group and nature of the visit. Please check your tour confirmation message for more information.
- Clipboards and pencils for writing and sketching will be provided as needed. Pens and markers are not to be used in the galleries.
- No drinking, eating, or chewing gum during the museum visit.
- Non-flash photography, for personal use, is permitted in the galleries with the exception of special exhibition areas. Consult a docent or museum guard for more information.
- Coats, purses, backpacks, and umbrellas must be placed in the coatroom or in cubbies in the coatroom.
- For safety, and to preserve the collection, we ask all visitors to not touch or lean against works of art and display cases in the galleries. Human hands can transfer dirt and oils to delicate surfaces, leading to damage over time.
- We reserve the right to ask a student who is not following the guidelines to not participate in the class visit. We will ask a teacher or chaperone to stay with the student near the museum entrance until the visit is over.
Teachers and chaperones should be present during the visit and are expected to assist with activities and student behavior as needed. We request at least one adult be present for every 10 students.
Designate a lead teacher or chaperone who will meet with tour leaders upon arrival to review the tour plan and any logistical issues.
Plan to arrive no later than 5 minutes of the scheduled tour time. Volunteers lead tours; we do not require them to wait more than 15 minutes for a group to arrive, although many of them will if their schedule allows. Any group arriving later might forfeit the opportunity for a guided tour. Please contact Cathy Bretz if you encounter an unexpected delay.
School buses may drop off students in the pull-off area near the Riverside Avenue entrance to the Fine Arts Building. Bus parking is available directly south of the Student Center, along College Avenue (near the Student Center Parking Garage). For more information on where to park, please contact Parking Services.
Public restrooms are on the second floor of the Fine Arts Building, near the museum entrance and at the west end of the third floor. Additional restrooms are centrally located near the vending machines on the first floor. As our restroom facilities are limited, please encourage students to take a restroom break before traveling to the museum.
For school groups only: Limited bag-lunch facilities are available. Reservations must be made in advance at the request of Museum of Art staff on behalf of the group and are subject to availability. If you would like to reserve bag-lunch space for your group, contact Cathy Bretz.
For groups wishing to purchase meals, dining options are available across campus. Two food courts are in easy walking distance (5-10 minutes) of the museum: The Atrium in the Art and Journalism Building and the Tally in the Student Center. Find locations and hours.
When weather permits, groups are welcome to eat outside on the Quad, the large green space adjacent to DOMA’s south entrance.
Elevators are always available. Two weeks’ advanced notice is requested to reserve an individual program or accessibility services. When requesting an accessibility service, please specify the mode of communication required (e.g., for sign language: ASL, PSE, or Signed Language). For visitors who are blind or have low vision, we offer docent-led tours. Sign language interpreters can be made available for tours, public programs, or evening lectures with advance notice. Service animals are welcome.