Museums & Galleries in Noblesville

More than 50 years old and 8,500 members strong, the Percussive Arts Society (PAS) strives to promote percussion through education, research, and performances across the world. To carry out this mission, the organization includes more than 50 chapters in the US and 28 chapters abroad, all of which communicate online via resources such as lessons, free practice exercises, and annual events. Each year PAS hosts the annual Percussive Arts Society International Convention—the largest of its kind in the world—in which exhibitors convene to showcase the newest developments in percussion technology, instruments, and publications. The convention also includes over 120 clinics and performances with lauded artists covering all genres and styles of music.

The Willamette Heritage Center at the Mill preserves slices of valley history by word and deed, keeping up 14 historic structures and filling them with historical tours and living history displays. The Jason Lee house represents the oldest building on campus, built in 1841. The structure also boasts the title of oldest surviving wooden frame house in the Pacific Northwest, and its interior sports the period appropriate furnishings right down to an iron stove and a snoring, bonneted grandmother. Nearby stands the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill, and piece of the Industrial Revolution that has survived since 1896, earning recognition as an American Treasure by the National Park Service. Workers keep the buildings clean and sound for tours and rentals, while actors keep the ground vibrant with living historical portrayals.

After walking through the doors, visitors find themselves surrounded by treasured sports memorabilia and artifacts from colleges across the nation. On the first floor, 23 interactive kiosks each immerse users in a different NCAA sport. Interactive screens illuminate with stories of past champions, trivia questions, and footage of Bobby Knight screaming in different arenas. After a stroll up to the second floor, visitors immerse themselves in simulated and actual athletic competitions, such as throwing a virtual football and measuring their vertical leap. A fully realized 1930s-style gymnasium invites modern folks to shoot hoops just like their grandparents did—uphill both ways in the snow.