Written By: Brenna Large

The Spring 2025 semester marks the opening of the first exhibit in the Public History Exhibit Works in the Burkhardt Building. Dr. Wendy Soltz, Director of Public History, and her students had the opportunity to curate the exciting new exhibit, Auto Indiana.  

The exhibit was curated in collaboration with the Ball State University Department of History, Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum, the Indiana Historical Society, and the Studebaker National Museum. For the public history students involved in the exhibit, this was a fantastic opportunity to get practical hands-on experience in public history and develop important skills for their future career.  

The exhibit highlights Indiana’s automakers and inventors in our automotive history, while examining how cars became symbols of both innovation and popular culture. It also explores the links between automobiles and industries like iron, steel, and glass.  

The exhibit will open on Tuesday, March 18^th, with the opening event with Dr. Ron Morris that afternoon from 3:30-5:00pm in Burkhardt Building #300. The free exhibit will run in Burkhardt Building #201 from March 18^th to April 18^th, 2025, and will be open Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 5:00pm.  

For more exciting events from the Ball State Department of History, follow them on Instagram at @ballstatehist or follow them on Facebook! For more information about the exhibit, contact Dr. Wendy Soltz at wfsoltz@bsu.edu .