House of Balls
1200 Washington Ave S, Minneapolis, MN
Minneapolis, MN
A wildly inventive studio packed floor to ceiling with sculptures welded and assembled from bowling balls, scrap metal, and cast-off odds and ends.
House of Balls is an offbeat art studio and gallery near downtown Minneapolis, the life's work of artist Allen Christian. Its name comes from the bowling balls that started it all, faces and figures carved and assembled from balls, scrap metal, and cast-off objects most people would throw away.
The result is a packed, immersive space where sculptures fill every corner, a place that feels less like a gallery and more like a wonderland of imagination. It has become a beloved and unmistakable piece of the city's independent art scene.
What Guests Love
- Sculptures assembled from bowling balls, scrap metal, and everyday castoffs
- The chance to meet the artist and hear the stories behind the work
- A packed, immersive space that feels part studio, part wonderland
- Its free, welcoming, one-of-a-kind spirit in the heart of the city
Worth Knowing
- It is a working studio and gallery, so hours can be irregular; check before you go
- Space is tight and crammed with art, so move carefully among the pieces
- It is near downtown; plan for city parking or transit
- Pair it with a walk to the nearby riverfront and Stone Arch Bridge
Details
Minneapolis, MN
Learn about House of Balls
One artist's found-object world
House of Balls grew out of one artist's habit of seeing possibility in discarded things. Allen Christian began transforming bowling balls into expressive faces and figures, then expanded into welded metal and assemblages built from scrap, machine parts, and the overlooked objects of everyday life.
The work has a warmth and humor to it, faces that seem to watch you, creatures pieced together from unlikely parts, all made from materials headed for the trash. It is a testament to imagination and reuse, an entire creative universe built out of what others cast away.
A studio you can step inside
Unlike a polished museum, House of Balls is a living studio, and that is much of its charm. The space is crammed with finished pieces and works in progress, and visitors often find the artist himself at work, happy to talk about the stories and ideas behind the sculptures.
That openness makes a visit personal. You are not just looking at art on a wall but stepping into the place where it is made, surrounded by the tools, materials, and finished creations of a single restless imagination.
The Minneapolis riverfront around it
House of Balls sits in the old mill and warehouse district near the Mississippi River, ground zero for the flour milling that once made Minneapolis famous as the Mill City. This part of town is the homeland of the Dakota, who knew the great falls of the river, called by them Owamniyomni, long before the mills rose beside it.
Today the district blends its industrial past with galleries, restaurants, and the reborn riverfront. A visit pairs naturally with a walk to St. Anthony Falls and the historic Stone Arch Bridge, just a short distance away, making House of Balls a quirky anchor to a day exploring the city's heart.
An independent-spirit landmark
House of Balls has become a fixture of the Twin Cities' independent art culture, the kind of place locals send visitors to when they want to show off the city's creative, unconventional side. It is free, welcoming, and unlike anything else in town.
As a working studio, it keeps its own rhythm, so hours can vary and it is worth checking before a visit. Any time of year, stepping inside is a reminder that art can be joyful, homemade, and built from the most ordinary of materials.
Closest Boutels
The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.
Things to Do Near Minneapolis
St. Anthony Falls and Stone Arch Bridge
About 1 mile northeast
The Mississippi's only major waterfall and a historic stone bridge, the heart of the city's milling district and riverfront.
Minneapolis Sculpture Garden
About 3 miles west
An outdoor art park famous for the Spoonbridge and Cherry, with sculptures set among lawns and paths.
Mill City Museum area
About 1 mile northeast
The old flour-milling district along the river, with museums and views of the falls that built Minneapolis.