Toledo Museum of Art

The honor roll of artists whose paintings, sculpture, photographs and crafts adorn the more than three dozen galleries at the Toledo Museum of Art is long and distinguished, from Cézanne, Calder and Degas to Matisse, Picasso and Rembrandt. The museum’s jewel, though, is its sleek, 74,000-sq.-ft. Glass Pavilion, home to special glass exhibits, artists’ studios and the posh GlasSalon, which holds 300 people for elegant receptions. Groups can also choose from more than a dozen other artsy museum event spaces, from intimate dinners in the Red and Yellow rooms to receptions of 300 in the airy Classic Court and Greek-inspired Peristyle Lobby.

Hilbert Circle Theatre

When the Hilbert Circle Theatre opened in 1916, it served as a showpiece for Indiana’s capital and America’s burgeoning film industry. Almost a century later, this elegantly renovated gem still draws a crowd as the home of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. The 1,786-seat Grand Auditorium proves ideal for meetings and seminars, while the stage itself holds up to 80 for sit-down meals. The theater’s intimate Penthouse works nicely for banquets of 60, while the Wood Room, with beautiful views of Monument Circle, fits 100 for banquets and 200 for receptions. The snazzy Main Lobby, framed by a sleek oval balcony, remains a favorite for chic receptions of up to 700.

MiIlwaukee Art Museum

Downtown’s Milwaukee Art Museum, which overlooks Lake Michigan, holds more than 20,000 works of art, specializing in European and American pieces from the past few centuries, and features exhibits on American folk and decorative arts. The museum’s soaring, Santiago Calatrava-designed Quadracci Pavilion, highlighted by its movable winged walls, is an artistic masterpiece on its own and accommodates up to 1,000. Windhover Hall, with a 90-foot-tall glass atrium and stunning lake views, holds 1,500 for receptions and 500 for banquets. The Lubar Auditorium works well for lectures and seminars of up to 265.

The walk-through presentation showcases Graham’s life from tent crusades to his time behind the Iron Curtain, with video, memorabilia and personal testimonies. The library is located in a recreated dairy farm barn and focuses on Graham’s message more so than on him, per his request. There are frequent reminders of his humble beginnings, a tribute to his wife Ruth, and evidence throughout of his worldwide impact.

“It’s an inspirational place regardless of religious background,” says Diane Wise, promotions manager for the library. “This man, who was born in Charlotte as a dairy farmer’s son … God moved in his life and you see what happened.” The restored Graham family homeplace, a 32-foot mural by artist Thomas Kinkade and the Prayer Garden where Ruth Bell Graham is buried are also highlights.

Admission is free. Group reservations are required, and up to 200 can be accommodated on site. billygraham.org

Colorado’s 900-acre YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park is already familiar to many faith-based groups that have held meetings and retreats at the resort’s Legett Christian Center and Mootz Family Craft and Design Center. Come May of this year, this conference complex in a gorgeous mountain setting gets even better thanks to a $40 million expansion and renovation that adds a 34,000-sq.-ft. assembly hall and a trio of new LEED-certified lodges (200 rooms total) each with four meeting rooms and outdoor patios. Activities abound for the entire family here, from skiing and hiking to roller-skating and old-fashioned campfires.

Looking for a taste of the Old West? Bogus Creek Ranch, a 60-acre, Boise-area ranch, is specifically designed for large group events, and offers a complete Western experience for the entire group. For starters, there’s Coolwater, the ranch’s Western town setup, where groups of up to 1,500 can enjoy an adventure show and Western-style party with staged gunfights, live music, line and square dancing, hay rides and cowboy poetry. For an intimate, more spiritual event, Serenity Cove, a private garden with a wisteria-trestle patio, accommodates up to 125 for receptions and dinners.

Stained-glass church windows may have originated in Europe, but Lubbock’s the unlikely location for one the largest workshops in the country. Berg Studios’ inspiring work is found in churches and universities around the nation, and it’s one of the reasons Lubbock houses of worship are so rich in stained glass. The studio welcomes tour groups, who can see how windows are designed and crafted into spiritual works of art. It’s even possible to arrange for a bus tour of Lubbock’s most notable windows. One, at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, depicts the journey families took from Mexico to the Lubbock region, with Our Lady of Guadalupe watching over their progress. Other designs range from abstract rose windows to scenes with angels, doves and other biblical themes, like the burning bush. Projects can be as large as 40 by 60 feet and may take more than a year to construct. Bus tours arranged through the Lubbock CVB.