We started the morning visiting the Ohio state capital, and then we decided to learn more about…read moreOhio. The Ohio history center is located a few miles north of downtown Columbus. We started walking through the nature of Ohio and then moved on to the galleries. We ended up walking the galleries in the wrong order but the galleries were not really connected. We learned some great Ohio history. They had cool things on display like a mastodon skeleton and a Lustron house. We sent about 2 hours walking around the museum. The one negative I found with the museum, a lot of the information was older. Like some of the information panels only went up to the early 2000s. They have a village exhibit outside but it was closed when we visited. They also had a gift shop that was closed the Saturday we visited. Also they have a small cafe on the top floor but it didn't have many options for actual food, just some snacks.

My family and I absolutely love this museum. It has a lot of different galleries and areas to look…read moreat and explore. They have a great discovery area for kids to explore which is really a hands on experience for the kids to interact with. They have a really cool 1950s house that is really neat to go into and explore. It's also a hands on experience for people to interact with. They have some really cool skeletons in some of the exhibits. Other exhibits have artwork and flags, some have military items, and other historical artifacts you won't see anywhere else. This museum is definitely a must see and experience. The have a small cafe up on the 2nd floor which has a few food items you can enjoy while your in the cafe area and it has some good drink options as well. Nothing huge but enough to have a snack and relax while you look at the airplanes around the cafe. Staff and Services: The staff were very friendly and welcoming, they were also very informative when we was asking questions about different things about the museum. Prices: Entry $ Giftshop $-$$ Cafe $ Cleanliness: Super clean in the exhibits, the walkways were clean and clear, and the bathrooms were very clean Ombiance: quaint and quiet Overall Experience: Amazing Rating: 10/10 Recommendation: I absolutely recommend everyone to come and visit this museum there is something for everyone to enjoy. Family Friendly: Absolutely Stroller/Wheelchair Friendly: Yes it's very stroller/wagon friendly and it's very wheelchair friendly they have an elevator to get to the other floor to make it more accessible for those who can't use stairs

You know, I was never a fan of being dragged to the art museum as a kid. It was boring! Who wants…read moreto stand around looking at pictures all day? But I think if the museum had been like it is now, I would have loved it. Even as an adult, it adds so much to the experience to have the themed activities in nearly every gallery. There are games, writing and drawing prompts, books to read, and more to really connect people of all ages with the artwork and keep you coming back. The free admission on Sundays and $5 Thursday nights are great, too! Whether you're local or visiting, it really is worth your time to spend a few hours at one of the most accessible museums in town.

Whenever I travel (personal or business) I always make an effort to visit the local art.museum(s)…read more Always worth a stop when I'm in town, The Columbus Museum of Art never disappoints. The permanent collect ranges from antiquity to pr sent (the museum was founded in 1878), and the CMA is host to several exhibits each year. My most recent visit treated me to Wild Earth: JB Blunk and Toshiko Takaezu. Things to know: * The CMA is part of the North American Reciprocal Museum (NARM) Association, a network of 1,470 art museums and galleries that offer reciprocal free entry to members of the museums in the network. Become a member/support your local art museum, especially if they are part of NARM. * The museum has a cafe, so feel free to make a day of your visit. * There are transportation options available to get to the museum, but it is also just a 20 minute walk from downtown. * There is a good deal of well done street art between downtown and the art center.

I'm sad to say that I've lived in Columbus almost 30 years and this is the first time we've visited…read morethe Ohio Railway Museum. The museum is only open from March through October AND ONLY on Sunday from noon until 4pm. My grandkids were in town from Colorado and we were looking for fun things to do. The museum certainly meet the need. The grandkids had a great time exploring the exhibits and going for a trolley ride (twice). The trolley runs at 12:30, 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30 and makes about a 2 mile run. The museum's website says that their primary goal is PERSERVATION and not RESTORATION - although it's apparent they do some restoration of their rolling stock. Everyone associated with the museum is a VOLUNTEER and there are NO paid employees. All proceeds from ticket sales and concessions goes back into the museum's mission. They have a 4-6-2 steam locomotive that is open to the public, along with a passenger car, a railway mail car, and a streetcar. And, there is the interurban trolley used for the 2-mail excursions. Most of the rest of their stock is in various states of perservation or restoration. With 4 and 6-year grandkids in tow, we spent almost 2 hours at the museum. As someone noted - this is a nice small train museum that's well worth a visit but probably not a place for repeat visits.

I'm not a big train person, but many in my family are or were (dad, brother, wife, daughter.)…read more We've thought about coming here for awhile, and today worked out. Very limited hours (Sunday 12-4.) The train rides are every hour, at the half hour, so 1230, 130, 230, 330. We came just as one was leaving. It's one car, an old streetcar, and a very cool, short ride. Goofy jokes from the engineer, info and sightseeing comments from the conductor, lots of whistle blows. Baby K loved it. There are other streetcars and trains in the yard, some of which you can climb in, many others awaiting restoration. It's very clearly an all-volunteer labor of love. The volunteers were very friendly and helpful, especially of the kids. It's not a fancy place, and you have to be careful on the tracks and gravel, etc., but it is great fun for kids. For this non-train-guy history buff, it was very cool. There are some displays in the station, and a few toys for the kids (a train set to play on, and some to buy.) They do Halloween and Christmas events, so we'll probably be back for those or just so Baby K (and maybe even Sweetie) can ride the train.

Why have I lived in Columbus my whole life and never known this existed until my nephew visiting…read morefrom out of town suggested it?? We went yesterday just in time to see the 'best of 2026' show and we loved it! It is indeed more that just crafts, it was also kinds of works of art done by craftspeople and there were lots of beautiful pieces to look at. Loved that we were also able to interact with voting for our favorite, and also a scavenger hunt (with stickers as prizes). Such great things in the gift shop and loved the silent auction section too. I know for sure I'll be back every time they have a new show- it's free to enter, walk around and see great art. And the employee working was so friendly and told us all about it and gave us lots of helpful info and attention. Highly recommend, we were there about an hour, lovely way to spend some time during a hot afternoon.

On a whim I reserved a spot for an autumnal crown making event. It was wonderful! Lots of fun,…read morecreativity, snacks, and laughter. The instructor was great and other participants even shared supplies. I look forward to another event!

It took me 45 years but I finally made it back to Columbus Ohio for an event and absolutely HAD to…read morevisit the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum to see the Bill Watterson (Calvin & Hobbes) exhibit. Great place to visit if you're a fan of the illustrative arts.

This came up as one of the many free exhibits, to check out in Columbus ,Ohio area. Honestly, what…read moredon't they have a museum for these days. Located right on Ohio State University Campus, and can be experienced between 1/2 hr to 45 minutes based upon ones overall interest. History of the cartoons was rather fascinating, with rotating exhibits there's something to catch your eye. Parking is tricky, there is metered hour parking for $2.75, I was lucky to catch a spot. Its worth checking this museum out, definite hidden treasure, that's been open since 1977, located on the second floor. There are always free things to check out in cities that one visits, just need to do some research.

Pros: Able to book tickets in advance…read more Amazing choreography Show rolls in loop in case you miss anything Cons: Not much general seating; need to sit on the ground High prices Parking can be a challenge Pro tip: Don't need to get the set cushion or poster. Save your money.

We got tickets to this for my MIL's bday and it was really cool. She enjoyed it and overall it was…read morea great time. It's basically a huge room with Van Gogh's artwork splayed on the walls by a projector in an animated form. We enjoyed sitting in different positions to view alternative perspectives. There was also a lot of information about Van Gogh's life and family shared during the experience which was really interesting. Those are the pros. And here are the cons. After seeing some of Van Gogh's artwork in museums and attending other immersive art experiences, there could have been more to it for the price per person. Including fees it was a little over $50 per person which seems high considering we waited in line for our reservation for 30 minutes which was about the same as the loop ran. The prices in the gift shop were also pretty outrageous. Logistically where the building is located is also kind of a mess which isn't the fault of them per say but waiting to safety leave onto Polaris Parkway without a traffic light also added another 30 minutes to our evening plus the waiting for our reservation to start wasn't ideal. Having said all that, my MIL loved it which was the entire point of the evening. I also probably would have had FOMO had we not gone while it was here. I would recommend checking it out, but make sure to leave extra time in your night as well as tempering your expectations a bit.

This is another "hidden gem" of an attraction. We went to Newark specifically to visti the…read moreNational Heisey Glass Museum but it was much much more than we expected. This is an amazing look at the history of glass and the incredible run of the Heisey Glass Company. The collections are organized into various eras - clearly labled - that show the development of Heisey Glass over the years. Other collections are based on the type of glass - i.e. the introduction of different colors and styles. There are also exhibits illustrating Heisey's "animal glass". The staff is not only VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE but also EXTREMELY PRSONALBE and VERY WILLING (EAGER) to talk about the collections. There is a very informative (approximatley 20 minute) video that you shouldn't miss. Having spent 4 summers working in a glass plant while working my work through college, seeing and hearing the stories behind the Heisey glass was especailly fasicnating. The gift shop is loaded with pieces of "original Heisey glass" for sale at very resonable prices.

An amazing museum. I'm not into glass, but can appreciate the art and craft, well displayed here…read more Lots of different types of glass, from various eras, perfectly preserved and shown in well lit cases. Some knockoffs and more recent production, especially in the basement under the historic house. Another basement room is for meetings but also has artifacts from the factory and explains the glassmaking process. Staff are friendly and helpful. There's a gift shop with actual Heisey glass for sale, plus souvenirs and books. Parking out front, with this in the middle of the museum complex and park. Well worth a visit for anyone interested in local history, industry, art, and decor.

I am a member of the Holden arboretum and Cleveland botanical. And while in Columbus I decided to…read morestop and visit their botanical garden. And I inquired if a discount is given if I am a member of Cleveland. And they informed me they do reciprocal. So I was able to attend with my membership for no additional charge. I must admit that this place is currently under construction. But that just means more great botanical fun is heading there way. I am excited to see it when it opens in 2027 fall. My time here today was great. I had a ton of fun here. I was pretty excited to see their train garden. Where they have many different models of trains going through a garden. There are so many different things to see and do. They have many hands on experiences for children as well. You need to get here and bring those kids to have fun.

We love this place!…read more We've been members forever so that gives us flexibility. The latest butterfly exhibit is 5* Excellent staff....as always.