List of museums in Columbus, Ohio facts for kids

A museum is a special place where cool stuff from the past, or amazing art, or even super interesting science exhibits are kept and shown to everyone! It's like a giant treasure chest of knowledge and wonder.

Columbus, Ohio, has been home to museums for a long time. The very first one was the Walcutt Museum, which opened its doors way back in July 1851. Imagine that! When it first started, it had a few wax figures and paintings. But it quickly grew to include lots of wax figures, hundreds of animal specimens, and many beautiful oil paintings.

Awesome Museums You Can Visit Now

Columbus is packed with fantastic museums and art galleries that are open today. Here's a look at some of them:

• Beeler Gallery: Located Downtown, this gallery is the main art space for the Columbus College of Art and Design. It shows off amazing contemporary art, which means art made in our time!
• Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum: Found on the Ohio State University campus, this museum is a dream come true for anyone who loves cartoons, comic strips, and graphic novels. It even has collections from the National Cartoon Museum!
• Central Ohio Fire Museum: Also Downtown, this museum is all about firefighting history. It's set up inside a beautifully restored old fire station from 1908.
• Columbus Historical Society: In Franklinton, this place shows off historical items and local art from Columbus. It's like a time capsule for the city!
• Columbus Museum of Art: Right Downtown, this museum is filled with incredible European and American art, plus cool photography exhibits.
• COSI: If you love science and hands-on fun, COSI in Franklinton is the place to be! It has about 300 interactive exhibits where you can learn by doing.
• Hale Black Cultural Center: On the Ohio State University campus, this center celebrates African American culture and art. It has a large collection of Black art. (Note: It is currently closed.)
• Historic Costume & Textile Collection: Also on the Ohio State University campus, this museum shows off amazing clothes and fabrics from different times and places.
• Jack Nicklaus Museum: If you're into golf, you'll love this museum on the Ohio State University campus. It's all about the life and career of the famous golfer Jack Nicklaus.
• Kelton House Museum and Garden: This historic house Downtown lets you step back in time to see what Victorian life was like. It also shares stories about the Underground Railroad, a secret network that helped people escape slavery.
• Museum of Biological Diversity: On the Ohio State University campus, this museum has a huge collection of natural history items, including insects, fish, plants, and more! It's like a giant nature encyclopedia.
• Museum of Classical Archaeology: Also on the Ohio State University campus, this museum takes you back to ancient times with prehistoric pottery from Cyprus, old tools, weapons, and examples of ancient writing.
• Museum of Catholic Art and History: Located Downtown, this museum displays Roman Catholic art and religious items.
• National Veterans Memorial and Museum: In Franklinton, this important museum honors veterans and tells the story of military history.
• Ohio Craft Museum: In the Fifth by Northwest area, this museum shows off beautiful crafts made by Ohio artists.
• Ohio History Center: Found near the Ohio State Fairgrounds, this center explores the history of Ohio. It's run by the Ohio History Connection.
• Ohio Judicial Center Visitor Education Center: This Downtown center teaches you all about the history and role of Ohio's court system.
• Ohio Statehouse: The Ohio Statehouse Downtown is where Ohio's government works. It also has a museum education center with exhibits about the Statehouse, Columbus history, and how the state government operates.
• Ohio Village: Near the Ohio State Fairgrounds, Ohio Village is a living history museum that lets you experience what a mid-19th century village was like. People dress up and act like they're from that time!
• Orton Geological Museum: Located in Orton Hall on the Ohio State University campus, this museum has rocks, minerals, and fossils from Ohio and all over the world.
• Pizzuti Collection: In The Short North, this gallery shows temporary exhibits of modern art from the collection of Ron and Ann Pizzuti.
• Riffe Gallery: This art gallery Downtown shows off artworks by Ohio artists and pieces from other museums and galleries in the state. It's located in the Vern Riffe Center for Government and the Arts.
• Thompson Library Gallery: On the Ohio State University campus, this gallery displays special collections from the Ohio State University Libraries.
• Thurber House: This Downtown museum is the former home of the famous author James Thurber. It's also a literary center that celebrates books and writing.
• Wexner Center for the Arts: On the Ohio State University campus, this center is all about contemporary performing and visual arts. It's a place where you can see new and exciting art forms.

Future Museums to Look Forward To

Columbus has some exciting new museums planned for the future!

• Eddie Rickenbacker and Driving Park museum: This museum will be in the Driving Park neighborhood, focusing on the life of famous pilot Eddie Rickenbacker. It will be located in his old house!
• Ohio Air & Space Hall of Fame and Museum: Get ready for an aviation museum in East Columbus! It will celebrate Ohio's history in air and space.
• Poindexter Village Museum and Cultural Center: In King-Lincoln Bronzeville, this museum will share the important history and culture of African Americans.

Museums That Are No Longer Open

Sometimes museums close or change. Here are a couple that are no longer in operation:

• Heritage Museum: This history museum was Downtown and focused on the history of Kappa Kappa Gamma. It was located in the beautiful Victorian Snowden-Gray House, which is now used for events.
• Santa Maria Ship & Museum: This was a replica of Christopher Columbus's ship, the Santa María, which was located Downtown. It has since been taken apart and is waiting to be put back together.

See also

• List of museums in Ohio for other museums in Franklin County and the rest of the state
• List of museums in Cincinnati
• List of museums in Cleveland

Images for kids

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  Beeler Gallery

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  Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum

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  Central Ohio Fire Museum

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  Columbus Historical Society

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  Columbus Museum of Art

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  COSI

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  Hale Black Cultural Center

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  Historic Costume & Textile Collection

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  Kelton House Museum and Garden

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  Museum of Classical Archaeology

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  Museum of Catholic Art and History

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  National Veterans Memorial and Museum

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  Ohio Craft Museum

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  Ohio History Center

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  Ohio Judicial Center Visitor Education Center

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  Ohio Statehouse

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  Ohio Village

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  Orton Geological Museum

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  Pizzuti Collection

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  Riffe Gallery

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  Thompson Library Gallery

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  Thurber House

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  Wexner Center for the Arts

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  Captain Edward V. Rickenbacker House

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  Old Port Columbus Terminal

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  Poindexter Village

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  Snowden-Gray House (former Heritage Museum)

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  Santa Maria Ship & Museum