10 Best Museums in Columbus

The Columbus Museum of Art is a must-visit for lovers of canvas paintings, as it is the pre-eminent art gallery in the Ohio capital. It occupies a prominent location in the heart of the city. Simply head down E Broad Street from Downtown, and you will arrive in 2 minutes. It is easy to spot, as it is a striking glass oblong building clad in green-blue steel sheets.

Inside, the collection covers various epochs of Western artistry. The priceless highlights undoubtedly include works by Pablo Picasso, Cézanne, and Monet. These are interspersed with older Baroque chiaroscuros by Artemisia Gentileschi and more contemporary country pieces related to American history by artists such as Winslow Homer.

The Otherworld is where the lineup of museums in Columbus gets weird. Like, really weird. The 32,000-square-foot exhibition space, which sits on the southeastern outskirts of the city just off I-70, is all about augmented reality and surrealism. Through 40 different pieces of installation art, you can rest assured that you'll take your senses on a rollercoaster ride of oddities.

There are halls packed with glowing neon lights to navigate, immersive real-life cartoon recreations to cameo in, and even secret passageways to discover. Patrons are encouraged to touch and interact with the art as much as they like but also to always expect the unexpected.

The Center of Science and Industry, or just COSI for short, is a groundbreaking modern exhibit space that has been wowing the people of Ohio for over 5 decades. It opened way back in 1964 and has since moved across town to a vast 320,000-square-foot hall right on the bends of the Scioto River.

The whole thing is divided up into 7 hands-on sections, each aiming to enlighten and amaze in neighborhoods as eclectic as paleontology and electricity. Highlights include the Ocean exhibit, which you access by passing through a make-believe shipwreck, and the Space area, which has life-sized recreations of vessels used on actual NASA missions.

The Wexner Center for the Arts is a multidisciplinary gallery and performing arts center that operates in conjunction with Ohio State University. You can find it on the campus grounds of the university, which is easily accessible from Downtown via a quick 10-minute trip up N High Street.

Known as The Wex to locals and students alike, it prides itself on showcasing national and international artists across a broad spectrum of mediums. You never know what to expect – one month it may feature a striking selection of life photography, the next month it may host avant-garde performance art, and the following month it may present an array of art-house short movies.

The National Veterans Memorial and Museum is the only military memorial in the United States dedicated to all veterans from all armed forces, tracing back to the day of the country's formation. It stands proudly along a meander in the Scioto River, in the heart of the main museum quarter of Columbus.

The building itself is sure to impress. Resembling a UFO-like saucer, it features windows that mimic military ribbons. The entire structure reportedly cost a staggering $75 million to complete. Step inside to hear the stories of American veterans dating back to the Revolutionary War. Also, make sure to visit the meditative Memorial Grove garden, which is designed for paying homage to past and present fighters.

The Ohio Statehouse is not only one of the most captivating museums in the Ohio capital but also a must-see landmark. It represents the very center of political power in the Buckeye State. It is easily accessible from all parts of the city, located in the heart of Downtown on Capitol Square.

With Greek Revival colonnades and a magnificent Neoclassical rotunda, the statehouse is an impressive structure from the outside. The museum inside, officially known as the Ohio Statehouse Museum Education Center, features permanent exhibitions that document the lives of local veterans and the development of the concept of citizenship in the United States.

Ohio Village is a living-history museum that transports visitors back to the era of the American Civil War. Tucked between I-71 and the Ohio Fairgrounds north of the city centre, this museum offers a complete recreation of an old 1800s town stead. It's typically closed between October and May most years, opening in time for the better weather season.

During your visit, you'll wander through historic buildings such as a bakery, a village church, a vintage pharmacy, a blacksmith's shop, and a tavern sedan. You'll learn about the daily lives of Midwestern residents during the arduous conflict as you explore this fascinating museum.

Visitors to the Orton Geological Museum are welcomed by a replica dinosaur skeleton roaring in the atrium, setting the tone for this amazing science center located in the middle of the Ohio State University campus. It is about a 10-minute drive up the interstate from Columbus's Downtown.

After encountering the formidable beast at the entrance, visitors can explore rooms filled with strange fossils, curious rock finds, and the remains of ancient reptiles frozen in time. Don't forget to appreciate the exterior of the building as well. The rocks that clad it are layered to reflect the passing of different geological epochs, with the oldest dating back a whopping 444 million years.

The Central Ohio Fire Museum is a tribute to the courageous firefighters of the United States. It's located in a beautifully restored vintage carriage house that was once used by the Columbus firefighting brigades. The museum is situated on N 4th Street, just a few steps north of the Downtown core. Look for the old-school red brick exterior and vintage fire trucks that are on display.

Once inside, visitors can explore collections that detail the birth and evolution of Ohio's fire service, starting from its earliest days. There are exhibits showcasing photos of historic engines drawn by horses and others that run on steam. In addition to exploring the history of firefighting, patrons also get a lesson in fire safety and learn how smoke and flames can spread through domestic homes.

The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum is named after Ohio's own William Addison Ireland, one of the most well-known social cartoonists to have ever lived in the United States. Today, it is hailed as the largest collection of comic books and cartoon art in the world, filling several exhibit spaces within the Department of Arts at Ohio State University's campus.

Fans of everything from political satire drawing to children's cartooning will feel right at home amid the 12,000-plus manuscripts and books. There are pieces attributed to big names in the industry, from Bill Watterson to Pulitzer-winner Nick Anderson, not to mention an annual Festival of Cartoon Art that has been running on the site since the early 1980s.