Ohio History Connection

After being on my list for many years, I finally made my first visit this past weekend. As a history buff I am surprised it has taken me so long to see this museum. Unfortunately I can only say this place is average with a few things that are really good. The first impression I had was walking up to the front desk and seeing all three people working their texting and surfing the net on their smart phones — poor first impression. The fossil and animal exhibits are really good. The rest of the exhibits are ok but nothing special. no programs, and no staff in the museum sharing anything about the exhibits. I have been to these types of museums in other states and they all did a better job than this one. I did enjoy the village and the Dickens Christmas events. They were good but not great. Something that was really disappointing is the history is very much centered around what has happened in central Ohio and leaves out many great stories from across the state. One example is a generic reference to the nuclear age in the 1950’s age with absolutely no reference to the fact ohio played a significant roll with the Portsmouth Uranium Enrichment plant.
This place should be great as our society needs to understand and appreciate history. Unfortunately this is an average experience.

Five sars for the quality of the Counry Living vendors, one star for affordability and accessibility. The exhibits were separated by a bumpy gravel that rattled my teeth and wore out my caregiver from pushing me and the scale of the distances was corbusian. The stone paths were beautiful though. In a wabi sabi way.

Fantastic librarians! They really love what they do and are as excited to help you find what you’re looking for as you are unearthing family history.

This year, my work Holiday Party was held at the OHS, and it was a really fun time. We were able to view some of the exhibits and walk through Dickens village. Unfortunately it was a bit chilly, so we weren’t able to enjoy the village as much as I would have liked. But it was really fun, we spent a lot of time at the Blacksmith, who was fun to watch. Everything was very educational and I would definitely recommend this for families with kids. We didn’t get to see much of the other exhibits, though they looked really interesting and I would like to go back and go through the exhibits and spend a few hours looking around and enjoy all there is to offer.

Outstanding archival and library collections! But the curatorial and bibliothecal staff are even more impressive in what they can help you find! I’ve spent too many hours searching for ancestors here…

What a fun museum! The intriguing «mushroom» shape of the building means that there are more things to find hidden around every turn. Every time I turned around, there was another exhibit. The permanent exhibits cover a wide spectrum of Ohio history — natural wildlife, Native American, agricultural, technology, and more. There are all sorts of neat displays, like the giant mastadon skeleton near the natural history section and a stuffed two-​headed calf.
There are also a number of rotating exhibits. At my visit, there was the really neat 1950s Building the American Dream exhibit, which included a self tour of a Lustron home and plenty of information to put the experience in context of the ‘50s. The other was «Going, Going, Gone?» which focuses on species becoming endangered and extinct, using the now extinct passenger pigeon as a key example. That’s a great way to relate it back to Ohio, seeing as Martha, the last known living passenger pigeon, passed away in Cincinnati, and one of the last wild passenger pigeons, Buttons, was also sighted in the state.
There is also a historical village, Ohio Village, on the grounds behind the museum. During the summer, it is open during regular hours and is included in the price of admission. There are folks dressed in historical costumes, including groups who play vintage baseball, the Muffins and the Diamonds, who can often be found here.
A very neat place!

We came from another state to visit this museum and was not disappointed. My wife loved the Ohio Village and the kids liked the 50’s house that’s on temporary display! Will go again!

Mammoth skeleton aside, this place is pretty boring. I was expecting more considering how huge the building is.

This is another one of those places I’m surprised I haven’t reviewed. I’ve been coming here since I was a little kid, I live nearby, and I worked here briefly. So I am just a little familiar with it…
We went to see the ‘50s exhibit for something Sweetie is working on, but had been meaning to come anyway. I hadn’t been for several years. Things have changed a bit, but not completely. The entrance is on ground level now, and a lot of the inside has been rearranged (gift shop is downstairs too, and about half the exhibits have moved around.) The ‘50s part was cool and includes a fully furnished Lustron house, an Airstream trailer, etc. We enjoyed the video of peoples’ recollections from the era. There is a fairly somber exhibit hall of Civil War flags near the museum entrance that’s worth a stop. The main displays are pretty much what they have been for awhile.
I used to volunteer at a small aviation museum whose collection was taken over by OHS and I was bummed that I didn’t see any of it– until we went upstairs to what used to be the main entrance. Two of our planes are hanging there (a couple more are at Port Columbus, and I hear at least one is at the Waco museum in Troy, so they’re in good hands…)
Overall, a great museum. Plenty of Ohio history, lots of interesting artifacts, and of course the Village out back (it was closed the other day, but opens for the season soon.)

Went to see the 50’s exhibit today and was very impressed with the full size Lustron Home that was on display. That it was furnished with furniture and brick-​a-​brack from the 50’s made it all the better. Well worth the visit just to see this slice of Americana.
I have seen both of the «Controversy» exhibits in the past and hope they do a third one.
The Ohio Historical Society is a hidden gem that should be experienced. I remember my first visit there on a school field trip in grade school. I was memorized by the, what I considered, the futuristic look of the building itself. It reminded me of something out of «Logan’s Run». Today it was a great way to spend a cold Sunday afternoon.

We had a great time. We were fortunate enough to see the American Dream exhibit. It was fantastic and very well put together. The natural history area was interesting with multiple fossils and native to Ohio minerals. We spent a little over two hours hours there and didn’t come close to seeing everything.

I always think of my elementary school field trips here when I’m walking up to the doors. A couple dozen over excited kids carrying brown paper bagged lunches with our names printed on them. Our teacher and a couple moms to make sure everything went well. «Single file, children, single file!» still echos years later.
I’ve gotten older, the museum has gotten older but we’re both still here and I always enjoy my visits.
This time, this visit, I’m here to see the new exhibit, The Lustron House. Built after WW2 and prefabricated for fast, easy production. Built for the returning veterans and their families. Some of them were built on the east side of Columbus.
This was a very interesting exhibit. It is an actual home with all the details. Kudos to the OHS for having real life things in the house to make it look and feel real. By that I mean they had dishes on the table, clothes in the closets, stuff in the drawers. Yeah, you could open the drawers and look inside them and take the stuff out and look at it. Just like you were in someones home. There was a docent in the house in period dress to answer any questions. Great attention to detail.
Other exhibits about the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s round out the newer items they now have. Changing the exhibits is something they seem to do well. I like that they move things around a bit to keep things looking fresh.
I took a little time to revisit some of the rest of the museum too. Most hasn’t changed that much since my last visit, but it’s still good to see.
I’ll be back to see you again my old friend.

Mastodon skeleton + Civil War Battle Flag Collection + Native American Artifacts + So much more = Great Time.

In another life, I will pursue my dream of becoming a museum tour guide. In the meantime, I shall melt into the rich history offered in full at the Ohio Historical Society. Needless to say, I applaud Governor Kasich for partially funding this hallowed museum.
My favorite exhibit was the reenacted metal house that was mass-​produced in the 1950s. These homes followed the coattails of suburban life and perfectly depict the typical 1950s house. Each room was adorned with modern furniture, appliances, and homeware for the time period. I pried open the Frigidaire with more effort than I had expected, only to discover the advent of processed food. Nice touch, OHS!
I was particularly intrigued/​shocked/​disgusted by the price comparison display around the corner from the metal house. Remember the days when milk was 20 cents a gallon? Funny, neither do I. Thank heavens for the OHS for the friendly reminder that inflation plays a very pivotal role in the price of milk. And gas. And college tuition. And the average cost of a home. All kidding aside, it was very interesting.
I commend the OHS for maintaining the historical integrity and Ohio pride in such an engaging manner. Keep up the great work!

It had been probably 15 years since I have been to the Ohio Historical Society. I was probably in elementary school on a field trip. My friends and I decided to check out the First Annual Ohio Made Festival that was hosted at the Ohio Historical Village and then you got entry into the museum as well. What a great time! The village is so interesting to walk through. There were more buildings than I remembered and the volunteers and staff working there are so knowledgeable about what life was like in the time period. My favorite buildings were the blacksmith shop, the school house, and the doctor’s house, but each one was special in it’s own way. The day we came, they also had the tavern open and we got to enjoy a beer and watch The Muffins play an old fashioned baseball game. It was so much fun!
Once we entered the museum, I didn’t know where to look first! There are so many interesting exhibits here. I loved the info on all the Indian mounds in Ohio. The old streetcar that used to run in Columbus was so fun to see. The White Castle display was so cool. When we visited, there were two special exhibits going on that were incredible. The first was called Controversy 2 and it was an exhibit about controversial images throughout history that have been found in or by someone who has lived in Ohio (an example was an old Nazi flag that was taken from a German tank by a soldier from Cleveland). It was very interesting. The other was a little more lighthearted. It was an exhibit on the 1950’s and they had a full sized Lustron house in the museum and you could play around with all the props there and they had actors walking around acting like they were from the 50s. It was incredible!
I think a lot of people forget about the Ohio Historical Society. I know I had. And after going there, that makes me so sad! If you’re looking for something to do a little off the beaten path, come explore some awesome Ohio history. You will not be disappointed, I promise!

I am a dinosaur freak and when I saw the Mastodon skeleton at the Ohio Historical Society I was immediately enamored. Imagine my surprise when I was informed that the mastodon is not in fact a dinosaur, but a mammal from the Ice Age?!
This museum is extensive, well-​maintained and very clean. It’s a great place to host a special event because of the open layout between the first and second floors, which provides a feeling of connection between the two. I just wish I was able to see more of the collections!

I hadn’t been to the OHS before, so I jumped at the chance at free tickets to Wayback Wednesday. Dan and I showed up right on time, and were a little surprised at how uncrowded it was. However, this allowed for leisurely exploration of the museum area; similar to other themed events we’d attended at museums, it seemed that most folks had already been previously, and were there mostly for the festivities, which meant that we could take our time looking at displays and not have to worry about running into herds of children.
We were both surprised at how extensive the displays were, and enjoyed looking around; it was a little difficult to find the flow of information in some of the rooms, particularly the natural history area, where the chronological direction of the exhibit cases was not obvious. We also found the Controversies exhibit to be rather amusing — at least, the comment cards posted at the end of the exhibit. If you’re interested in learning about the building, there is a nice information display upstairs in the café area.
The event itself seemed a little sparsely attended, but all of the staff was super nice and friendly. They had tables of memorabilia from the ‘80s, some crafts, light appetizers, a bar, and themed music. A few people dressed up, but there were plenty of people in regular clothes, so don’t let that deter you from attending one of these theme nights.

I love this place from the time when it first opened and I saw it as a child to what it has morphed into today. I have always found something new to discover on every trip here. I don’t care what education or what walk of life you come from there is something here that will engage and amaze you about the great history of our state.
Join the OHS membership for free admission here and other great sites around Ohio.

The reason for my visit was to see the collection with regard to the Hopewell tradition (Hopewell culture). If you have seen Hopewell Culture NP, Chillicothe, then you may remember references to items carved in mica, eg the hand. The collection is well displayed in glass cases and pull out drawers. As for the rest of the collection, there was enough to keep my interest.

You can’t go wrong with the Ohio historical society, but my review today is actually for The Ohio Village, which is attached to the OHS.
I remember coming the OHS on a field trip in school and I fell in love with the Ohio Village and the reenactors. In fact, I dreamed of being a reenactor when I grew up with all the dresses, and pretend crap. … So much for that I guess. OHS Ohio village left an impression on my tiny impressionable heart.
I had my wedding here. Yeah, you heard me. We partied like it was 1889, authentic dress and all, and The Ohio Village was the place to do it. We rented out the entire village, which included the church, the American Inn, and the surrounding premise of vacant reproduction buildings like a town hall, undertaker, dress shop, general store. It was just. fun, and it didn’t hurt our pocket books at all.
There’s endless photo opportunities here, so hire a great photographer!
The Church: It was breath taking when we first toured the facility, and the best part about the Church was that it wasn’t tied to a religious group, or organization, so no worries about taking couples counseling, or being a member of the church. The stained windows keep it traditional, and even sport a visual allegiance to Ohio, which makes me proud.
The Church sports an upper balcony, large alter, and plenty of pews for friends and family. It’s just a nice, warm environment, and breathtaking during sunset and morning when the colors of the stained glass reflect off of everything.
The American Inn/​Hotel: There’s plenty of room here to entertain guests. The main dining area fit my party of 60 perfectly with room for more. There is also a room next to this dining area that can host tables, and guests. We used this room to hold the food.
When entering the Inn, to your left you are greeted by an old school postal area, and check in. Cowboys and Robbers anyone? That’s what it feels like. The next room beside that holds an old school saloon bar, which is great if you intend to have an open bar.
There is a second level to the Inn, but it is used for The Muffins, a reenacting Victorian baseball group.
The village has nice wooden boardwalks, which were traditional before the modernized paved roads. The town square is spacious and green and wonderful for younger guests, since OHS leaves out their old fashioned stilts and games, so your younger guests won’t be disappointed in the facilities.
The outside is absolutely gorgeous in Summer when the outdoor is bloomed out. they have trumpet flowers that grow all over the outside of the Inn, and the weeping willow adds such a dramatic and romantic touch for pictures.
Fall is also a wonderful time, because of the apple trees that line the entrance, and add fragrance to your walk on the boardwalks.
OHS offers more larger facilities, but the have a whole village to ourselves, and the quaint, and cozy space of the Inn made the event feel intimate.
I would recommend the OHS to host anyones events! Their coordinator is an amazing woman, and on top of everything, your money is helping preserve Ohio History, and support the State of Ohio.
Yeah, it makes you feel are warm and fuzzy inside.
Thank-​you OHS Ohio Village for making my special day just that!