10 Best Museums In Ohio

Ohio isn’t often thought of as a fascinating place to visit. Too many US travelers are content to cast it into the pile of “flyover states” and call it a day. But that’s a shame, because when it comes to museums, Ohio is richer than you might imagine. Once home to some of the nation’s most prosperous industrial cities, it’s no slouch in terms of art, culture, or history. So the next time you find yourself in the Buckeye State, add these 10 museums to your itinerary for a taste of an Ohio you didn’t know existed.

American Sign Museum (Cincinnati)

It might be hard to remember the last time you really thought about signs. They’re all around us — giving directions, advertising products and businesses, letting us know we’re in the right place — but they tend to fade into the background of a cityscape. At the American Sign Museum in Cincinnati, they finally get their chance to take center stage.

At this museum, not only will you get to see examples of exemplary signs spanning over 100 years, but you’ll come to understand the unsung role they play in shaping and directing our lives. You’ll learn how signs are made, how they’ve evolved throughout their history, and how the sign industry intersects with countless others to keep us in business.

Though it’s been described by founder Tom Swormstedt as “a mid-life crisis project,” the American Sign Museum has evolved into much more than a personal collection gone wild. After a 2024 expansion, it’s got more space and a slicker look, and visitors agree that this quirky museum is a worthy diversion if you find yourself in Cincinnati.

While you’re in the area, stop by equally charming Mom ‘n ‘em Coffee for a break — and if you’re not museum’d-out yet, the Cincinnati Museum Center complex (an honorable mention for this list) hosts several more excellent museums in an ornate Art Deco train station.

Cleveland Museum of Art (Cleveland)

You may not think of Cleveland as an artistic city, but did you know it has some of the most substantial cultural institutions in the nation? As a prosperous industrial hub, Cleveland was once the focus of a great deal of investment, and you can still see the effects today in its world-class cultural institutions. From the globally recognized Cleveland Symphony Orchestra to this much-visited museum, Cleveland punches above its weight on the arts scene. Where else in the Midwest will you see such an excellent collection of Egyptian sarcophagi?

Famous for its rich collections of Egyptian and Asian art, the Cleveland Museum of Art attracts visitors from all over the world. Admission is free, rotating exhibits keep things fresh (as of writing, themes include floral motifs in Chinese art and the Renaissance painter Filippino Lippi), and just about any visitor can find something to hold their interest.

Even if you don’t typically think of yourself as interested in art, the Cleveland Museum of Art is worth checking out just to let it rewrite your mental narrative of the city. Cleveland’s heyday may seem bygone, but it’s still evident here. Plus, nearly every major museum in Cleveland is located in or around the same downtown core — so if you tire of looking at art, you can easily hop over to the Cleveland Botanical Garden, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, or any of the other offerings in this area.

First Ladies National Historic Site (Canton)

When you were in school, you may have taken a field trip to a presidential library. Many former US presidents have a museum and archive dedicated to their life and time in office, and many are popular school-visit spots — but what about their first ladies? If you’ve ever found yourself asking that question, this National Park Service-run historic site and museum in Canton is for you.

First Ladies National Historic Site includes two components: a visitor’s center and museum which interprets the role of the First Lady throughout American history, and the home of former first lady Ida Saxton McKinley. (Hence the decision to locate a collective First Ladies library in the not-so-central town of Canton, Ohio.) The house is preserved as it was, and in the visitor’s center, exhibits display artifacts related to various First Ladies and showcase the evolving role and significance of the position. Even better? Admission and guided tours are free.

Canton’s best-known museum, arguably, is actually the Pro Football Hall of Fame, located nearby and worth a visit for sports fans who find themselves in the area. But if you’re interested in history, this deep-dive into the nuances of an often-overlooked public role is a can’t-miss visit.

National Barber Museum & Hall of Fame (Winchester)

Some of Ohio’s best museums make perfect sense. No one would be surprised by the inclusion of a venerable cultural institution like the Cleveland Art Museum, a national military museum (more on that later), or a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed house (more on that later, too). But some of the others are rather quirky. This is an excellent example of a small, niche, and utterly delightful museum that’s more than worth a detour.

The history of the barbering trade might not be of immediate interest to you. Fair enough. But don’t let that deter you if you find yourself in the area (it’s only about 20 minutes outside of Columbus). The National Barber Museum & Hall of Fame’s expansive collection of barbering equipment and artifacts is infinitely more interesting than you’d think. Step into a full-sized diorama of a century-old barbershop set with all the lovingly preserved historic barbering equipment you’d need to get a proper shave, and it’s hard not to be charmed.

This isn’t only a museum about haircuts; that much quickly becomes obvious. More than that, it’s a place to preserve a tiny piece of what daily life was like in a bygone era (several of them, actually) — one that the macro-scale approach to history we’re used to learning in school and the media totally overlooks. It may not generate the buzz of a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, but it’s a neat place.

There’s not a lot going on in Winchester, but at only 15 miles from Columbus, it’s an easy side trip if you find yourself in the state capital. As such, it makes a great addition to a weekend or business trip. And while you’re in Winchester, stop by for a meal at Smokin’ J’s Barbecue; it’s the perfect antidote to the Great Lakes chill.

National Museum of the Great Lakes (Toledo)

If you’re not a Midwesterner, it’s easy to forget how significant the Great Lakes are and have always been to life in this area. They’ve shaped the region’s climate, industries, and development more than most people will ever realize. So it’s only fitting that the riverside city of Toledo hosts a museum — complete with two historic ships you can tour — dedicated to the role of the Great Lakes in human affairs.

From maritime and military history to industry and shipwrecks, the National Museum of the Great Lakes covers just about all the bases. For many visitors, the highlights are its two museum ships, the Schoonmaker, a former cargo ship, and the tugboat Ohio. Those with less specifically maritime interests will enjoy permanent exhibitions about the human history of the region.

If you’d like to spend an afternoon along the waterfront after learning everything there is to know about this region’s waterways, the Glass City Park Riverwalk offers walking paths along the river to stretch your legs or get a jog in. Those visiting with children may want to cross the river to the Imaginarium, a kid-focused science museum directly across the water.

National Museum of the US Air Force (Dayton)

Here’s an Ohio fact you may have missed. The oft-overlooked city of Dayton is the proud home of the world’s largest military aviation museum, one of the oldest aviation museums anywhere, and the official museum of the US Air Force.

The National Museum of the US Air Force is considered by many to be the single best museum in Ohio, and it’s certainly one of the most visited. Displaying hundreds of military aircraft and artifacts, its collection of rare historic military aircraft is essentially unparalleled anywhere. Naturally, if you have the slightest interest in aviation or military history, this is the place to be.

Since it’s adjacent to an operational Air Force base, the National Museum of the US Air Force isn’t quite centrally located. But that doesn’t mean you can’t find a place to stop for a bite after your visit. Check out Honey Toast Breakfast & Brunch in nearby Fairview if you’ve ever wanted to eat a brick-sized slice of french Toast. (Trust us — it’s so much better than it sounds.)

Otherworld Museum (Columbus)

The 21st century has seen the digital world expand its reach ever-further into the analog, and the art museum is not immune. Immersive art experiences using digital interfaces to create interactive art are becoming increasingly more common, and one of the finest is located in Columbus.

Otherworld Museum is an interactive digital art museum that asks viewers to imagine they’re “beta testers” for a fictional company that is best described as an extradimensional, alternate-universe travel agency. As “testers” explore the museum, they have the chance to experience over 40 art installations that, unlike traditional art museum fare, engage senses beyond the visual. Heavy science fiction influences and fantastical elements ensure you never quite know what you’ll stumble upon next.

If you’re not in the mood to contemplate ancient artifacts or Renaissance portraits, the Otherworld Museum offers an alternative vision of what an art museum can be. It’s immersive, hands-on, and not at all stuffy. So if you’re looking for something to fill a blustery day in Columbus, you can hardly do better.

Oh, and if you’re looking for something a little grounding after a disorienting morning of dimension-hopping, check out nearby Little Sicily’s Pizza. It’s as local and hole-in-the-wall as it gets, and it comes glowingly recommended.

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (Cleveland)

You may have been waiting for this one to come up. As far as name recognition goes, this is the Ohio museum. Wildly popular, expansive in scope, and housed in a building designed by renowned architect I.M. Pei, it is all at once a museum chronicling the history of the 20th century’s greatest craze, a tribute to its most towering figures, and an event venue that engages continuously with the art form to which it pays tribute.

For many visitors, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame alone is reason enough to come to Cleveland. And it’s just about the only Ohio attraction you ought to buy tickets to in advance (to make sure they haven’t sold out). If you want to learn about the history of the genre, admire artifacts from rock legends, or even have your own garage band jam session, you’re in the right place. There’s a reason this is one of Ohio’s most-loved attractions.

As an aside, while neither has the flash or popularity of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, it shares its stretch of the waterfront with a few other interesting diversions. If you’ve ever wanted to tour the inside of a military submarine, the USS Cod submarine is docked nearby and open for tours in the summer. And those visiting with kids could fill half a day at the nearby Great Lakes Science Center, a much-loved interactive museum.

Ernest Warther Museum & Gardens (Dover)

Ernest Warther is not a household name, even in the art world. Visit the Ernest Warther Museum & Gardens and you might be convinced that it ought to be. “World’s greatest model steam engine carver” might be a niche superlative, but viewing this collection of Werther’s extraordinary carvings is likely to convince you that it’s no less impressive for that.

Although the museum is set in the Warther family’s former home and preserved as it was during Ernest Warther’s lifetime, its real draw is its display of Warther’s painstakingly realistic wooden carvings of steam locomotives. In the eighty-plus years he spent carving, Warther created over sixty such sculptures. They are the real reason to visit this museum, now carefully maintained by his descendants.

This is no model train museum. The detail, craftsmanship, and realism of Warther’s miniature locomotives is truly extraordinary, and an artistic achievement more than worth coming to see. Like many of Ohio’s best museums, its scope is small, but its collection is extraordinary. Also worth noting: The Warthers are also in the fine cutlery business, and there’s an on-site shop where you can peruse if you’re inclined to buy a kitchen knife.

That said, the Warther Museum isn’t the only unusual museum in Dover. If you’re already in the area, pop into the Famous Endings Museum, a surprisingly exuberant collection of memorabilia from the funerals of famous figures that began as the passion project of a local funeral home owner.

Westcott House (Springfield)

It’s easy to forget that Ohio has its very own Frank Lloyd Wright masterpiece — but there’s a good reason for that. In the 1940s, the interior of the 1908 original was altered almost beyond recognition in what many feel was an ill-conceived renovation. Its look changed so dramatically that Wright’s contributions were largely forgotten.

But that’s no longer the case. Now a museum rather than a private residence, the Westcott House has become the subject of a local campaign to preserve what’s left of Wright’s original architecture. On a guided tour (currently mandatory), you’ll be able to see how the home’s caretakers are striving to ensure that its artistic value is preserved, even in this altered state.

Although not a museum in the traditional sense, the Westcott House is a must-visit for anybody who’s interested in architecture. Located between Dayton and Columbus, it’s a no-brainer diversion for enthusiasts who find themselves in either of those cities.

The state of Ohio might suffer from a reputation for lacking sights of interest, but you don’t have to dig very deep to see that it isn’t founded. These ten museums are only the beginning — Ohio is full of similar spots, from renowned art museums to niche celebrations of something you normally never even think about. So keep your eyes open — there really is a lot you wouldn’t want to fly over.