Ohio History Center and Ohio Village are the perfect places to visit for some historical fun in Columbus.
Ohio Village is a full-scale 1890’s village, with characters ready to tell you about life in the 1890’s as you explore the buildings, homes, and participate in traditional activities.
Your visit at Ohio History Center features interactive exhibits exploring everything from life in the 1950s to extinct and endangered Ohio species to an exquisite collection of restored Civil War battle flags.
Ohio History Center reopens to the public on September 8, and Ohio Village is open through October 31! Admission from September 8–October 31 includes both the Ohio History Center and Ohio Village. Open Weds.–Sun., July 7–Oct. 31 from 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Read below for some of the upcoming events!
Exploring Ohio Village
Visit a reimagined 19th century community full of 1890s fun!
Set in the 1890s, Ohio Village features an era that represents a fascinating time in history, one in which technology, politics and everyday life was changing at a rapid pace.
Explore the community and meet and interact with citizens of Ohio Village; see our NEW villagers and hear their stories. Visit the bicycle shop and discover cycling, the latest craze. Experience storytelling, food preparations and demonstrations with vintage recipe cards. You can feed and tend to the chickens, play traditional games like croquet–an 1890s favorite–on the village green, and watch a vintage 19th century baseball game played by the Ohio Village Muffins.
photo courtesy of Ohio History Connection
Meet the New Villagers at Ohio Village
Sister Bertie Adams– The wife the local pastor of Ohio Village Church, Bertie is the organizer of the church’s social events. She was a classmate of Mary Church Terrell, one of the first African American women to earn a college degree in the United States and a well-known suffrage and civil rights leader. Sister Bertie aims to start a local chapter of the National Association of Colored Women in order to better support herself and other women of color in town.
Harold Morgan– The son of a Civil War veteran and the Ohio Village’s Marshal, Harold decided to follow in his father’s footsteps in serving as the Village Marshal.
Juliana Oliveira– The daughter of Brazilian immigrants who have moved to Columbus, Ohio, Juliana has always been inventive and creative. She and her brother have taken over the Ohio Village Toy Shop.
The Ohio Village photographed Saturday, May 8, 2021 at the Ohio History Connection in Columbus, Ohio. (© James D. DeCamp | http://JamesDeCamp.com | 614-367-6366)
Special weekends at Ohio Village
July 3 & 4–Independence Day/Sugar Social (for members only)
July 10 & 11–Sugar Social
July 31 & Aug. 1–Busting Victorian Myths
Aug. 28 & 29–Crime & Corruption
Sept. 11 & 12–Victorian Sci Fi & Invention
Each themed weekend will feature hands-on, thematically immersive activities.
The Ohio Village photographed Saturday, May 8, 2021 at the Ohio History Connection in Columbus, Ohio. (© James DeCamp Photography | Tom Dukes Photo | http://JamesDeCamp.com | 614-367-6366)
Ohio Cup Vintage Base Ball Festival
Sat. & Sun., Sept. 4 & 5 from 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Celebrate the end of summer with us at Ohio Village. More than 25 teams from across the nation will come to Ohio Village experience 1860s-style base ball with you and compete for the Ohio Cup. Special activities all day for kids, including historic games and sports and a chance to try your hand at 1860s-style base ball with our own vintage team, the Ohio Village Muffins. Free for Ohio History Connection members or with museum admission. Learn more HERE.
All Hallows’ Eve Sleepy Hollow at Ohio Village
Saturdays, October 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30, 2021
Enjoy a traditional 19th Century Halloween with family-friendly haunted events in the village. Activities include pumpkin carving, fortune telling, crafts, games, and Halloween traditions from the 1890’s. But beware… the Headless Horseman will visit during a bonfire reading of Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow each night.
Join in the 19th century masquerade party, meet the strange characters roaming the Village, and explore the funeral parlor to learn about 19th century funeral practices.
Special event requires tickets for members and non-members. Purchase on the website.
Food and Drink
The Ohio Village Emporium now offers a selection of grab-n-go foods and cold beverages every day from10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Enjoy your purchase at nearby picnic tables and other outdoor seating in Ohio Village, or bring your blanket for an old-fashioned picnic. Ohio History Connection members save 10%.
Ohio Village Admission details
Open to the Public: Weds.–Sun., July 7–Oct. 31 • 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Admission: $13/Adults, $7/Children ages 4–12, $11/60+ or College student with ID, Free/Ohio History Connection member or age 3 and under. Parking is free.
Timed Tickets
To ensure a safe experience for all, masks and social distancing are recommended on Ohio Village grounds and required indoors. All visitors, including Ohio History Connection members, must have timed tickets.
See ohiohistory.org/ohiovillage for additional ticketing information.
800 E. 17th Ave. (I-71 and 17th) in Columbus.
Events tba for 2021
Echoes in Time Drive-in Series
Details TBA for 2021.
Ohio History Center is taking Echoes in Time out of the theatre and into the parking lot! Each show will feature enjoy three back-to-back live performances from the safety and comfort of your car. Performers at Echoes in Time Drive-in will share Ohio-based stories set to a specific theme transmitted to your car via radio FM signal. Tickets are $10 per car.
Boohio Village
Details TBA for 2021
Join in on an online event to learn more about Victorian mourning rituals in a webinar led by Haunted Ohio author Chris Woodyard. Watch a video showcasing Ohio History Connection’s traditional All Hallows’ Eve activities, including palm reading, Fate Lady, and listen to an audio recording of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
Price per guest: Members – FREE, General admission – $15.
Dickens of a Christmas
Stay tuned for the 2021 format of Dickens of a Christmas!
Learn at Home
Want to Learn at Home with Ohio History Connection? Check out more details about the learn learning resource for all ages at this link.
Archives and Library Access
If Franklin County remains at a Level 2 or lower, the Archives and Library will begin accepting in person appointments on Sept 16 through an online registration.
Ohio History Center
800 E. 17th Ave.
Columbus, OH 43211
Annual events at Ohio Village
Storybook Village
Sat. & Sun., Aug. 14 & 15 from 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
At Storybook Village, see your favorite storybook characters magically come to life! Bring your little ones to meet classic characters and popular favorites from PBS including Pete the Cat and Elephant & Piggie. Ask Rapunzel to let down her hair, help Prince Charming in his quest, and visit with Cinderella! This special event is made possible through a partnership with Columbus Metropolitan Library, Franklin Park Conservatory and WOSU Public Media. A sensory-safe room with the Autism Society of Central Ohio will be available.
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