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    Central Ohio Fire Museum

    4.8 (13 reviews)
    Open 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

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    I mean, I only dressed up so that she would not be afraid of people in big coats and helmets if she needed their help...
    Mark K.

    No change in my rating, as this is still a great little museum. Just a very different experience this time, with Baby K, who is almost three. We were welcomed by the staff, and they were very helpful and friendly to Baby K. Clearly they get a lot of kids, and they know how to make things both fun and educational. She got to ring some fire-bells, saw horses and dogs they used to use, and got to play in their play area. There's a fire-pole; what appears to be an actual firetruck cab (donated by local manufacturer Sutphen) with working lights, etc.; a hook and ladder-type seat (also with lights;) toys; books; and kid-size helmets, boots, and jackets. The volunteer, a current fireman, showed us his old helmet and brought out a full-size helmet and jacket for me, on the theory that kids are less intimidated by new things if someone familiar is wearing them (and thus that they will be comfortable going to firefighters for help in an emergency.) She loved all of this, and of course did not want to leave. The museum is still great; I didn't get to look around much myself, but then, you know, toddler. Older kids can probably play in the play area while you look around. There's a safety education area in back for kids and adults, and a horse stall. The volunteers are great, and this is a real local gem. You can have birthday parties here. They ain't cheap, and neither is a visit, but, once in a while so that the kids can have a blast, it is worth it. On a weekday afternoon, I found a parking meter 50 feet away and paid a dollar, so, parking could be an issue but shouldn't be bad at off times. We will certainly be back.

    Cheryl B.

    I sometimes take for granted all of the wonderful attractions right here in my hometown. I've decided this is my year to rediscover Columbus. It started today with a visit to the Central Ohio Fire Museum. With my two nieces, ages 5, and 8 in tow, we headed to the museum on the last Friday of their spring break. We honestly did not know what to expect. I was just hoping they would have fun. Upon arrival, we easily found parking in their driveway. I was a little unsure about where to park, but the signs said visitor parking so I just pulled over next to the building and made sure not to block any does. We were warmly greeted by a volunteer fireman who took our entry fee. You may think it's a little pricey, $8 for adults and $6 for kids, but the information received on the tour makes up for that. Our tour was conducted by another volunteer, Josh. He was warm and friendly and kept the girls attention. They learned a lot about fire safety. I even learned some things I have at home are not safe. We also talked about the history of fire trucks, bells and horses. So much in such a small space. A real treat!! The girls loved sliding down the pole and the play area. I think this is a perfect trip for young children. Teenagers might not enjoy it as much. Along the tour a family of 3 joined us. I think 6 was the perfect size group for this type of tour. Glad to find this hidden gem.

    Pint Sized Firefighter Outfits For The Kids To Wear While They Play
    Mike G.

    On Christmas Eve 1919, they retired the last of the horses that had drawn the fire engines for the City of Columbus. Even today, you can still see the kick marks in the stall doors at the back of the museum. This museum doesn't just house history, it is history. This wonderfully restored 1908 firehouse AKA the Central Ohio Fire Museum is a true hidden gem. It has been open for a decade and yet mine is only the fifth review so hopefully you'll allow me to tell you a little something about this Columbus landmark and why you should act like a local tourist too. About a month ago, Captain Mike Shimko of the Grandview Heights FD gave Mark K. and I a tour of the museum and it was certainly money well spent. Captain Mike and another fire fighter / curator were a wellspring of information about Columbus history, firefighting and fire safety. They even shared some stories about strange shadowy sightings, the sounds of footsteps and voices in the night when no one else is around. Are the stories true? Maybe, maybe not. In any case we didn't see or hear anything ghostly but it was still fun to hear the tale. There's a lot more stuff in here than you might think so I'd recommend an hour or so to really take it all in. Everything a firefighter would have needed a century ago is housed here and much of the collection is in excellent condition. While the front of the museum is historic in nature, the back is more educational with a display of dozens of everyday items that have been in real fires, a kids bedroom that shows both kids and adults the result of a house fire and a kitchen area that will educate everyone on fire safety. A nice touch is the children's play area where the little ones can sit in a real fire truck cab, don fire fighter clothing and slide down a kids sized fire pole. So this is a cool place for individuals and families both. It's fun and it's educational. I highly recommend it. No wonder 4 out of 5 reviewers give them a 5 Star rating.

    1920's era fire engine

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    Review Highlights - Central Ohio Fire Museum

    She got to ring some fire-bells, saw horses and dogs they used to use, and got to play in their play area.

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    Cosi- Center Of Science And Industry

    Cosi- Center Of Science And Industry

    3.9(332 reviews)
    0.8 miDowntown

    Once we got past a little bit of the sticker shock for tickets (we were only visiting for two hours…read moremax), we thoroughly enjoyed our visit here. Our only regret was not having more time to see all of the wings and exhibits COSI has to offer. I was surprised that for the ticket price they didn't include the Behind the Science of Pixar exhibit. Parking can easily be found in their underground garage that is nearly connected. We explored the museum with our two and four year olds- making our way between the engineering/innovators exhibit, young kiddo play area, and caught a science show on the main stage (they seem to keep it fairly booked with various topics throughout the day). They also offer a gift shop and a movie theatre for documentaries like a piece on Ohio's wildlife. Overall, a positive experience and I look forward to visiting again with more time.

    Great day for the kids. Pretty interesting for adults, too. The permanent exhibits are fascinating,…read moreand they have some rotating exhibits included with general admission. It's irritating that the special exhibits have extra entry fees, but I guess that's how things are these days. Everything has an upcharge. The food in the cafe tastes good, is overpriced, and is unforgivably stingy. The chicken salad sandwich would probably be good if they actually put chicken salad in it, and for the price, they damn well should. The exhibits are dusty and could use a cleaning. This, to me, was ridiculous, and took away from the experience. The kids probably didn't care, but when you're a parent throwing money at a place, hand over fist, you at least would like it clean. Good lord, the gift shop... handfuls of target and dollar store crap your kids will bawl their eyes out for. Be prepared. You've seen everything there at half the price.

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    Ohio History Center & Ohio Village

    Ohio History Center & Ohio Village

    4.3(55 reviews)
    2.7 miLinden

    My family and I absolutely love this museum. It has a lot of different galleries and areas to look…read moreat and explore. They have a great discovery area for kids to explore which is really a hands on experience for the kids to interact with. They have a really cool 1950s house that is really neat to go into and explore. It's also a hands on experience for people to interact with. They have some really cool skeletons in some of the exhibits. Other exhibits have artwork and flags, some have military items, and other historical artifacts you won't see anywhere else. This museum is definitely a must see and experience. The have a small cafe up on the 2nd floor which has a few food items you can enjoy while your in the cafe area and it has some good drink options as well. Nothing huge but enough to have a snack and relax while you look at the airplanes around the cafe. Staff and Services: The staff were very friendly and welcoming, they were also very informative when we was asking questions about different things about the museum. Prices: Entry $ Giftshop $-$$ Cafe $ Cleanliness: Super clean in the exhibits, the walkways were clean and clear, and the bathrooms were very clean Ombiance: quaint and quiet Overall Experience: Amazing Rating: 10/10 Recommendation: I absolutely recommend everyone to come and visit this museum there is something for everyone to enjoy. Family Friendly: Absolutely Stroller/Wheelchair Friendly: Yes it's very stroller/wagon friendly and it's very wheelchair friendly they have an elevator to get to the other floor to make it more accessible for those who can't use stairs

    We started the morning visiting the Ohio state capital, and then we decided to learn more about…read moreOhio. The Ohio history center is located a few miles north of downtown Columbus. We started walking through the nature of Ohio and then moved on to the galleries. We ended up walking the galleries in the wrong order but the galleries were not really connected. We learned some great Ohio history. They had cool things on display like a mastodon skeleton and a Lustron house. We sent about 2 hours walking around the museum. The one negative I found with the museum, a lot of the information was older. Like some of the information panels only went up to the early 2000s. They have a village exhibit outside but it was closed when we visited. They also had a gift shop that was closed the Saturday we visited. Also they have a small cafe on the top floor but it didn't have many options for actual food, just some snacks.

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    Orton Geological Museum - Megalonyx Jeffersoni
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    Orton Geological Museum

    4.2(15 reviews)
    2.2 miUniversity District

    A lovely little museum on the OSU campus. It's totally free and you don't need to spend much time…read morethere, but you will learn a lot. They have a great display of fossils and gems found locally, in the US, and around the world. I also loved that they give you information about how the science of geology and paleontology has evolved in recent years, how scientists put together dinosaur skeletons, and even how to distinguish a fossil from a non-fossil. I enjoyed my time there! Parking is limited, so make sure you check signs before walking away from your car.

    Located on the Oval at The Ohio State University, Orton Hall Geological Museum is the second oldest…read morebuilding (1893) on the campus. It houses a museum, library, The Din-O- Store shop, offices and laboratories. The museum holds 54,000 specimens and a research facility which has been visited by those in the Earth Science field from around the globe. The Hall is of the (Richardsonian Romanesque style) and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The Geological Museum is part of the School of Earth Sciences. It's founder Edward Orton was the first president of the University and Professor of Geology. Research, teaching and outreach is conducted here. During the hours of 8am-5pm, there is usually someone in the museum that will identify a rock, mineral or fossil that you bring to the museum. Many of the specimens were discovered in Ohio. Today, Ohio is situated at 40 degrees North but at one time it was 20 degrees south of the Equator about where Australia is today. Consequently, Ohio has outcroppings that date from the Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic Eras which contain exotic fauna and flora. A special note, the museum has a bell tower and plays chimes which I always enjoyed except at 8 am in the morning.

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    Orton Geological Museum - Plate Techtonics over Geological times

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    German Village

    German Village

    4.4(69 reviews)
    1.2 miGerman Village

    What a cute area in Ohio! I stumbled upon this area when searching for things to do on Yelp. When I…read morewas planning to visit, I did not have any particular place in mind to visit; I just planning to stroll and pop into places if they looked enticing. We had our dog with us so we did not do an abundance of walking around. From what I saw, there were no places that welcomed pets in the businesses. It makes sense and it was no biggie, I just did not spend as much time as I would have if pets were welcome. I stopped into what I thought was a deli but more like a restaurant with a counter, hoping to purchase goodies for home. There are several stores for shopping, which were fun to browse. I only purchased some chocolates in a candy store, which apparently were made in house. I definitely want to visit here again with more research.

    This is a lovely historic neighborhood just a couple miles south of downtown Columbus. If you have…read morea free afternoon and the weather is nice, it's well worth a visit to Schiller Park (dog-friendly with benches) which has a garden and statue dedicated to the German poet Schiller. I took COTA Bus #5 from downtown Columbus (Ohio Statehouse) and explored the area just north of the park. The brick houses and cobblestone alleyways provide a glimpse of life in the 1880s and early 1900s when this area became a central hub for the German-American community. I don't think there are too many kid-friendly activities or museums nearby - but it makes a pleasant excursion if you're stuck at the Convention Center for a conference in downtown Columbus. Street parking looked a bit challenging. If Bus #5 is running slow on your return trip from the German Village back to the downtown area (it can be up to a 30 minute wait if you just missed the last bus), consider taking an Uber/Lyft taxi instead.

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    Olentangy Indian Caverns - Caverns

    Olentangy Indian Caverns

    3.8(68 reviews)
    15.9 mi

    Lots of things for kids to do. Large play ground area, mini golf, cave tour, petting farm, maze,…read morepre purchased bag for gem panning. We paid $145 for our family of 5 to do all the activities

    Went on a Saturday around 12, started to get pretty busy around 12:45-1:30. Which makes the…read morecave/cavers very tight to walk through. While your down there your using a provided map to guide yourself around and match the corresponding areas ( Ex; A to A or 1-1 ) We went after it had just rained the night before, so everything was VERY wet. Wear waterproof/walking shoes if you plan on exploring. Be prepared to get dripped on by very cold water coming off nearby rocks, and the "ceiling". Coming down the initial very steep stairs is a beautiful view of different levels of rocks decending into a tunnel/cave where the rest of the cavers are. Tons of puddles all over the ground from collected rain water and the "droplets". Most the areas are about big enough for one person to walk through the tunnel areas at one time, and if your a larger person i DO NOT recommend going down there. Some areas are extremely tight and really only accessible to someone under 4'5 and around 100 pounds or less. (Im 5'4, 140 and some areas i almost got stuck cause it was too tight going through the rocks. It is neat to see though, i dont think id want to do it again as it is just wet rocks and the furthest tunnel was closed from the previous year that occurred from some heavy rain water. (The water collected, over time causing a collapse). So that was kind of a bummer but i get it for safety reasons. The gem mining was fun, definitely loaded with a lot of "gravel" type rocks so that was new for me, Ive only ever had ones with dirt/sand that yield rocks/gems/shark teeth. We found some really interesting gemstones in each tray. The petting zoo was great. I thought it wad Going to be boring and smelly, and i was happily wrong. The goats were adorable, when we came in a baby jumped through the fence and was following our group. And when we came inside the "pen" to pet them he ran back in it was very cute! The deer were a little skittish but very sweet and gentle. The treasure hunt/maze was VERY fun we enjoyed getting different prizes snd trading them within the group.

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    Motts Military Museum

    Motts Military Museum

    5.0(23 reviews)
    9.5 mi

    It was my first time at Motts Military Museum in Groveport where I learned more about what happened…read morewith different wars and many of our military heroes came from Ohio. I got to see history and old uniforms that reminded me of movies and television shows featuring different wars and heroes from our history. I found out more about Eddie Rickenbacker, World War I aviator whose replica of his boyhood home on the ground while the original home on East Livingston Avenue is currently in decay and that needs to be saved because of the history of him. I was glad that to briefly meet Warren Motts, who started this museum in his home, and the land it is on was owned by a fellow veteran who leased the land to Mr. Motts for $1 year until his death and Mr. Motts and his museum own the land. I amazed on the sacrifices that they made to keep America the land of freedom and saddened on the soldiers who did not come home from duty in the services. Motts Military Museum is worth check out along in Groveport and the National Military Museum and Veteran's Memorial in Downtown Columbus. Mr. Motts and his volunteers of former soldiers and sailors keep the place going with history of the United States Military and the wars that the USA and world was in.

    What an incredible collection of artifacts! I had o idea it was so extensive. The pieces all have…read morehards that describe what they are, what period, sometimes how they got there. Everything from Ohio Medal of Honor license plates, to medical instruments used during the civil war to things used by various astronauts during their missions. Seeing the Apache sitting right next to the Huey brought back some memories. Sounds you never forget. If it were up to me, every kid in school would have to come for at least two field trips to the museum. They'd learn so much.

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    Motts Military Museum - Huey helicopter for Vietnam!

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    Central Ohio Fire Museum - museums - Updated May 2026

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