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    National First Ladies Library

    3.7 (25 reviews)
    Open 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

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    Lisa B.

    We really enjoyed the third Thursday's event on Jackie Kennedy. Beautiful building, interesting lecture and worth the time. Parking is beside the building

    Jonathan B.

    Finally this site has reopened both for entry into the museum itself and for guided tours of the former house of McKinley. The museum itself was very informative especially of the Canton area history and of the lives of both the former president and, most importantly to the mission of this park, his wife Ida Saxton. He had quite a long political career, cut short by his assassination. Ida was also quite a well-read woman for her time. This park, and the presidency and feminist viewpoints it shows reminded me very much of the home and museum just up north dedicated to President Garfield and his wife. The similarities are almost unnerving. That all said, the house tour was the gem of this site. In the museum the dresses of former first ladies were great to see. Downstairs is a video room with a four episode series on infinite loop with a history on first ladies. I was honestly a bit put off by the lack of a men's restroom. They have only women's and unisex. I get it, why they've done this. I guess. But what's the point? I never realized equality was so one-sided. A final few notes: staff was welcoming and the tour guide was great. Tours have time slots and you can only sign up on site. If you have an annual park pass you'll get a discount and pay only $4 for the tour.

    From the bank building displays
    Laurie V.

    This is right up my alley and I really loved visiting. Visitors start at the former bank building, which is currently housing an exhibit dedicated to Nancy Regan on most of the ground floor, and when you go to the lower floor there is a video which is dedicated to the fashion of First Ladies in a small beautiful theater, which was likely once the bank vault. Park Rangers staff the historic site, and there are a handful of tours a day to the Ida Saxton McKinley home, which is just a block or so away. The museum is free, but tours are a very reasonable $7 (and even less if you are a national park pass holder). The best bargain in town! Our tour guide was super knowledgeable and entering the Saxton home, I was awestruck. Much of the house is the restored original architecture and furnishings, although some of it has been restored. It was set up to be demolished at one point in the 80s, as it had housed several storefronts, and had become an eyesore. Thankfully historic preservation took over, and this beautiful home became beautiful once again. Some highlights that stood out to me: - The black walnut....I don't know a whole lot about architecture or carpentry, but I do know this is the most expensive and most durable type of wood. - The lamp in the first floor foyer....someone found it at a flea market in Florida, recognized it from old historic photos of the Saxton house, and brought it back home! - The music box (that still works!) Ida and her sister Mary brought back from Geneva on a trip to Europe when they were young - The displays of slippers that Ida knit when she was facing some health issues. People regarded her as an old sick lady in the corner knitting, but she was actually listening to EVERYTHING that her husband discussed as the President of the United States. After guests or dignitaries would leave their home, she and William would have a conversation about everything that was discussed and he really respected and valued her opinions. William took everything she had observed and that they had discussed into consideration when he made important decisions. - They had two very young children die, and then Ida lost her husband at the Panama Exposition and World's Fair in Buffalo. This woman's life was filled with grief. Makes me sad every time I think about it. - The staff doesn't find either building to be haunted, but I am determined to find out more about this. The buildings are so old, and have had so much trauma. Great place to visit. This is a very well-done museum. I will say that if you are expecting to learn more about First Ladies in general, you may be disappointed, so go in not expecting it to be a tribute to all First Ladies. Instead, go in knowing you'll get a nice piece of Canton history, and you will be pleased.

    Andrea U.

    Free parking we spent about :20 walking around the down beautiful inaugural gowns. We didn't see the movie & missed the tour of the Saxton House.

    Debra V.

    You definitely want to see this little museum and the house. It is ran by the National Parks, so bring your park pass. It focuses on the the eight First Ladies from Ohio. Fashion is a big display here--dresses, shoes, gloves, hats, jewelry and fans are the main displays. Write ups are on most items and they are very informative. A 30-minute movie tells about each First Lady and the significant role each played. They were the first for many things. Admission includes the McKinley house tour which is very nice. The McKinley house interior of woodwork and wallpaper is beautiful. This house had been used for businesses in the past. It was saved and restored, and has some of the original fixtures and furniture given by the family. The McKinley family seemed to be well liked. William had a stellar career as a politician before he was assassinated. Also visit the McKinley Monument and museum a short drive away.

    James M.

    Located in Downtown Canton, Ohio and in two separate locations (walking distance of each other) We parked near the Saxton House (free) and walked over to education center. Very unique set-up with displays upstairs & downstairs, Ranger is located upstairs in a booth that also has some items for sale and most importantly the NP cancelation Stamp- LOL. This site has a special (huge) stamp but you must ask for it. There is a theater downstairs which is really nice. There are restrooms upstairs & downstairs. There are women's and unisex (no mens). The displays are well done and very informative. The high-light of the stop was the tour of the home, Ranger Becky (hope I got right) was amazing, she made me feel like I knew the family after I left. The home is really well restored and set in the correct time period as much as possible. The history of the home & Ida is well worth the visit & Ranger Becky's tour.

    Abigail E.

    Not an overtly bad experience but just not memorable or interesting enough to warrant more stars. Don't park at the park garage, there is free parking a little further down the road and there is a big NPS sign that indicates where you can park for free. After Peking you walk not even a full block to the entrance where the museum starts and then continues to the basement which is where you exit from onto the same street to entered on. It's pretty cool that they have some authentic dresses from various First Ladies, and that really about all that I found interesting. There isn't much else to see but there are lots of panels to read about "What it Means to be a Woman'" and "What is Feminism?" and so on. There is a theater in the basement and we decided to skip the movie and just head home after a long day of driving and exploring. Worth and stop but not much else. Maybe I would feel different if the Saxton House was open or there was just more to see and do. Current hours are Wednesday - Saturday, 9am - 4pm (closed Sunday, Monday & Tuesday).

    Rear/side view of house
    Nate T.

    Had a wonderful tour at the McKinley house (even though that house was only ever owned by women! Very progressive bunch in the 1800's) and the National Park Ranger at the Library itself was wonderful to talk to. When you arrive, head to the library first, located past the parking garage. There you can purchase a tour ticket for the house and view some formal wear and other items worn by First Ladies. Also - check out their notable First Ladies tree ornaments. They're ornate and quite beautiful. When you tour the house, just enjoy the architecture. These people had MONEY. Curved edges on walls are expensive to create now, probably more than when the house was built and added to. The house is full of artifacts and reproductions to keep it as true to era as possible. The volunteer tour guide gave a great tour as well.

    Lisa M.

    7-30-19 Spent an hour here and all I seen were First Lady dresses. Luckily we were able to get our stamp at this location. The park is spread out over several buildings. We couldn't figure out what was what from the map. Couldn't get into gift shop. There was a speaker. We clicked it. It rang n rang. No one ever answered. Left disappointed. Hour wasted seeing next to nothing.

    First Lady Christmas tree!
    Jeanie C.

    What a little gem! Lisa was the ranger on site and she was super knowledgeable and friendly. The exhibits had a lot of info on the role and the changes it has undergone over the years. Fascinating!

    McKinley's office

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    8 years ago

    Absolutely loved walking through here. The parking situation is a little odd but the the tour is worth it. Don't miss out.

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    Review Highlights - National First Ladies Library

    You can also take a tour of the Saxton House where Ida McKinley lived with her president husband.

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    Canton Museum of Art

    Canton Museum of Art

    5.0(2 reviews)
    0.7 mi
    $

    The Canton Museum of Art (CMA) is an unexpected art gem in the Canton's art district. It is located…read morein the Cultural Center for the Arts. The building contains Canton Ballet, Sing Stark, and ArtsinStark. You can have an entire cultural adventure in the same space. That's exactly what my experience was. I visited the center for St Nicholas Balalaika performance, and discovered that the building had this museum. I love art and so I HAD TO stop in. SPACE: The museum doors are accessible through the Cultural Center for the Arts. You can peek through large windows to get a lot at some art at the Cultural Center for the Arts. The museum has multiple rooms of art. There is plenty of room to explore. The museum also has a small souvenir shop. ADMISSION: Regular adult admission is $8. Free admission is available every Thursday and first Friday of every month. ART: The art museum has a space with gorgeous sculptures. There are also art works for sale in the foyer. Few striking pieces are available. The main exhibit space is displayed in multiple rooms. The current exhibition is Shattered Glass: The Women Who Elevated American Art (on display until March 1). To be honest, prior to the visit here I was only able to name Gloria O'Keefe as a renowned female artist. This exhibit expanded my horizons. There were so many famous and global women artists. It's a very empowering exhibit. You'll even find the renowned "Migrant Mother" photograph. The art includes digital art room. Plan for extra time to look at every piece of art and read every single story. Also, linger by the guestbook available in the galleries. There are beautiful reflections about the exhibit. Leave your own. SERVICE: I was blown away with the service here! I've been to museums in various parts of the work, and this one was the friendliest. I arrived during the last 30 minutes of their work day. The staff welcomed me with open arms. They were friendly, informative, and invited me back. It was an excellent experience. PARKING: There is a surface lot by the center. There is also a parking garage to accommodate visitors. I look forward to returning to the museum for events and exhibits. This museum is such a gem, more people should talk about it. I loved my time there - the art, the hospitality, and the new perspective about women artists.

    The Canton Museum of Art is a little gem nestled in downtown Canton, Ohio. The museum is small…read moreenough that you can see the exhibits in a relatively little amount of time which makes for frequent visits. Highly recommended.

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    Canton Museum of Art
    Canton Museum of Art
    Canton Museum of Art

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    Pro Football Hall of Fame - A Game For Life exhibit

    Pro Football Hall of Fame

    4.3(296 reviews)
    2.0 mi

    What an unexpected surprise. I'm not a huge fan of football, but the museum is very well put…read moretogether and the volunteers are knowledgeable and friendly, especially Stan and Steve. Definitely make some time for the live presentations they do every hour. We saw the evolution of helmets, defect or not defunct teams, and odd objects from football. These penetrations were only 20- minutes, but we learned a lot! Logistics: 1. Canton is 1-hr drive south of Cleveland. Allocate at least 2.5-3 hrs to do the museum and the presentations. We could have easily stayed another hour, but we ran out of time. There's also a football village around the hall of fame with restaurants and a Ferris wheel to explore, so you could easily downs a half day here. 2. Buy the combo ticket if you plan on doing both the rock and roll and nfl pro football hall of fame. It's $65 and will save you $10+ vs buying tickets individually. Highlights 1. Hall of fame busts were really breathtaking. I can't wait to come back in 20-years to see recent players in more familiar with 2. Exhibit in the latest Super Bowl winners (Philly Eagles) 3. Live presentations

    An NFL player's dream - maybe one of them is to be recognized, elected into and enshrined in the…read morelegendary Hall of Fame in Canton Ohio. A fan's dream , especially this fan of six plus decades-is to soak in everything about this beautiful and inspiring sport - from attending the Super Bowls to meeting the great players to getting to be part of the Hall of Fame festivities and being in the presence of greatness - 384 Hall of Fame legends. Goose bumps for life indeed! My dream came true as I got to visit and spend some great time in this epic institution and meet my heroes in person. The beautiful displays, the uniforms and helmets from 1925; the ability to design and make my own Super Bowl ring, the write ups about players and teams I did not know much about( 32 teams), the inspiring videos with that music, Steve Sabol's voice. On to comparing my scrawny bony arse 209 lb physique to those of these Greek Godesque superheroes. Then there is the fun and spunky staff that is a walking and talking encyclopedia of sports info. They love football and it is so fitting to have them be our hosts and guides. There is so much more. You need a good 7 hours to truly enjoy and take in all this magical place offers. Parking is $25 per car( cash only) and $200 for an RV. This is a must experience for every NFL fan stateside and also for our new fans in Europe and South America. Love the NFL!

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    Pro Football Hall of Fame - My Homie.

    My Homie.

    Pro Football Hall of Fame - Thursday, 01.01.26; Pro Football Hall of Fame - 2121 George Halas Dr NW Canton, OH 44708

    Thursday, 01.01.26; Pro Football Hall of Fame - 2121 George Halas Dr NW Canton, OH 44708

    Pro Football Hall of Fame - The Game of Life locker room

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    The Game of Life locker room

    National First Ladies Library - museums - Updated May 2026

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