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    Wexner Center For the Arts

    4.3 (53 reviews)
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    Updated 2 weeks ago

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    Maya Lin; Groundswell; 1993; termpered safety glass
    Paul L.

    Hmmm, not many Wexner photos on Yelp and most, including mine, are of the building exterior. Go inside and discover why. Taking photos inside is not only strictly verboten but the Wexner posts a DO NOT list -- more akin to the ten commandments -- repeatedly on the long ramp to the galleries. I would have taken a photo of the list but different guards all paused in confusion before telling me no. You can't even take a photo of a white wall. Seriously. I wonder what state secrets this place is hiding. The two exhibitions now on display are unremarkable but that's no reason to stay away. Don't let my negative comments dissuade you from visiting and seeing something wonderful in the future. For me, however, concluding one of the most unwelcoming visitor experiences I've ever encountered in any gallery or museum, I'll stick with the countless other museums in Ohio and across the United States that are much more refreshing in their attitudes. One cautionary note: the Seattle Art Museum was one of the last major art museums in the country to forbid the use of cameras in their space. They relented because of the ubiquitous cell phone camera. A guard there told me that one person even hid a camera in a teddy bear. Go ahead, Wexner Center, keep fighting this lonely battle and continue to treat your college audience like high school students. Oh, no gum chewing, please.

    Wexner Center for the Arts: Scaffolding represents unfinished & changing works of art.
    Shawnie K.

    People love it. People hate it. But that's the beauty of the Wexner Center. If nothing else, it makes for interesting conversation. The Wexner Center takes as much time to explain as it does to figure out what it's all about... in a nutshell, this is a multi-disciplinary arts facility for film makers, visual artists and performing artists. It's a gallery, a museum, a theatre and a "research laboratory" for the arts located on the campus of The Ohio State University. A laundry list of "who's who" of the dance world, famous film makers and big named artists have found their way to the Wexner since it opened in 1989. From conception, the building (and the art it exhibits) has been controversial and remains such. I remember the first time saw this odd, skeletal building and wondered what it was all about. Very simply put, the building was designed with loads of symbolism and philosophy. The Wexner Center is located on the site of the former "armory," a castle-like structure built during the Gothic Revival, hence the modern turrets serving as a nod to the building's past. The white "scaffolding" looks to the future, as an ongoing and evolving project. The lines (grooves) in the sidewalk, leading toward high street, align with a runway at the Columbus airport- representing the incoming and outgoing ideas from around the world. The symbolism goes on and on, but those are the few that stuck in my brain when I researched the building for another project. I've spent hundreds of hours studying in the Fine Arts Library, housed in the basement of the center, along side the Cartoon Research Library and remain endeared to the building. One of the most memorable exhibits that I've seen were here at the Wexner, including Julie Taymor's (costume and puppet deisgner for the Lion King) amazing puppet displays and more recently, the Warhol. When I learned the Warhol exhibition was making its only US stop at the Warhol, I wasn't surprised. His diverse art forms required an extremely "flexible" building, capable of handling all sorts of multi-media and various sized paintings. a building as quirky as hte man himself. The Wexner pulled it off brilliantly! I attended the media opening of the Warhol Exhibition and had the privilege of seeing it with only 100 other people. It was interesting to see how they would approach displaying such eclectic stuff. My very first job was at the Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, right when it first opened, so I had the same curious excitement to see how the Wexner would create a cohesive transition between rooms. It was fabulous and well-done. A bit of a sensory overload too. That is exactly how I describe the Wexner Center for the Arts (and it's artistic offerings): fabulous, well-done, and with a welcomed bit of a sensory overload. It is my favorite museum in Columbus.

    Elizabeth D.

    I always have mixed feelings about the Wexner center. On one hand, it's a true gem in the City of Columbus. Most days, I would be proud to take out-of-towners here and show them what private citizens give to the art community. As a theatre person, their line-up of visiting acts is usually stunning. I am at most of the performances during the year and am impressed who they get to play here (Richard Maxwell, SITI Company, etc...). I have been to the Wexner a lot for various galleries (Andy Warhol was truly an amazing transformation of the space). There is no lack of "cool" here from the outside scaffolding design to the choice of interior materials and stunning graphic design and marketing. The Wex is set up to be pretentious, designed by an architect who wanted to make the journey to the art part of the experience, hence the ridiculously long walk to the black box space, where most of their performances are held. I won't go into my spiel about how art should be accessible by many, open-minded, and community-building (I don't have to, I co-founded my arts company on these principals because they are so important to me), but I will say that the Wexner Center is rarely any of these things. But I get why - galleries, in general, with their stark white walls and invisible barriers between the audience and the art - are created to set the art apart and make it special. It is not lost on me that the Wex is an art gallery of the highest caliber and in every sense of the word. My reservations enter when I think about the less-than-warm-welcome I receive almost every time I visit. They have an army of black-clad volunteers and employees guiding you down the paths to where you're going, making you feel as if they are expecting you to pull a can of spray paint out of your coat and just go nuts on the white walls and pergo floors. No warm smiles, no hello's, no hospitality. Just suspicion. Also, having received my MA in Theatre at OSU, I had occasion to make connections there, and was startled when I received, almost at every turn, the response that they were not connected to the Ohio State University or any of the art departments in any way. So, don't let their location ON the OSU campus fool you. They are their own entity. The Wex has done some awesome things for this city, and with their Pages program, has really shown that they are willing to reach out to the community as a whole. But I suspect that is due to a few incredible individuals employed there rather than the institution encouraging this attitude. I will keep going back, mainly because I am addicted to incredible theatre, but every time I make that walk down the elitist hallway amongst suspicious glares I know I will be reminded that I just might not measure up.

    The Outside
    Steve A.

    I am happy that Ohio State has something like the Wexner Center. It's underappreciated by many students and by people in Columbus. The place has hosted exhibits for some of the most important art figures. It also has an auditorium where both established and rising talent have performed. The center needs to be visited by anyone interested about the university. I have a hard time reviewing this since the exhibits will always change. There's always something new there every season. Among the most memorable events have been the Annie Leibovitz and Andy Warhol exhibits. As for the building itself, the exterior was inspired by the old Armory which sat at the site. The white rods outside are imitations of scaffolding, which represents the changes in art. It's certainly quite unique looking. The architecture has it's critics, but that's one of the beautiful things about art. There always will be mixed opinions. Another part of the Center is the Box, which shows some very experimental films. The Mershon Auditorium has featured solme great bands. I wish I had visited more when I was a student. There were some great exhibits or shows I had the pleasure of seeing. Admission is not too bad. It's free for students and $8 for the public. There is a membership option, and you get 10% off the Heirloom Cafe. I have been in a few times. It's a great place for seeing great art and learning about the history of art at Ohio State. You can get in free as a student and it's not that expensive for the public so this is a value.

    Andy in drag.  Picture found on the Wex. website
    Ellen F.

    I recently visited The Wexner Center to walk through the Andy Wahol: Other Voices, Other Rooms exhibit. I've never been to an Andy exhibit before. I honestly didn't know too much about him except for the familiar Campbell's Soup can and similar works. The entire Wexner Center is now devoted to Andy's life, from start to finish. I didn't count, but apparently there are over 700 works including early hand-drawn advertisements, silk screens, lots of tv and film, and his celebrity Polaroid shots. Candid and unique. This exhibit is more interactive than any I've experienced. There are a couple rooms dedicated to the films and TV episodes of the past. Turns out Andy Warhol had a TV show back in the 80's. I found a star shaped seat, and a pair of headphones in the forest of TV's, and watched an episode featuring Pee-Wee Herman, as well as many others. Don't forget to stop in the gift shop. Again, the Wex is fully dedicated to Andy right now and this is a great opportunity to bring a little bit home with you.

    Buttons and embellishments at Todd Oldham: All of Everything exhibit

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    Ask the Community - Wexner Center For the Arts

    Review Highlights - Wexner Center For the Arts

    I visited The Wex for the first time with my family for the fashion exhibit, Todd Oldham: All of Everything.

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    Little Theater Off Broadway - The Scarlet Pimpernel

    Little Theater Off Broadway

    4.3(4 reviews)
    9.3 mi

    Cute little theatre in the heart of Grove City, Ohio. Actors who are dedicated to giving an all…read morestar performance on a budget for people to be able to afford.

    This is one of the best local theatres in the Columbus area. My son and I started coming here…read moreregularly several years ago after we were blown away by their production of The Addams Family Musical. Prior to the performance, I had asked several locals about the theatre and was simply told that it was small, hence the name. Thank you, Captain Obvious. So, with not much to go on, my expectations were pretty low. Even so, the ticketing system for this theatre is ridiculously antiquated. To reserve a seat, you have to leave a message on their answering machine. Make sure you have lots of time on your hands when doing so because you will have to sit through a greeting that goes on forever with no way to bypass it. If there is a way, please let me know how. The message will ask you to leave your information and that your call will ONLY be returned if there is a problem with your reservation. I am the type of person who wants confirmation of my reservation. Because this theatre is a good 45 minute drive from my house, I want to feel confident that my reservation is in good order. Not surprisingly, since coming here my reservations have been botched twice. Once, I left my message several days in advance, but It was never received. Last week, my message was received, but my seats were given away to someone else who also (supposedly) had my (very uncommon) last name. Highly unlikely, in my opinion. In both instances, we were accommodated with seats, but I would have been upset had we been turned away. Aside from that hassle, we adore this theatre. Yes it is small and seats less than 100, BUT the productions are spectacular! I was amazed at how much they could do on such a small stage. Choreographed dance numbers, intricate sets, top notch voices and reasonable ticket/concession prices make this historic theatre an absolute treasure in Grove City. I have not seen a bad production yet and I highly recommend the musicals. Tons and tons of talent and not a bad seat in the house!

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    Little Theater Off Broadway - Artbyjo. The whole yown is worth walking around(two blocks)

    Artbyjo. The whole yown is worth walking around(two blocks)

    Little Theater Off Broadway - Artbyjo

    Artbyjo

    Little Theater Off Broadway - Artbyjo

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    Artbyjo

    Otherworld - Art installation / photo opportunities

    Otherworld

    4.2(267 reviews)
    10.7 miSoutheast
    $$

    My husband picked this place for our Saturdate and I was happily surprised! We arrived at our 11am…read moretime slot and I was immediately excited for the puzzle aspect we heard about at the counter. All of the rooms were so cool and fun to check out. We ended up solving 2/3 of the puzzles and they were quite challenging! I will say it may have been even more enjoyable with less people around. It was a bit crowded and many times we were trying to solve puzzles and children would come between us and the interactive piece. We understand that it's an interactive experience for all so we didn't mind waiting. But it did slow down a bit of our excitement to solve a puzzle. All in all I think the entire experience was exciting and fun. A great place for a date where you can take pictures, see cool rooms, and maybe solve a puzzle or two!

    While visiting the Columbus a group of us decided to come by to check out Otherworld and it did not…read moredisappoint! The place was in a shopping center that seemed pretty empty but once we got inside it was like we entered another world. The place wasn't too packed and there was one worker at the front who was really sweet and patient with our group. They also allowed me to do a tour of the game area which I appreciated. There was a little something for everyone, adults and kids included. From the time we walked in we were met with room after room filled with interactive exhibits which we enjoyed. I don't want to give too much away as I don't want to ruin the surprise but I definitely recommend checking it out! The tickets were a bit pricey but after seeing everything inside I didn't feel too bad about paying so much. If you find yourself in the area, you should definitely make your way out to see them!

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    Otherworld
    Otherworld
    Otherworld - Just chillen in this super cool neon chair!!

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    Just chillen in this super cool neon chair!!

    Northland Performing Arts Center

    Northland Performing Arts Center

    4.0(4 reviews)
    4.4 mi

    Went to NPAC last weekend to see my second favorite musical, "My Fair Lady" ("Oliver" is #1)…read more While not the greatest theater I've visited, the seating was quite comfortable and arranged perfectly to accommodate the elderly and others requiring assistance. They did have a nice concession area with plenty of relaxation room, prior to showtime. I must admit that their stage/set conversion process was excellent. The performers quickly stormed the stage, in-between scenes in the low lighting and moved the props and set around flawlessly. With no curtain to disguise this activity, you couldn't help but admire their efficiency. The show was just as beautiful as the movie, with stellar performances from all of the cast, featuring Columbus celebrity anchorman, Cabot Rea. Cabot's acting and singing voice were a great surprise in the role of Henry Higgins. Maybe it was my imagination, but he did it so well, he started to remind me of Rex Harrison, the original actor. The actress portraying Eliza Doolittle was simply adorable and graceful with a truly beautiful singing voice. The sleeper hits came from the characters Col. Pickering and Alfred Doolittle. They were so much fun to watch that you couldn't help but keep an eye on them, even when they weren't speaking. They, just like the remainder of the cast, gave such life to their characters that it was impossible for one to ignore them, even in the background. All of the performers were fun to watch, even after they exited the stage and disappeared to the back of the audience. The music was performed by one keyboard player who I talked to briefly before the final act, complimenting her expertise. She was such a sweetheart who rounded out the entire show beautifully. If you'd like a great time, take a look at their site and make it a point to attend an upcoming show. I'm looking forward to their next show and hope that they use the same cast, if not the majority.

    Great stage and back stage area for performers to practice and get ready. Wished there were more…read moredressing rooms however. Bathroom could be kept cleaner.

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    Northland Performing Arts Center - Director's opening remarks

    Director's opening remarks

    Northland Performing Arts Center

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    The Murder Mystery - For the first course, we have salad, and for the second course, DEMISE!

    The Murder Mystery

    2.9(31 reviews)
    2.8 miDowntown

    I absolutely loved this experience! I went with my husband and he got picked to be a suspect. Our…read moretable worked as a team against the other tables. It's not a sit down show and at times we are asked to stand up and go investigate, ask questions about clues that the other tables have. Great way to get everyone to talk with the other tables. Our meal was included in our ticket and nothing more than what we already pay at any restaurant nowadays. I can't wait to bring my family and friends, they'll love it! It's a comedy and I was a bit hesitant about it because I hate cheesy jokes, and OMG the jokes in the show are AMAZING. I laughed from the bottom of my lungs lol I'm so excited to do it again

    My husband and I went to the Murder Mystery Company for our anniversary meal/entertainment. We had…read morenever been to a dinner theater/murder mystery before - so we did not know what to expect. Our first impression was that the location was good, parking was great, and seating was OK, but cramped. We were seated at a table for 6 and ended with with 2 couples that came together - very nice people. The service was good - keeping my drink full and clearing our places promptly after we finished each course. I knew ahead of time that drinks were a la carte - but I did not know that gratuity for the meal/presentation was separate. My husband and I agree that all should be included in the upfront cost so you don't feel nickel-and-dimed to death. The meal was fine. My husband hated the salad - but I as a more ecletic eater enjoyed it. It was mixed greens with sliced fruit and a light vinagrette dressing. We both liked the main course (stuffed pepper for me and chicken for him). Dessert was rated good by him and OK by me (where can you really go wrong with brownie and vanilla ice cream. A French Vanilla would have raised it to GREAT, but it was OK - good). The storyline was a bit difficult to follow - since audience members could not necessarily be heard in their acting parts and were sometimes confusing in what they said. It might have helped to either select better "actors" or to include more of the storyline in print in the binders. The length was about right. I wouldn't have wanted another "scene" or "act." I really liked the fact that you could get involved and participate as much or as little as you wanted. We chose to watch and not get up and ask questions or interrogate the principal players. The couples at our table milled about somewhat by the end of the play. The mystery was definitely solvable. I won't give the "who dunnit" away - but as soon as it was explained to us who did it and why, I rolled my eyes and smacked my head - I should have picked up on the clues. Would I go again? Yes - IF - we went with another 2 couples that we enjoy socializing with. I know we'd have a much better time and be more engaged. As to the liquor license - as a non-drinker, I'm happy that they don't serve alcoholic beverages. I do think that this type of entertainment is not family-friendly and would not appreciate having children in the audience. We did not have any kids in our seating and would not have thought that it would have been appropriate for a younger crowd.

    Photos
    The Murder Mystery - Poly in the study with poison

    Poly in the study with poison

    The Murder Mystery - By George, A Murder has occurred! And its likely that somebody committed it!

    By George, A Murder has occurred! And its likely that somebody committed it!

    The Murder Mystery - You did it didn't you!? i know you did!!

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    You did it didn't you!? i know you did!!

    Wexner Center For the Arts - movietheaters - Updated May 2026

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