Highest-rated museums in Ohio by visitors

Written by:
August 22, 2025
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Highest-rated museums in Ohio by visitors

Museums are popular tourist attractions because they provide fun ways to learn about history, science, and culture. As stewards of our civilization, they collect and exhibit items of significant importance, typically based around a theme, topic, or place. Many cover areas like art, natural history, or science, but some museums dedicate themselves to highly specific topics like mustard, play, hot air balloons, and even funeral history. Ultimately, museums present a window into different eras of society so people can learn about the past.

Collecting, preserving, and displaying items is not a new idea. The world's first museum dates to about 530 B.C., a project of Princess Ennigaldi-Nanna, a Babylonian who had a collection of Mesopotamian artifacts. The oldest public museums still in existence are the Capitoline Museums in Rome, a collection of art and archeology museums started in 1471. America's oldest museum predates our country's founding. The Charleston Museum, a preservation of South Carolinian Lowcountry history, opened in 1773.

Museums are important not just because they preserve important elements of our history and culture but also because they can improve our well-being. Naturally, museums promote education and learning and can also bring joy. Researchers studying art museums found that they can reduce depression and increase people's sense of belonging. Quiet museum environments allow people to slow down and relax, and looking at exhibits can reduce stress. Museums also foster community by hosting events, activities, and tours that encourage social interaction.

No wonder they attract nearly 900 million visits a year.

With over 30,000 museums in the country to choose from, there's something for everyone. Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated museums in Ohio on Tripadvisor as of Aug. 11, 2025. Tripadvisor rankings factor in the average rating and number of reviews. Keep reading to see what museums are in your own home state.

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#30. Yoder's Amish Home

- Rating: 4.7/5 (272 reviews)
- City: Millersburg
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#29. Dayton Art Institute

- Rating: 4.6/5 (421 reviews)
- City: Dayton
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#28. Warther Museum

- Rating: 4.9/5 (431 reviews)
- City: Dover
- Read more on Tripadvisor

4 / 30
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#27. Frank Lloyd Wright's Westcott House

- Rating: 4.7/5 (280 reviews)
- City: Springfield
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#26. America's Packard Museum - The Citizens Motorcar Co.

- Rating: 4.7/5 (320 reviews)
- City: Dayton
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#25. Imagination Station

- Rating: 4.5/5 (354 reviews)
- City: Toledo
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#24. Great Lakes Science Center

- Rating: 4.1/5 (665 reviews)
- City: Cleveland
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#23. Boonshoft Museum of Discovery

- Rating: 4.5/5 (429 reviews)
- City: Dayton
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#22. Columbus Museum of Art

- Rating: 4.3/5 (500 reviews)
- City: Columbus
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#21. Merry-Go-Round Museum

- Rating: 4.6/5 (278 reviews)
- City: Sandusky
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#20. Loveland Castle

- Rating: 4.1/5 (346 reviews)
- City: Loveland
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#19. Cleveland Museum of Natural History

- Rating: 4.3/5 (612 reviews)
- City: Cleveland
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#18. National Museum of the Great Lakes

- Rating: 4.8/5 (382 reviews)
- City: Toledo
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#17. Castle Noel

- Rating: 4.6/5 (594 reviews)
- City: Medina
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#16. Museum Of Illusions Cleveland

- Rating: 4.7/5 (139 reviews)
- City: Cleveland
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#15. Otherworld

- Rating: 4.4/5 (264 reviews)
- City: Columbus
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#14. National Underground Railroad Freedom Center

- Rating: 4.4/5 (1,086 reviews)
- City: Cincinnati
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#13. USS Cod Submarine Memorial

- Rating: 4.7/5 (601 reviews)
- City: Cleveland
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#12. Cincinnati Art Museum

- Rating: 4.7/5 (1,117 reviews)
- City: Cincinnati
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#11. Toledo Museum of Art

- Rating: 4.8/5 (1,232 reviews)
- City: Toledo
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#10. Pro Football Hall of Fame

- Rating: 4.5/5 (2,307 reviews)
- City: Canton
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#9. Carillon Historical Park

- Rating: 4.8/5 (994 reviews)
- City: Dayton
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#8. Cosi Center Of Science And Industry

- Rating: 4.4/5 (1,490 reviews)
- City: Columbus
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#7. American Sign Museum

- Rating: 4.6/5 (917 reviews)
- City: Cincinnati
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#6. Cincinnati Museum Center

- Rating: 4.5/5 (1,875 reviews)
- City: Cincinnati
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#5. House From A Christmas Story

- Rating: 4.5/5 (2,381 reviews)
- City: Cleveland
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#4. Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

- Rating: 4.7/5 (1,716 reviews)
- City: Columbus
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#3. Cleveland Museum of Art

- Rating: 4.9/5 (3,606 reviews)
- City: Cleveland
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#2. National Museum of the US Air Force

- Rating: 4.9/5 (5,180 reviews)
- City: Dayton
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#1. Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

- Rating: 4.4/5 (10,117 reviews)
- City: Cleveland
- Read more on Tripadvisor

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 51 states.

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