Attractions in Columbus

Columbus is the largest city in the world named after the great explorer. It is fitting, therefore, that one of the city's most popular attractions is a full-size replica of Columbus's three-masted flagship, The Santa Maria, which is permanently moored downtown on the Scioto River and open to visitors. This Ohio State capital city continues to lead the way to the future. State of the art is synonymous with Columbus, which ranks with Washington, D.C., as a center for scientific and technological information. More than 150 high-tech companies have a presence in Columbus.

Historic Capitol Square (includes the Statehouse and several statues and monuments)
Between State and Broad Sts, Third and High Streets

Ohio Statehouse
Desk at the Third Street entrance to the Statehouse Complex
The Ohio Statehouse was built between the years 1839 and 1861. Prison labor from the Ohio Penitentiary was used to construct the foundation and ground floors of the building. The Statehouse was built in the Greek Revival style, a style which emulates an understated elegance. It is a masonry building, consisting largely of brick and Columbus limestone. The limestone was taken from a quarry on the west banks of the Scioto River. The stone of the Statehouse foundation is more than 18 feet deep. Learn about Ohio's Statehouse, its history, architecture and legislative process in a free 45-minute tour. All tours begin promptly near the Information Desk.

Ohio Stadium
Ohio State University, Building 082, 411 Woody Hayes Drive
Columbus, Ohio
Go behind the scenes at the Ohio Stadium on a guided tour that takes you inside the storied history of Buckeye Football. Tour must consist of 10 or more individuals and must be scheduled 2 weeks in advance. A typical tour last 1.5 hours and a large amount of walking is involved.
Dedicated in 1922, Ohio Stadium's horseshoe shaped configuration makes it one of college football's most recognizable landmarks. Ohio Stadium is the second largest stadium in the Big Ten and the fourth largest college stadium in America. Its' fame and design make it a must-see when you visit Columbus. Take a day to experience scarlet and gray.

Columbus Museum of Art
480 E. Broad St.
The Columbus Museum of Art houses an outstanding collection of late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century American and European modern art. This collection includes major works by Monet, Matisse, Picasso, Renoir, Hopper and O'Keeffe and other spectacular examples of Impressionism, German Expressionism, and Cubism. Also recognized for extraordinary regional collections, the Museum boasts the largest public collection of woodcarvings by Columbus folk artist Elijah Pierce.

COSI Columbus (Center of Science and Industry)
333.W.Broad St.
Science, technology, history and more come alive in this interactive, architecturally-unique museum. COSI features interactive, discovery-based and themed exhibit areas, three theaters, the outdoor Big Science Park, the country's only high wire unicycle, a restaurant, and shop. The exhibition areas - Adventure, Gadgets, Life, little kidspace, Ocean, Progress, and Space - each provides experiences for all age levels that creatively combine science facts and learning through play.

Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
9990 Riverside Dr.
The zoo is located along the banks of the Scioto River in Northwest Columbus. Sights include a 100,000-gallon coral reef exhibit, one of the largest reptile collections in the United States and the largest manatee exhibit outside Florida. The newest Southeast Asia exhibit brings Komodo dragons, gibbons, orangutans, Asian small-clawed otters, black swans, Javan whistling ducks, and cattle egrets to the zoo. Travel the world by viewing wildlife species from all corners of the globe.

The Santa Maria
North of the Broad Street Bridge, moored in the Scioto River, at Battelle Riverfront Park, at Marconi Blvd. and West Broad Street
Columbus, Ohio
Visit the world's most authentic, museum-quality replica of Christopher Columbus' flagship, the Santa Maria. Imagine what it must have been like more than 500 years ago to embark on a voyage that would forever alter the world in which we live. Imagine using only wind and current for propulsion and a crude compass, the sun and the stars for direction! The Santa Maria's tours dramatize the daring and determination it took for Columbus and his explorers to set out on their mission. Experience the lives they led, interact with replicas of the navigational tools they used and play the games they played to pass the time.