Zanesville’s Y-Bridge is possibly the only such shaped bridge in the world.

Ohio has many places and museums that are delightfully unique and inventive. Some are mysterious, many are historical, and they all sound like fun places to visit. You can find these places nowhere else.

Alliance – The Troll Hole Museum, world’s largest collection of troll dolls, 228 E. Main St., (330) 596-1157.

Athens – The Cannibis Museum is dedicated to educating the public on the hidden artistic, historic, medical, and industrial uses for Cannabis in the United States and around the world. The museum collections include industrial hemp processing tools, ropes, twines, textiles, building materials, medicinal cannabis bottles and ephemera showing the many historic uses for medicinal cannabis, prescriptions, medical journals, pharmacy equipment, photographs, postcards, magazines, books, posters, pipes and more. 16050 Cannaville Road, Athens (740) 331-4558.

Austinburg – Giant Rocking Chair, 20 feet tall, located two blocks north of SR 307 on Center Road (SR 45).

Bainbridge – Dr. John Harris Dental Museum, the site of the nation’s first school of dentistry, founded in 1827. Located at 208 W. Main St., (740) 634-2228.

Beaver – Dogwood Pass, a replica of an Old West-style town, with Wild West shows, vendors, food and more. 726 Adams Road, (740) 835-1130.

Bellaire – Bellaire Toy & Plastic Brick Museum, see an amazing array of objects built with toy plastic bricks. Located at 4597 Noble St., (740) 671-8890.

Bellaire – National Imperial Glass Museum, more than 3,000 pieces of Imperial Glass on display. Bellaire is home to what was once America’s largest glass factory. 3200 Belmont St., (740) 671-3971.

Bidwell – Ohio Tattoo Museum, preserving and honoring a wide variety of styles, methods, influences and mediums. 1928 Jackson Pike, (740) 441-8190.

Blue Rock – Blue Rock Station, home of Ohio’s first Earthship, offers sustainability tours, green living workshops and more. 1190 Virginia Ridge Road, Philo, (740) 674-4300.

Bowling Green – National Construction Equipment Museum, collection includes more than 180 pieces of construction, dredging and surface mining equipment from the late 1800s through the present day. 16623 Liberty Hi Road, (419) 352-5616.

Cambridge – National Museum of Cambridge Glass features more than 10,000 pieces of Cambridge Glass. 136 S. Ninth St., (740) 432-4245.

Chillicothe – The Chillicothe Paints Baseball Team was formed in 1993 and are members of the Prospect League since 2009, the top collegiate wood bat league in the country. The Paints play home games at VA Stadium on SR 104 three miles north of Chillicothe. 11 E. Second St., (740) 773-8326.

The American Sign Museum in Cincinnati displays hundreds of neon signs like this classic McDonald’s sign.

Cincinnati – The American Sign Museum is the largest public museum dedicated to signs in the United States. The museum displays several hundred neon and lighted signs dating back to the 1870s. The museum has a total of more than 3,800 items catalogued. The museum is located at 1330 Monmouth St., Cincinnati (513) 541-6366.

Cincinnati – Cincinnati Union Terminal was built in 1933 and is regarded as one of the most highly regarded example of Art Deco style in architecture. This magnificent National Historic Landmark was designed to accommodate 17,000 passengers and 216 trains a day, and one can still catch an Amtrak train at the terminal. It is now home to the Cincinnati History Museum, The Children’s Museum, Museum of Natural History & Science, an OMNIMAX Theater, a culinary studio, a Holocaust history center, and museum library and archives. 1301 Western Ave., Cincinnati (513) 287-7000.

Cleveland – The Cleveland Hungarian Museum was founded in 1985 to preserve Cleveland’s Hungarian culture and educate about the history, music, food, clothing, literature, art and other cultural aspects of Hungarians in Northeast Ohio. The museum is located at 1309 E. Ninth St., Cleveland (216) 523-3900.

Cleveland – House From A Christmas Story, restored to its movie splendor, is open year round for public tours and overnight stays. Directly across the street is the museum with artifacts from the 1983 Christmas movie classic. 3159 W. 11th St., Cleveland, (216) 298-4919.

Cleveland – World’s Largest “Rubber” Stamp. This sculpture of a rubber stamp with the word “FREE” is located at Willard Park. The aluminum and steel sculpture measures approximately 29 by 26 feet and weighs 70,000 pounds. E. Ninth Street and Lakeside Avenue, adjacent to Cleveland City Hall.

Columbus – Center of Science and Industry (COSI) has interactive exhibits on science, technology, energy, biology, geography and much more in a fun, energetic environment. From Paw Patrol to sharks, dinosaurs, live shows and demos, COSI has hands-on learning activities for all ages and abilities. COSI has been visited by 40 million guests from all 50 states and many countries. 333 W. Broad St., Columbus (614) 228-COSI.

Columbus – World’s Largest Gavel. This stainless steel gavel, measuring 31 feet long and 7,000 pounds, is located outside the Ohio Supreme Court building, 65 S. Front St. in downtown Columbus.

Columbus – The Thurber House is more than a museum. This 1873 home of humorist and author James Thurber is a literary hub, creative space and historical landmark. 77 S. Jefferson Ave., (614) 464-1032.

Columbus – The Columbus Topiary Garden & Park depicts the setting of the 1887 painting by Georges Seurat named “A Sunday Afternoon at the Isle of La Grande Jatte.” The garden depicts more than 50 figures arranged in the painting, but all in trimmed shrubbery. Located at 480 E. Town St., downtown Columbus.

Columbus – The Flag Lady’s Flag Store, founded by Mary Haley Leavitt in 1989 from a home-based business, is one of the largest flag companies in the U.S. It has stayed true to its home-based roots under second generation owner Lori Leavitt Watson. 4567 N. High St., Clintonville (614) 263-1776.

Columbus – The Billy Ireland Cartoon Museum & LIbrary houses the world’s largest collection of materials related to cartoons and comics, including original art, books, journals, comic books, archival materials, and newspaper comic strip pages and clippings. Located at Sullivant Hall, 1813 N. High St., on the campus of The Ohio State University, (614) 292-0538.

Conneaut – The D-Day World War II Museum features regional memorabilia and exhibits of the lives and history of those who served at home and abroad during World War II. Exhibits showcase notable contributions and service by North Coast and Ohio residents, with special exhibits focusing on the invasion of Normandy, June 6, 1944. Free admission and parking. Open Memorial Day through Labor Day, Saturday and Sunday noon to 5 p.m. or by appointment. Museum located in the Old Hungarian Church at: 851 Harbor St., Conneaut.

The Wilds is home to many species of rare or endangered animals such as these Grevy’s Zebras.

Cumberland – The Wilds is 10,000 acres of reclaimed former surface mining land that is now home to rhinos, giraffes, cheetahs and other rare or endangered animals. This unique open-air reservation offers many adventure options including safari tours, ziplining, RV camping, a lodge and cabin, butterfly habitat, bird watching, fishing, mountain biking and more. 14000 International Road, Cumberland (740) 638-5030.

Defiance – Tower of Volkswagen Beetles. A tower of five Volkswagen Beetle automobiles stands at the corner of highways 81 and 281, 1938 E. Second St., Defiance.

Dover – Ernest Warther Museum and Gardens houses the collection of the amazingly detailed works of Ernest Warther. Warther was a master woodcarver who created dozens of scaled and working carvings of locomotives and steam history from 1905 to 1971. 331 Karl Ave., Dover (330) 505-6003.

Dover – Auman Museum of Radio & Television houses hundreds of early television and radio sets and related items from TV and radio’s Golden Era. 215 N. Tuscarawas Ave., Dover (330) 364-1058.

Dover – The Famous Endings Museum includes more than 2,500 artifacts related to the deaths of famous people, including photos, cards, folders, audio recordings and other materials. Located at Toland-Herzig Funeral Homes & Crematory, 803 N. Wooster Ave., Dover (330) 343-6132.

Dresden – The World’s Largest Basket is located at the corner of Fifth and Main streets in the village of Dresden, home of Dave Longaberger, founder of Longaberger Baskets. This large basket was dedicated in 1980 and was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records in 1990.

Dublin – Field of Corn (With Osage Oranges) is a public artwork created in 1994 consisting of 109 human-sized ears of corn made of white concrete. Each ear stands 6 feet, 3 inches and weighs 1,500 pounds. Located in Frantz Park, 4995 Rings Road, Dublin.

Dublin – Chief Leatherlips Monument – This monument to Wyandot Shateyoranyah, known as Chief Leatherlips, has some interesting and chilling history and legends. Located at Scioto Park, 7377 Riverside Drive, Dublin (614) 736-3100.

Dublin – A fountain featuring three giant dancing rabbits is located at Ballantrae Community Park in Dublin. Children can run through the water feature. 6350 Woerner Temple Road, Dublin.

East LIverpool – The Museum of Ceramics, founded in 1980, preserves the area’s rich history of pottery. Over the years, more than 200 pottery factories operated in the East Liverpool area. Exhibits of Rockingham, yellowware and Lotus Ware are highlights. The museum also features full-size dioramas of various scenes depicting clay pottery production and finishing. Classes and workshops are also offered. 400 E. Fifth St., E. Liverpool (330) 386-6001.

Fostoria – The Glass Heritage Gallery exhibits 10 different glassmakers that made glass in Fostoria from about 1887 to 1920. The museum is operated by the Fostoria Ohio Glass Association. 109 N. Main St., Fostoria (419) 435-5077.

Hebron – Dawes Arboretum was established in 1929 by Beman and Bertie Dawes. Today, the park features more than 5,300 types of plants with more than 15,400 plants on the nearly 2,000-acre arboretum. A 2,030-foot long hedge that spells out “DAWES ARBORETUM” can be viewed from an adjacent tower — or from an airplane. 7777 Jacksontown Road, Newark (740) 323-2355.

Hilliard – The Early Television Museum preserves television technology from the early days of its development and usage, from mechanical television systems in the 1920s to the introduction of color television in the 1950s. Over 150 TV sets are on display in a 6,000 square foot area. Displays include mechanical TVs from the 1920s and 1930s; early electronic British sets from 1936-39; early electronic American sets from 1939-41; postwar sets from1945-58; and early color sets from 1953-57. Many of these sets are working. Hours are noon-6 p.m. Saturdays and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sundays. 5396 Franklin St., Hilliard (614) 771-0510.

Ohio Glass Museum & Glass Blowing Studio in Lancaster.

Lancaster – Ohio Glass Museum & Glass Blowing Studio has exhibits on Ohio’s glass industry, gallery, gift shop, glass blowing demonstrations and workshops for individuals and groups, memberships. 124 W. Main St., Lancaster (740) 687-0101.

Loudonville – Mowery Cider Mill has been family-operated since 1901 using a cider press patented in 1883, the oldest commercially operated press in Ohio. The mill and market are open from mid-August until December 31, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. daily (close at 6 p.m. after time change). Mowery’s offers fresh cider (by gallon, half-gallon, quart and pint), apples, apple butter, caramel corn, caramel apples, popcorn, honey, syrups and more. Visitors are welcome to watch the historic cider press in operation. Located at 659 County Road 2920, (419) 282-8119.

Louisville – Umbrella Alley is a public art space featuring nearly 200 colorful umbrellas suspended over the street. It’s also home to locally-owned galleries, boutiques, pubs and restaurants. 204 E. Main St., (330) 495-1501.

Loveland – Historic Loveland Castle was built by one man, World War I veteran Harry D. Andrews, by hand over the course of 50 years. It is a full-scale castle modeled after Norman castles common in Medieval times. 12025 Shore Drive, Loveland, (513) 683-4686.

Mansfield – Ohio Bird Sanctuary, founded in 1988, is a non-profit organization that provides professional care for injured wild birds, personal encounters with nature for the public, educational experiences and seclusion for recovering birds. The 90-acre sanctuary is home to 30 different species of native songbirds and raptors, that due to injury can no longer survive in the wild. The sanctuary includes four trails, observation blinds, picnic tables, restrooms and a spectacular Treehouse Classroom, built by Nelson Treehouse, of the popular Animal Planet program Treehouse Masters. Located at 3774 Orweiler Road, Mansfield (419) 884-4295.

Mansfield – The Shawshank Trail is a self-guided tour of 15 filming sites in the celebrated 1994 movie “The Shawshank Redemption,” including the formidable Mansfield Reformatory. 124 N. Main St., Mansfield (419) 525-1300.

Marengo – Groovy Plants Ranch. Find flowers, veggies, bulbs, perennials, annuals a rock shop and much more in a unique ’60s-’70s setting. Wear your tie-dye and sandals! Special events, classes and workshops offered. 4140 CR 15, Marengo (740) 675-2681.

Marietta – The Children’s Toy & Doll Museum collection focuses on toys and dolls from 19th century to present. Nine rooms of antique and vintage toys and dolls in a Queen Anne style home. Some notable exhibits include The Old Woman in the Shoe dollhouse, a model of Wendelken’s General Store in Marietta, and Madame Alexander dolls that represent First Ladies in the White House. 206 Gilman Ave., Marietta. (740) 373-5900.

Marion – Erected in 1896 by the Merchant family, the Merchant Revolving Ball never seems to rest in Marion Cemetery. The 5,200-pound black granite orb rests upon a five-foot pedestal. The orb apparently rotates, since the only unpolished area of the orb (the spot where the orb originally rested on the pedestal) moves from place to place. No one knows how. 620 Delaware Ave., Marion (740) 387-7050.

Marion – Wyandot Popcorn Museum houses the most extensive collection of antique, restored popcorn wagons and peanut roasters in the U.S. Museum hours 1-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, closed December through April. Tours by appointment and group tours may be made by calling (740) 387-4255. 169 E. Church St., Marion.

Massillon – Massillon Museum is a local art and history museum with major collections of photography; costumes and textiles; china, glass and pottery; domestic appliances; and circus memorabilia. 121 Lincoln Way E., Massillon (330) 833-4061.

The Big Muskie Bucket is located in Jesse Owens State Park.

McConnelsville – Big Muskie Bucket & Miners’ Memorial Park is a monument to the achievements of employees of Central Ohio Coal Company. One of the main attractions of this memorial is the huge Big Muskie Bucket. Located at 4470 SR 78, at Jesse Owens State Park.

Milan – Thomas Edison Birthplace Museum is the restored birthplace and boyhood home of the famed inventor. Costumed guides provide explanations of artifacts in the home and share stories about Edison’s boyhood and family. 9 Edison Drive, Milan.

Millersburg – The Millersburg Glass Museum is the largest public display of Millersburg Carnival and Crystal Glass, produced in this city from 1909-1912. View more than 200 pieces of glassware. Operated by Holmes County Historical Society, 484 Wooster Road, Millersburg (330) 674-0022.

Mount Vernon – The Dog Fountain is a water fountain featuring 18 different breeds of dogs arranged in a circle around a golden bone. There’s a cat in the collection as well. 201 S. Main St., Mount Vernon.

Moundsville, W.Va. – Fostoria Glass Museum in Moundsville, W.Va. displays a collection of Fostoria Glass, produced from 1887-1891 in Fostoria, Ohio, and from 1891-1986 in Moundsville. At one time, Fostoria Glass was the largest maker of handmade glassware in the U.S. 511 Tomlinson Ave., Moundsville, W.Va. (304) 845-9188.

The Longaberger Basket building in Newark has been vacant since 2016.

Newark – The Longaberger Basket building located along SR 16 in Newark is the former headquarters of the basket company founded in 1973. The seven-story “Big Basket” was built in 1997 and has been vacant since 2016; the company went bankrupt in 2018. Longaberger Baskets was once a $1 billion company with 8,000 employees and 70,000 sales associates. A relaunched Longaberger company continues to sell baskets online. The building is not open to the public.

Newark – The Heisey Glass Museum houses a gallery of Heisey Glass from its founding in 1896 to the closing of factories in 1957. Heisey was known for its fine quality tableware, decorative pieces and blown glassware called Heisey’s American Crystal. 169 W. Church St., Newark (740) 345-2932.

New Bremen – The Bicycle Museum of America displays more than 200 bicycles and has 800 in its total collection.  Take guided or self-guided adventure to learn more about the history of the bicycle from its invention in 1816 through modern times, and how the bicycle helped shape the American landscape through innovation and design. 7 W. Monroe St., New Bremen, (419) 629-9249.

New Richmond – Cardboard Boat Museum, home of the International Cardboard Boat Regatta, 311 Front St., (513) 910-9153.

Plain City – Phoenix Bat Company makes and sells premium-grade wood baseball bats at their Plain City factory and store. Bats are 100 percent USA made of birch, maple and ash. Although most bats are sold online, you can visit the store. Factory tours are not available. 7801 Corporate Blvd., Plain City, (614) 873-7776.

Roseville – At the Clay Center of Ohio, learn about the area’s once-thriving pottery and clay products industry and its legacy as “Pottery Center of the World.” Roseville Art Pottery produced art pottery from 1890 to 1953, and McCoy pottery was produced in the community from 1910 to 1990. The community hosts an annual Pottery Festival each July. 7327 Ceramic Road, Roseville (740) 319-0138.

Sandusky – The Merry-Go-Round Museum features a working 1939 Herschell carousel as well as displays of artifacts and artwork related to the history of carousels, carnivals and amusement parks. A working woodcarving shop is also located at the museum. 301 Jackson St., Sandusky (419) 626-6111.

Sugarcreek – The World’s Largest Cuckoo Clock is located in the center of Swiss Village in the charming town of Sugarcreek. The clock is over 23 feet tall and 24 feet wide. Every 30 minutes, a cuckoo bird pops out and Swiss polka music plays as a band emerges and dances. Corner of Main Street and Broadway in Sugarcreek.

Sunbury – Glass Rooster Cannery is a sustainable farm and licensed cannery that offers private classes for individuals and groups on canning, cooking, soap making and skin care product making. The farm/cannery also offers tours. 1673 S. SR 605, Sunbury. Call 614-499-2958 or email info@glassroostercannery.com for class scheduling.

Tiffin – Tiffin Glass Museum & Shoppe honors the heritage established by the men and women of Tiffin’s “Glass House.” Museum exhibits include examples and documents from the factory’s beginning in 1889 until its closing in 1984. 27 S. Washington St., Tiffin (419) 448-0200.

Warren – Dave Grohl Alley. This roadway is dedicated to Rock and Roll Hall of Fame vocalist and drummer David Grohl. Grohl was born in Warren and still has family in the area. The alley features murals of the musician painted by different local artists, and the world’s largest drumsticks. Dave Grohl Alley, at Main Street SW, runs parallel to Market Street in downtown Warren.

West Chester – National Voice of America Museum of Broadcasting. Learn about the personalities and technologies used to deliver America’s global voice in this unique museum. 8070 Tylersville Road, West Chester (513) 777-0027.

West Liberty – Piatt Castle. Two brothers of the Piatt family built separate residences in Logan County. In 1871, Civil War veteran Abram Piatt built a castle-style home, named Mack-A-Cheek, now a private, family-owned museum. His brother, Donn, built the neighboring Mac-o-Chee in 1879. Mac-o-Chee is no longer open for tours, but visitors can tour Mack-A-Cheek. 10051 Twp. Rd. 47, West Liberty (937) 465-2821.

Wooster – Buckeye Agricultural Museum features a growing collection of thousands of tools, machinery, equipment and photographs that bring to life the experience of agriculture in Ohio from 1800 to the mid-20th century. 877 W. Old Lincoln Way, Wooster (330) 317-9277. 

Zaleski – Moonville Tunnel near Zaleski State Forest is a reminder of the ghost town of Moonville, a town that sprung up in the late 1800s as a result of coal mining and railroads. With the local coal mine’s decline, the town became deserted by 1947. A schoolhouse foundation, cemetery and the railroad tunnel, reputed to be haunted, is all that remains. Located on Hope-Moonville Road near McArthur; walking is necessary to access the tunnel.

Zanesville – The Alan Cottrill Studio & Gallery is visited by thousands of tourists a year who come to marvel at the larger-than-life bronze sculptures and statues created by artist Alan Cottrill. Cottrill has more than 350 life-size and larger statues located throughout the U.S., including a statue of Thomas Edison installed in 2016 inside the U.S. Capitol Building.

Zanesville – The Y-Bridge is the only bridge where you go to the middle and turn left or right. The bridge first opened to traffic in 1814 and was rebuilt in 1819, 1831 and 1902. The current bridge was built in 1984 and replicates the design of the 1902 bridge, which was badly damaged in the great flood of 1913. The bridge is located on US 40 or Main Street in downtown Zanesville.

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