Historic Tour

Similar to last year, this year’s historic tour will feature one museum that you can explore in depth followed by an “Experience Columbus” option that allows you to explore one of Columbus's entertainment areas or return to the host hotel.

Our first stop is the Ohio History Center, headquarters of the Ohio History Connection. The Ohio History Center is a widely noted example of brutalist architecture, built in 1970 and considered the most architecturally significant public structure built in Ohio since the Statehouse. The architect, W. Byron Ireland, who worked on the St. Louis Gateway Arch, designed the Ohio History Center as one of his first commissions when the Columbus native started his own firm in the 1960s.

To achieve the Center’s mission to “share the past and transform the future,” the museum created the Ohio Village, a recreated 19^th-century community with interpreters in period costumes telling the stories to visitors.  The pastoral 1890s village sits on acreage behind the museum and includes a newspaper, The Telegraphic Advertiser, as well as a church, school house, town hall, hotel, tavern, barbershop, pharmacy, and homes. Visitors can stroll in and out of the buildings around a quaint town square at their leisure.  

After our exploration of Ohio’s past, our Local Host Committee decided that experiencing Columbus beyond the host hotel was in order. The Committee selected several dynamic High Street districts for you to experience. Selection criteria included the diversity of restaurants, boutiques, art galleries and entertainment options. You can take a ride share or walk back to the hotel (mileage from each drop off provided below). Feel free to experience a district on your own or with a group of AJHA friends. The bus will drop you off at the district you select. Here are the options:

The Ohio State University district  (4 miles from hotel)

Short North Arts District (2.4 miles from hotel)

Arena District (1.3 miles from hotel)

The Ohio State House and Museum (.3 miles) note hours of operation - building closes at 5 p.m.

Click on the links to find more information about each district. All districts are located on High Street so moving from one district to another is easy. The host hotel is the final stop on the historic tour.

Here’s the itinerary:

1 – 1:15 p.m. Board buses

1:15 – 1:30 p.m. Travel to the museum

1:30 – 3:00 p.m. Tour the museum

3 – 3:15 p.m. Board the buses

3:15 – 4 p.m. District stops

4 p.m. Host hotel 

Minor adjustments might be made to this schedule, as we get closer to the conference date.