The Top Ohio Museums Located in Youngstown, Ohio
Ohio is proud to be the home to some of America’s best museums. Every major city in the state has something to offer, with every museum a reflection on that city’s history, culture and interests.
Not to be outdone, the city of Youngstown also has an amazing selection of museums! If you or your family are interested in art, history or science, there’s a museum here to fascinate and inspire you! Check out this list and plan your visit to one (or all!) of Youngstown’s amazing museums.
Art Museums
The Butler Institute of American Art
Many of Ohio’s art museums are world-renowned, including the Cleveland Museum of Art, Toledo Museum of Art, Columbus Museum of Art, and Youngstown’s Butler Institute of American Art. In fact, The Butler Museum is considered to be the crown jewel of Youngstown’s museums. Did you know that it was the first museum in the United States dedicated exclusively to showing the richness of American art?
Spend an afternoon browsing the Butler’s permanent exhibits in their numerous art galleries, which include masterpieces, such as Winslow Homer’s Snap the Whip or works by Norman Rockwell, Edward Hopper, Mary Cassatt, Georgia O’Keeffe, Jackson Pollock, Andrew Wyeth and Albert Bierstadt. Or tour the Beecher Center, which houses the museum’s new media and technology exhibits. You can always visit the Butler’s website to see what special exhibitions are on display.
The Butler offers free admission, thanks to continued donations. Tours for groups can be arranged Tuesday through Sunday, free of charge, by calling 330.743.1107 ext. 1102.
Butler Institute of American Art
425 Wick Ave.
Youngstown, OH 44502
Open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday
John J. McDonough Museum of Art
The John J. McDonough Museum of Art is Youngstown State University’s Art Museum. It specializes in contemporary art, and features work by YSU staff, students, and alumni, in addition to its own collection. The John J. McDonough Museum also hosts frequent lectures and exhibitions, so make sure to check the McDonough Museum website to find out what’s going on!
John J. McDonough Museum of Art
525 Wick Ave.
Youngstown, OH 44502
Open Tuesday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
History Museums
Youngstown Historical Center of Industry and Labor
We may not be the biggest state, but Ohio’s regional history is vast. In Cincinnati on the Ohio River, you can learn about Ohio’s role in the Underground Railroad at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. At the Ohio History Center, you’ll be able to understand Ohio’s unique story and how its historical eras relate to one another.
In particular, Youngstown’s past is heavily intertwined with the steel industry of northeast Ohio, having been one of the largest hubs of steel production in the United States. The Youngstown Historical Center of Industry and Labor, also known as the “Steel Museum,” chronicles Youngstown’s industrial past, along with the workers who kept the mills running for decades.
The Steel Museum is part of the Ohio History Connection network of historic sites across Ohio. You can see photographs and historical items documenting the lives of steelworkers and the immigrants who settled in Youngstown specifically for its once-booming mills. Exhibits about steel production, as well as an example of company-built housing, are also on display here.
Many of the mansions that once lined Wick Avenue in Youngstown owe their existence to the steel industry. One such mansion, Greystone, has been lovingly preserved and is today known as The Arms Family Museum, which is open for tours.
Youngstown Historical Center of Industry and Labor
151 W. Wood St.
Youngstown, OH 44503
Open Wednesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Arms Family Museum
History is all around us in Ohio!
If you visit the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, you can see exhibits that span millions of years. You can uncover the vast history of Lake Erie and The Great Lakes at The National Museum of the Great Lakes. You can learn about the history of the gridiron at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in North Canton. Just like those museums, you can get an up-close look at history when you visit the magnificent Arms Family Museum in Youngstown, an Arts & Crafts-style estate preserved by the Mahoning Valley Historical Society.
The Arms Family Museum is a beautifully restored mansion that houses exhibits from every era of Youngstown’s history, from prehistoric times to early decades of the 20th century. On the first floor of the museum, you can experience the grandeur of the home’s original living spaces, complete with period-specific furnishings.
Visit the Arms Family Museum page on the Mahoning Valley Historical Society’s website to see what special displays and events are coming up!
Arms Family Museum
638 Wick Ave.
Youngstown, OH 44502
Open Tuesday through Sunday 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Tyler History Center
Every city in Ohio has its own unique history, with museums to reflect it. In Cleveland, for example, you’ll find museums with local ties like The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and The Christmas Story House and Museum (the Victorian-era house where A Christmas Story was filmed).
In Youngstown, The Tyler History Center, which is also operated by the Mahoning Valley Historical Society, focuses on the history of the Youngstown community as a whole. You can see an ever-changing selection of historical artifacts from local stores, educational institutions, historical figures, and even organized crime. Come see how Youngstown developed, grew, and how it continues to evolve into the 21st century!
Tyler History Center
325 W. Federal St.
Youngstown, OH 44503
Open Tuesday through Sunday, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
War Vet Museum
Ohio is a state that honors its veterans. In Dayton, you have the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force and just southwest of Youngstown, in Canfield, The War Vet Museum houses over 40,000 donated artifacts (from the American Revolutionary War, Civil War, both World Wars and present-day conflicts).
Located in a 19th-century house near the center of Canfield, you can see items like uniforms, memorabilia, personal effects and much more.
War Vet Museum
23 E. Main St.
Canfield, OH 44406
Open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays or by appointment
Science and Children’s Museums
OH WOW! The Roger & Gloria Jones Children’s Center for Science and Technology
You may have heard about COSI in Columbus or the Great Lakes Science Center. But did you know that there’s an amazing science center for kids located right in Downtown Youngstown?
OH WOW! is a children’s museum and science center with an academic focus on kids ages five to fourteen. However, that doesn’t mean that other children and adults can’t have fun, too! The OH WOW! Center is filled with colorful, STEM-based interactive exhibits that encourage independent thinking while letting kids learn about science in an hands-on, EDUtaining way.
The OH WOW! Science Center has been recently expanded to include high-tech exhibits on physics, engineering, the Earth’s weather, and more! It’s a great option for field trips, parties, private events or just a day out with the family!
OH WOW! The Roger & Gloria Jones Children’s Center for Science and Technology
15 Central Square
Youngstown, OH 44503
Open Wednesday through Sunday, 9 a.m to 3 p.m.
Ward Beecher Planetarium
While not technically a museum, the Ward Beecher Planetarium, located on the campus of Youngstown State University, is a great destination for anyone! You don’t have to be an astronomy buff to enjoy a show here.
There are shows with a classic rock or nature theme, kid-friendly shows featuring the characters from Sesame Street or the Harry Potter series, and even shows with holiday themes! Best of all, these experiences are always free!
Check the Ward Beecher Planetarium’s Calendar to choose a date for your visit!
Ward Beecher Planetarium
100 Lincoln Ave.
Youngstown, OH 44555
Open to the public during showtimes, September through May
Learn, Experience, and Have Fun
No visit to Youngstown is complete without paying a visit to some of our amazing museums. Whether your interest is science, art, history, or all three, our museums are some of the most interesting and unique in Ohio (and even the country)! And even better, you don’t have to drive from Marietta to Sandusky to get the full experience – many of the best Ohio museums are located all in one place – Youngstown!
When you’re ready to pay Youngstown a visit, don’t forget to also check out the complete information available at Youngstown Live. You can find everything you need to know when it comes to overnight accommodations, local restaurants, concerts, and much more!
