Ohio a haven for fun and educational experiences
The NASA Glenn Research Center, located near Hopkins Airport on Cleveland’s west side, is not a museum or tourist attraction but a living aerospace lab offering in-person tours of its facilities, which are used to support next-generation aircraft.
With more than 150 colleges and universities within its borders — the sixth-highest total in the country — Ohio offers plenty of places to get educated. Beyond the ivy-covered walls, though, the Buckeye State has abundant resources for people just looking to learn a little.
From museums to zoos, indoors or outdoors, historical or scientific, and at any point on the compass, the heartland is a haven for fun and educational experiences, all within a short drive of the mailbox this paper found its way into.
While there were dozens, if not scores or even hundreds of locales that could have made this list, here is a look at five places people can get to on a tank of gas — much less, actually — spend a little and learn a lot in a day in Ohio:
Center of Science and Industry in Columbus
For nearly 60 years, people have been visiting this science-based interactive museum on the banks of the Scioto River less than a mile from the state capitol. More than 33 million have visited since its doors opened, coming from all 50 states and many countries. Those in this area, therefore, are lucky to be a short jaunt away.
“It’s an easy drive for a whole lot of fun that you can’t experience anywhere else,” said Kristy Williams, COSI’s director of communications.
COSI features nine permanent exhibits such as the American Museum of Natural History Dinosaur Gallery, Big Science Park, Little Kidspace and the state’s largest planetarium. Also there to be enjoyed are a pair of traveling exhibits, which now include “Nature’s Superheroes: Life at the Limits” and “Tutankhamun — His Tomb and His Treasures,” through Sept. 4.
“It’s all about King Tut,” Williams said. “It’s huge, and it’s amazing. It’s gotten rave reviews. This is the 100th anniversary of King Tut’s tomb being discovered. It’s all replicas; the real artifacts don’t leave Cairo (Egypt) anymore.”
For more information visit www.cosi.org.
Hale Farm and Village in Bath Township
Sitting in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Bath Township in Northern Summit County, this early-1800s enclave has been in the National Register of Historic Places for exactly 50 years. Built almost 200 years ago, the homestead of Jonathan Hale, a Connecticut farmer who moved his family to Ohio, stands in its original spot.
See things as they were in the early days of America, shortly after Ohio gained statehood. The village is comprised of more than 30 historic structures, eight of which were built over three generations by the Hale family, which donated the village to the Western Reserve Historical Society in 1956.
“We actually create immersive opportunities and hands-on programming to get people to learn about the region,” said Becca Horsman, marketing manager for Hale Farm. “It’s more of an interactive experience to get a better idea of how things were back them. You get a better sense of how things worked; seeing a hands-on demonstration just really connects. You can see how they were really able to do all this without electricity. It really puts things in perspective.”
Horsman said the glass blower and blacksmith demos are the hot-ticket items at Hale Farm.
For more information visit www.wrhs.org/plan-your-visit/hale-farm/.
NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland
Located just west of Cleveland Hopkins International Airport across the Rocky River Gorge from the Rocky River Reservation of the Cleveland Metroparks, NASA Glenn offers in-person tours of its facilities used to support Artemis — the United States’ new robotic and human moon exploration program — and next-generation aircraft.
“Visitors have the opportunity to explore a laboratory or facility and see where scientists and engineers conduct research and develop technologies for NASA’s aeronautics and space missions,” said Jacqueline Minerd, NASA public affairs officer, who added space is limited and registering for a tour does not guarantee selection.
NASA Glenn’s research and technology enables exploration of the solar system and revolutionizes air travel. The facility is not a museum or tourist attraction but a living aerospace lab.
“This incredible work is happening in your backyard, and the people making it possible are your friends, family and neighbors,” Minerd said. “NASA Glenn is helping the U.S. send the first woman and the first person of color to the moon. Its world-class test facilities and unrivaled expertise in power, propulsion and advanced materials are crucial to advancing the Artemis program.”
For more information visit www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/home/index.html.
Gorman Nature Center in Richland County
Located between Mansfield and Lexington, this 150-acre nature preserve features a visitors center, trails and even night-sky programs.
“They offer field trips and lectures and programs for schools and programs like that,” said Natalie Snyder, communications coordinator for Destination Mansfield. “There are a lot of birds and reptiles and things that are good topics of conversation.”
A popular destination for school field trips, Gorman has 5 miles of public hiking trails and offers natural history programs for those interested.
For more information visit www.destinationmansfield.com/venue/gorman-nature-center-2/.
Cleveland Museum of Natural History, University Circle in Cleveland
Located 5 miles east of downtown Cleveland, the state’s largest museum is billed as “100 years of discovery.” The 100-year-old facility features more than 5 million artifacts and research specimens. There is something for everyone with a little bit of interest in the likes of anthropology, archaeology, astronomy, geology, paleontology and more.
Included in the facility is the Smead Discovery Center, a hands-on learning center in the museum’s lower level where children age 7 and under can dig for dinosaurs, create constellations or engage in many other activities designed for learning.
For more information visit www.cmnh.org.