Your Guide to Art Galleries and Museums Downtown

Get inspired by art at one of the extraordinary museums and galleries in Downtown Columbus! Make a full-day adventure by mix-and-matching a few of the stops below.

For a full list of museums including COSI, the Central Ohio Fire Museum, National Veterans Memorial and Museum and more, click here.

Beeler Gallery at CCAD

60 Cleveland Ave
Monday-Saturday | 10 am – 6 pm

Located on campus of the Columbus College of Art and Design, you know you’re in for a new wave of creative energy when you step into the Beeler Gallery doors. The wide open space and concrete walls are the perfect blank canvas for its constantly rotating selection of experimental mixed-media art. It’s just around the corner from the Columbus Museum of Art, making it the ideal two-stop art tour for local and national artists alike.

Blockfort 

162 N. 6th Street
Hours vary by exhibit 

You’ll find a little bit of everything at Blockfort. That’s because they’re not just a gallery, but a studio space for over 20 artists, each with a different discipline – painters, sculptors, printmakers, designers, performers, organizers, and makers. The end result? Amazing exhibitions.  

Columbus Museum of Art

480 E Broad Street
Tuesday – Wednesday| 10 am – 5 pm 
Thursday | 10 am – 9 pm
Friday – Sunday| 10 am – 5 pm 

Columbus’s premier cultural institution, the Columbus Museum of Art features works ranging from European modernism, cutting edge-contemporary pieces and collections by beloved Columbus artists like George Bellows, Elijah Pierce, and Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson.  

Tip: Museum admission is free on Sundays! 

Contemporary Art Matters

243 N 5th Street #110
Tuesday – Thursday | 11 am – 6 pm

Nestled in the Warehouse District, this cozy gallery was founded in 2017. Contemporary art on display features emerging artists and rotating exhibitions.

Cultural Arts Center

139 W. Main Street
Monday | 1-4 pm & 7-10 pm
Tuesday – Thursday | 9 am – 4 pm & 7-10 .m
Friday – Saturday | 9 am – 4 pm 

The Cultural Arts Center (CAC) is more than a gallery, it’s a gathering place. While their exhibits feature a mix of up-and-coming and established artists, their mission goes way beyond the typical gallery, offering everything from sculpture classes to creative writing workshops to art-related conversations. The CAC is a hub for everything art in Downtown Columbus.   

Hawk Galleries

153 East Main St
Tues – Friday | 10 am – 5:30 pm
Saturday | 11 am – 5 pm

Featuring rotating exhibitions of totally unique and eclectic art pieces including sculptures, glass, paintings more, Hawk Galleries displays a stellar collection of art pieces. Be inspired by the art and beautiful surroundings — we recommend visiting during golden hour.

National Veterans Memorial and Museum

300 W Broad Street 
Wednesday – Sunday | 10 am – 5 pm  

Not your typical art gallery, the National Veterans Memorial and Museum is dedicated to honoring all Veterans from every branch of service and from all eras of history. While the main floor of the museum accomplishes this through a comprehensive timeline, thematic alcoves and powerful video presentations, the lower level of the museum is a temporary gallery space that plays host to unique exhibits showcasing the service and sacrifice of veterans through a mix of mediums.  

No Place Gallery 

1 E Gay Street
Hours vary by exhibit 

Edgy and eclectic, there’s always something interesting on display at No Place Gallery. Located at the corner of Gay and High, stop by during a Moonlight Market or after grabbing a drink and a bite to eat at one of the many Gay Street restaurants.  

OSU Urban Arts Space

50 W Town St, Suite 130
Tuesday – Saturday | 11 am – 6 pm*

Whether you’re taking the #2 COTA bus from OSU or driving downtown from Dublin, this student-centered art gallery is easy to get to and aimed at making art more accessible for all. With an ever-changing display of artwork from students, professors and well-known artists, you never know what you’ll find in OSU’s artistic urban outpost. Check out their website for the latest exhibitions and events. 

Riffe Gallery

77 S. High Street
Wednesday – Friday | Noon – 5 pm (August 4 – October 8) 

Tucked away inside the Vern Rife Center for Government and the Arts, the Riffe Gallery is a hidden gem for art lovers, showcasing the work of Ohio’s artists and collections from the State’s museums and galleries.

Sarah Gormley Gallery

95 N High St
Wednesday – Saturday | 12 pm – 5 pm and by appointment

According to its website, this gallery “connects emerging and established artists with first-time buyers and and long-time collectors through a shared appreciation for original art, and its power to stir us from within.” Located right across the street from newly opened Italian restaurant, Speck, it’s the perfect elevated-yet-approachable Downtown pairing.

National Veterans Memorial Museum

300 W Broad St
Wednesday – Sunday | 10 am – 5 pm

This one-of-a-kind cultural institution is a place of inspiration. All visitors can come together as one people with a common bond and a shared pride in our Veterans. The National Veterans Memorial and Museum takes visitors on a narrative journey, telling stories and shared experiences of Veterans throughout history.