Roadside Ohio: Unusual Museums and Objects

American Sign Museum, Cincinnati
Neon signs, bygone gas station logos and vintage road markers are housed in the massive American Sign Museum in Cincinnati. Tom Swormstedt started the museum in 2005, before outgrowing the space and moving it to its current spot north of downtown in 2012. The 20,000-square-foot building welcomes guests from across the country to peruse history through storefront signs that date to 1892. A 20-foot-tall genie stands above the entrance, holding up a welcome sign for guests as they make their way in to see the variety of antique signs Swormstedt has acquired through donations and purchases. 1330 Monmouth Ave., Cincinnati 45225, 513/541-6366, americansignmuseum.org


Bathtub from the USS Maine, Findlay 
In 1898, tensions were rising between the U.S and Spain during the Spanish-American war, and the USS Maine was patrolling Havana Harbor in Cuba when an explosion caused the ship to go down. Reverence for the lives lost brought about a desire to bring the ship back to shore. In 1911, recovery efforts started, and artifacts were placed on display across the country. The city of Urbana claimed Capt. Sigsbee’s bathtub, but locals were not sure the piece was dignified enough for the city, so the tub found its way to Findlay where it is on display today at the Hancock Historical Museum. 422 W. Sandusky St., Findlay 45840, 419/423-4433, hancockhistoricalmuseum.org


Brick Museum, Bellaire
On the outside, the building that houses the Brick Museum looks like a normal school building, but when visitors step inside, they are greeted by the Greek mythical figure Atlas, holding two red and yellow toy bricks over his head. As they make their way through the 36,000-square-foot building, they get up-close with Dan Brown’s massive Lego collection. Brown says he has has the biggest collection of glued models — structures the Lego company put together to advertise their brand and offerings. The museum has themed rooms, ranging from Scooby Doo to jungle animals and features a playroom with over 400 bricks, a gift shop and an animatronic band of giant Lego figures. 4597 Noble St., Bellaire 43906, 740/671-8890, brickmuseum.com


Cardboard Boat Museum, New Richmond 
Cardboard, tape and paint are the three simple components to every boat found in New Richmond’s Cardboard Boat Museum. In 2007, a former gas station was converted into a storage spot for boats competing in the city’s annual summer Cardboard Boat Regatta, and it is now a museum dedicated to the tradition. Every August, participants float down the Ohio River in creations that take on the appearance of anything from hot rod cars to walleye fish. The event started in 1992 and every year the competition hosts about 70 boats. About 30 boats are on display in the museum, which is open year-round. 311 Front St., New Richmond 45157, 513/403-1675, cardboardboatmuseum.com


Early Television Museum, Hilliard 
Try not to get sucked into the screens of this 7,000-square-foot museum that takes its visitors through the history of television, specifically the hardware we enjoyed shows through during the dawn of the medium. Steve McVoy had a career in the cable industry for 30 years until he sold his company in 1999. With an abundance of free time, he started collecting antique television sets. In 2001, McVoy purchased a large space where he could showcase his more than 150 sets. Today, they are organized by era: mechanical televisions, pre- and post-World War II sets and early color incarnations. 5396 Franklin St., Hilliard 43026, 614/771-0510, earlytelevision.org


Lucky Cat Museum, Cincinnati
The iconic Maneki-neko cat — a popular symbol of good luck in Japanese folklore — has made a home in Cincinnati at the Lucky Cat Museum. Micha Robertson, the museum’s owner, has amassed over 2,000 varieties of the famous beckoning cat since her first purchase in 2003. Her collection began with two pieces she found at thrift stores, one of which she snagged for only $2. Today, Robertson’s collection includes many different iterations of the cat, from chubby white felines to grinning calicoes, each with a raised paw. Robertson continues to finds new Maneki-neko cats to add to her collection through eBay, Yahoo Japan and Facebook groups. Open by appointment only, 2511 Essex Place #150, Cincinnati 4520, 513/633-3923, facebook.com/luckycatmuseum


Motts Military Museum, Groveport
Experience the incredible stories of the men and women who have served the American people at Motts Military Museum in Groveport. Warren Motts, a photographer by trade, founded the place after creating a documentary about the Civil War in which he collected artifacts from the 1800s. That prompted a desire to grow the collection, which was initially kept in his house. In 1999, Motts moved the collection to a 5,100-square-foot building. He installs each exhibit himself, while the museum operation itself is supported by 70 volunteers and 700 donors. 5075 Hamilton Rd., Groveport 43125, 614/836-1500, mottsmilitarymuseuminc.com


The National Barber Museum and Hall of Fame, Canal Winchester 
This 5,000-square-foot museum celebrates the history of men’s-haircut culture in the United States. Barber Ed Jeffers founded the museum in 1988 in a space above his shop on South High Street in Canal Winchester. Over 1,000 shaving mugs, 50 chairs and plenty of other artifacts make up the massive collection and show what being a barber was like throughout history, with pieces dating to the 1600s. This unique museum is open for viewing by appointment only on Friday and Saturday. 135 Franklin St., Canal Winchester 43110, 614/833-1846, nationalbarbermuseum.org


The National Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame and Museum, Euclid
When music and Cleveland are mentioned together, the first place the mind goes is rock ’n’ roll, but another genre’s hall of fame is housed here too: Cleveland-Style Polka. The history and legacy of polka music is captured at the National Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame and Museum, housed at Euclid’s city hall. Founded in 1987 to commemorate the city’s impact on the genre, names like Johnny Pecon and Frankie Yankovic are among the ranks. 605 E. 222nd St., Euclid 44123,216/261-3263, clevelandstyle.com


Piatt Castle, West Liberty
The Mac-A-Cheek Castle has been drawing travelers to Logan County for years, and for a good reason. Farmer Abram Piatt built the castle on the land he grew up on, completing it in 1871. Much later, the Piatt family opened their home to the public. Tours started as a one-room exhibition and eventually both the Mac-A-Cheek and Mac-A-Chee castles were open to tour. Mac-A-Chee has since been closed for tours, but visitors can still visit the main castle seasonally. Inside, you’ll find period-appropriate pieces and artifacts such as clothing, furniture, art, books and toys. 10051 Twp. Rd. 47, West Liberty 43357, 937/844-3480, piattcastle.org

‘Triceracopter’ and ‘Self-Portrait,’ Cincinnati 
With the body of a helicopter and the face of a dinosaur, the “Triceracopter” sits on the fourth floor of the University of Cincinnati’s Walter C. Langham Library. Patricia Renick created the piece as an argument for the extinction of war. The sculpture was displayed at the Cincinnati Museum of Contemporary Art before moving back to Renick’s studio in 1971. The display returned to the public in 2011 and has been at the university ever since. The sculpture is a retired Vietnam War-era helicopter reinforced by molded wood, clay and fiberglass. 2911 Woodside Dr., Cincinnati 45221 513/556-1424, libraries.uc.edu


The Troll Hole Museum, Alliance 
The beloved Troll Doll is a strange little creature that has cemented its place in pop culture history. Sherry Groom owns the Troll Hole Museum, which displays over 20,000 of the crazy-haired dolls (including her Guinness World Record-documented collection of unique troll dolls). She opened her collection to the public in 2014, and at that point, and today, the whimsical, 6,000-square-foot downtown attraction offers a fun and educational journey through troll lore and the mythical creatures’ pop-culture popularity. 222 E. Main St., Alliance 44601, 330/596-1157, thetrollhole.com

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More Roadside Ohio: Bizzare Homes | Food Finds | Gravesites, Memorials and Monuments | Larger Than Life | Man-Made Marvels | Unusual Museums and Objects | Wildlife & Natural Wonders