Learn What's like to Be Governor and a Lot More at the Ohio Statehouse Museum

Did you ever dream of being a governor in your state and delivering the annual State of the State address to state legislators, with members of the press in attendance? Do you think you could balance your state budget better than your state legislators or your governor? Do you want to see a spot where Abraham Lincoln gave a campaign speech as a candidate for President of the United States in 1859? You can actually practice giving a State of the State speech that was once delivered by the Ohio General Assembly, compare what your spending priorities would be with those of state legislators, see the spot Lincoln visited, and some of the best Greek architecture in the country at the Ohio Statehouse Museum in Columbus, Ohio.

More than 80,000 people visit the Ohio Statehouse museum annually, with most of them being elementary school children. The museum would make a good one day spot for anyone during a vacation, however.

You can learn about famous Ohio residents, such as Harriet Beecher Stowe, whose book, "Uncle Tom's Cabin," about the lives of African Americans under slavery, was credited with helping start the Civil War; the Wright brothers, who built the first working airplane; and Jesse Owens, who won four gold medals at the 1936 Olympics. You can learn about less famous Ohio residents, who nevertheless contributed to society in a great way, such as Carrie Nelson Black, who founded the Ohio Public Health Association and the Columbus Tuberculosis Society and was a health-care pioneer.

The Teleprompter allows visitors to practice giving a State of the State speech. You can practice the speech given by Ohio's first governor, Edward Tiffin, about the founding of the state in 1803. David Tod gave a speech as governor during the Civil War that you can practice. You can also deliver speeches by more modern governors, such as George Voinovich.

How much would you give to state schools, if the decision were yours? The Ohio Statehouse Museum gives you the chance to find out. Visit the Try Your Hand at Balancing the Budget exhibit. See how you would compare with other legislators.

You can learn about state agencies not in existence anymore, such as the Prohibition Commission, which received more than $100,000 in the state budget of 1931. Learn about the efforts to raise the state driving age limit.

The museum has 5,000 feet of exhibits. The area it is in was once in a state of disrepair, before it was renovated. Some say it is worth the trip just to see the fine architecture, regardless of whether or not politics interests. The original Greek Revival Doric architectural details were completed in 1861 at the start of the Civil War. Experts say its Greek Revival Doric architectural details help bring elegance, grandeur, and permanence to the building.

The museum chronicles eight major themes of democracy in Ohio and the United States and is considered the nation's premier statehouse museum education center. It is designed to educate citizens and help them to participate in government.

"Every Ohio Statehouse visitor will come away from this exhibit with a deeper knowledge about the importance of democracy," said Senator Richard Finan, Chairman of the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board on ohiotraveler.com. "This exhibition includes many important individuals that have lent their voice to our democracy and who have changed our history forever."

The museum helps visitors learn about such themes as We the People, Knowledge, Justice, Tolerance, Liberty, and others. The themes contain quotations by Ohioans, other Americans, and Greeks.

The Ohio Statehouse is open from 7 am. To 6 p.m on Monday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 5 .m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

Citations: Statehouse Museum opens doors to learning about history, government by Susan Glaser,cleveland.com
The Heart of Democracy, no author listed, ohiotraveler.com