Wheelchair-accessible car park
Yes
Kelton House Museum & Garden in Columbus
Categories
Location on the map
Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio, US
Accessibility
Wheelchair-accessible entrance
Yes
Wheelchair-accessible toilet
Yes
Amenities
Good for kids
Yes
Toilets
Yes
Phone: +1 614-464-2022
Site: http://www.keltonhouse.com/
Site: http://www.keltonhouse.com/
Opening hours
- Monday:Closed
- Tuesday:Closed
- Wednesday:Closed
- Thursday:12–4PM
- Friday:12–4PM
- Saturday:12–4PM
- Sunday:12–4PM
Comments (127)
Beautiful home full of history and intrigue, great stop during our visit to Columbus. The staff was polite and helpful, and gave us a quick layout of the house, we chose the self-guided tour with audio guide. I highly recomend the audio guide for two reasons, without it, it is highly possible to breeze through the house because it isnt that large. And second, it gives a large amount of information about each room, and the artifacts inside.
The Kelton House is a beautiful museum. The museums curator was very pleasant, knowledgeable, and inviting. The Museums majestic entrance brings the homes distant history and back story to life. I loved the ornate furniture and the stories behind the priceless and highly collectible pieces from yesteryear. This was easily the highlight of my day😊! 5 stars are too low. 10/10 in my book.
We had our daughters wedding at Kelton House in August and it was simply lovely...a beautiful garden wedding. Sarah at Kelton House was over the top helpful covering our every need and her expertise as a wedding planner covered several of our oversights. 5 Star recommendation for sure.
An awesome piece of history in Columbus, very interesting to hear some of the history of the underground railroad and the desire for some well off people to get involved
Mothers day tea, overpriced for pitiful variety and portions, not ADA compliant, parking nightmare. Presentation nothing to do with history of house, family or the purpose of the junior league. Never again.
It is absolutely beautiful. Everything in the house is original to the kelton family, me and my boyfriend went there to see some history and also ghost hunt a bit, this place is said to be haunted. And fortunately its true! I actually captured a EVP ( electronic voice phenomenon) of a female telling me go in as I was looking into one of the rooms upstairs. It was a peaceful voice so dont worry, no mean spirits there. For only 6 dollars a person its a great place to visit.
An incredibly beautiful piece of history tucked away in Columbus!! Im so happy we stopped in and got to learn about this family that wanted their gorgeous home turned into a museum for the rest of us to enjoy!! The staff are so friendly and for the cost why wouldnt you want to go!?! We will certainly be back!!
Fifteen or so of us from the Stonewall Columbus Trailblazers, a community of LGBTQ adults fifty and older, attended a private tour of the Kelton House yesterday [12-2-2021].It had been great to be able to learn about this extremely historic building [that is located in the Discovery District of Columbus] and to see that building fully-decorated for Christmas.We learned both about the history of the Kelton family that had lived there for many years and also about how the Junior League of Columbus has been preserving that historical building for future generations since July 4, 1976.After our tour of Kelton House, we gathered for lunch [that had been provided by the LifeCare Alliance] in the Carriage House [that is located at the back of the Kelton House property].
What a special spirit you feel here in the home of Ohios early abolishonists. A must-see and do! Go to Topiary Park right next to it as well. Very cool and interesting museum and great for even the young ones.
Really beautiful house and gardens. Very fascinating history with the underground railroad all in an audio tour so you can go on your pace.
We were able to go mid-morning on a weekday and were the only people touring the building. The house is stunning and the single employee was very knowledgeable/ helpful in getting us started on the self-guided audio tour. As it was the holidays, there were local antique Christmas decorations throughout the house. With many rooms to explore and comprehensive information on the audio guide tracks, it was informative and overall a fun experience. It was too cold to tour the gardens and had there been a larger group our solo employee may have been overwhelmed, but if looking for history in Columbus this is a can’t miss!
This is an interesting historic site, if you are a history fan, especially the civil war, you will definitely love this place. The guide here is very helpful and friendly. Also the ticket is really cheap, if you have student Id, its only 4$. And they offer an electronic self guide system. So you can know everything about the house while enjoying the view.
The building is absolutely lovely, and their staff are incredibly friendly. I stopped over during the Holiday Trolley Hop with Discover Columbus, and I had an incredible time there. Its really like taking a step back in time. They have self-guided tours on certain days of the week, too.
Amazing piece of history. Well maintained and well informed staff!
I lived in Columbus most of my life (40+ years), but had no idea this place existed until I was visiting with my kids and they wanted to take a tour. WOW, what a cool place! Its a historical home that was part of the underground railroad. So very interesting and well worth the admission price. We paid $20 for the 4 of us to get in and have an audio tour. In addition to the audio tour we spoke at length with one of the curators and learned even more. I am so glad they found the Kelton House and took us there, what a great afternoon!
Historical site. The home belonged to the kelton family, who were abolitionist, and was used as a stop on the underground railroad. The house has been restored and contains many of the original furnishings & artifacts with newer wallpaper, carpeting, etc. A tour or headset guide is the best way to see this place otherwise you will be looking at a bunch of antiques and not appreciate their significance. The garden is small, but cute. Nominal fee for entry, discount for seniors & students. Open on weekends too. If you love history, you will love this place. TIP: Call before you come to make sure they are open & docent available. Doors are always locked & you will need to push buzzer for entry.
The Kelton Family has a rich history in Columbus and deep roots in the community. This home provides a wonderful glimpse of what life in Columbus might have looked like in the 19th and 20th century. The artifacts in the home, specifically the furniture belonged to the Keltons and have been in the home since the mid-19th century and gives the patrons the rare opportunity to see a historic home as it might have looked over 150 years ago. Additionally, the Underground Railroad exhibit is well done and provides a program that is great for visitors of all ages. Their lecture series continues to grow and educate on a variety of themes. It is a great experience for anyone in Columbus.
We visited on a weekday and did the self guided tour. I would suggest bringing headphones so you dont have to hold the tiny speaker to your ear the whole time. The place isnt very big and you can do the whole tour in just under an hour and a half. The house is well taken care of and they do a decent job explaining why things were done the way they were back then. The garden is small and pretty, but the house is what you are there for. Very little information aside from what is online audio tour. All the information about the underground railroad is packed into a small room, they could do a better job spreading that out more. Not for fidgety people with short attention spans, but these things never are.
Amazing 19th century House Museum. History of the Kelton families the underground r.r., and Columbus.
Great tour, wonderful information. The gardens are nice, and the house and stories are fascinating.
This place offered a quaint, self guided audio tour. The audio tour was very informative and narrated by several different people so it wasnt monotonous. We learned many new facts about living in an older time period, and the Underground Railroad.
GO FOR THE $6 TOUR BUT BEWARE IF YOURE PLANNING A WEDDING - My wife, step daughter and I visited the Kelton House last year per a recommendation from a school teacher. The self-guided tour was great. In fact we liked the Kelton house so much that we decided to have our wedding there the following year (July of 2018). Im not going go into details about the slow motion train wreck that ensued during the planning of our simple wedding but it was very a very traumatic experience. They are grossly underprepared and understaffed to properly coordinate even the simplest of weddings (of which ours was). We had about 90 guests and adhered to all of their suggestions but there were still consistent problems and a general lack of communication throughout the entire process. To their credit they refunded us 100% of the money we spent to rent the space on our wedding day. I think its extremely unfortunately that this facility isnt better managed. It has SO much potential to be a wedding destination hot spot in a growing and thriving city with limited wedding venues. I hope they make some major changes so future couples dont have the awful experience that we had.
Not only is the house gorgeous, the tour guide was full off information and fascinating to listen to. Mark brought ALL the passion and fire talking about the Oberlin-Wellington rescue. Best historic house tour for me, personally.
Lovely place to visit. Really liked the decor of the house. Went for the self-guided audio tour; it helped to have my wired earphones with me.
I was here today at around 1:00pm give or take 5 minutes. I knocked hard for about 10 minutes and nobody came to the door. The place was supposed to be open. The date today is Thursday, 09/06/2018. I wont give this place a 1 star, because people really like it and the pictures look amazing. However, I think its relevant to give this review because its a 35 minute drive to here and another 35 minutes home for me :( I always attach pictures, so here are two pictures of the door.
We recently had our wedding at Kelton House, and we couldnt have asked for a better place. The garden is beautiful, and the carriage house and downstairs rooms felt intimate and cozy. My guests also tell me the tour was great! My only suggestion for brides to be is to tell you wedding party to wear bug spray. Mosquitoes like shady gardens, too. Not Kelton Houses fault, of course!
Really nice audio tour of a Victorian era house that was part of the Underground Railroad. Learn tons about life as a Victorian and the Underground Railroad at your own pace. HIGHLY recommend this for tourists.
Loved seeing the authentic furniture in the home and hearing the story of the family taking in the sick little girl slave who had traveled from VA. The bsmt display where the slave would stay was great too!
We stopped to read the plaque outside while out on a walk. They were already closed for the day but we will definitely be back.We did go back and the tour was interesting. I highly recommend it.
Tour guide was VERY knowledgeable. Many original pieces of furniture. Lovely house ( although dusty by today standards)
A wonderful tour by the director, Sara. 80% of the furnishings are original to house and the Kelton family history is fascinating.
Was looking at this place as as possible wedding venue. wouldve worked if we stuck with the small wedding plan. house was really cool though especially the basement area which they had recently held an invent there.
Beautiful historical and educational💖
Really neat place. Little more proper than we were expecting but it was a great experience learning about that time period. We got a little confused during our self guided tour but eventually got back on track.
A fascinating place to visit (underground railroad). Also great for meetings and small receptions. Beautiful outdoor garden is great for weddings.
Highly recommended. Please go when tour guides are there. Period costumes and extremely knowledgeable. I cant say enough great things about this place!
Beautiful house and gardens/grounds that is preserved well. Great historical info provided on self guided tours.
Mark gave a great tour and learned things about the Victorian Era that I didnt know. Many original furnishings in this historical home.
This place boasts a ton of history and an absolutely beautiful back yard garden. Perfect for smaller weddings and historical enthusiasts.
Beautifully maintained Victorian style home... worth a visit and little history lesson about a family home that was a stop on the Underground Railroad.
Beautiful place for a small wedding! The staff was so friendly and very helpful.
House and audio tour were nice. Parking and entry was confusing. Does not accept credit card.
Went here years ago with my daughter for field trip & loved it ..wanting to go again soon
Very nice. Self guided tour and you could take your time, no rush. Wonderful
Very eclectic place. Lovely staff and a must visit when visiting Columbus, Ohio
Love this place. Has a great history and makes for a wonderful place to get married, as I did here!!
Definitely recommend it. Great history lesson, and lots of interesting artifacts to look at
Great historical place in Columbus, Ohio.
Kelton House was beautiful and very educational. I highly recommend you visit when in Columbus, Ohio.
Very interesting, great audio guide. Street parking is not easy, could hardly find a space
The audio tour allows you to go at your own pace. Definitely worth stopping in.
Loved the history behind the family and the house. A must see if your in Columbus.
The docent was not knowledge about the musical instruments in the house but pretended to be, and obviously avoided questions about which he did not know.
Very knowledgeable docent. The actress in the reenactment was very talented. A beautiful place.
Intriguing place but I feel the tour couldve been better and the storytelling in the basement couldve been more. I left with more questions.
This museum was a really nice Definitely a good place to visit
Great place. So much history. Great for parties & receptions. Love it.
Self guided tour. Nice tour. Takes about one hour
If you like the PAST....Awesome history.
A beautiful place for an out door wedding.
I am so glad this wonderful place has been saved for us to enjoy!
Beautiful space and great tour. Plenty to look at!
Very beautiful place to visit. Not crowded.
Enjoyed the history of the museum.
Very cool part of history nestled in Columbus
I cannot speak highly enough of how good our visit was
A beautifully maintained Victorian home with ties to the Underground Railroad
It was closed when I came by, they were doing some construction.
Pretty cool place, was very interesting.
Gardens are great. Friends live next door
While the information was good the entire experience seemed self aggrandizing.
So much history it was a wonderful experience.
It was nice to learn some of the local history.
Great for the out of towner looking for a little insight on the local past.
So much history to learn! great!
Wonderful self paced history tour
Great place to sit and smoke a joint during the work week
The Kelton House Museum & Garden is a true Columbus gem!
This place is nice to take your family!
Such a house with history. Fantastic!
Good place for a small wedding
My students were very impressed!
A bit creepy. The ghost stories are great.
Wonderful walking tour inside
Beaitiful place but parking sucks
Love the atmosphere covers any occasion
What a pleasant experience..
Awesome tour guide
Watch out for the ghost that a beautiful place for a wedding
The place is absolutely beautiful.
Interesting history on Underground Railroad.
Amazing. Loved the tour.
The best historical site!
Beautiful!
This truly is a little hidden gem of columbus. Its a historical house perfectly preserved with an absolutely beautiful garden. Theres a self guided tour you can take, or you can have a docent show you around. As a wedding venue, this place is absolutely divine and affordable for a small ceremony and modest reception. Picturesque garden located in the back, charming covered area located inside. All around wonderful.
Great meeting venue!
Very cool
Great place with a lot of history.....
Nice place to spend the day.
A historical place to visit.
Boring, no architectural interest
Wonderful part of history.
Excellent tour.
Like stepping back in tim
Amazing history teachings
Interesting, not outstanding
Very elegant.
Historic & beautiful
Historical site
Interesting local history
Misquotes
Wonderful
It is antiqueful
EXTREMELY ENJOYABLE!
Beautiful museum. Like walking straight into the Victorian Era
Such an interesting tour! It was educational and fascinating.
A must in Columbus! Very informative about the family, ohio, and the underground railroad.
Total reviews rating 4.6
127 Reviews for Kelton House Museum & Garden 2023:
Review №1
2021-07-30If youre interested in Ohio history or the Underground Railroad, this is the stop for you. A nicely preserved home with a great story. Plan about two hours to really see everything, but you could also have a wonderful trip in just an hour. Insider tip: Although the $7 admission is quite low, you can save $$ by checking Groupon and buying tickets in advance.
Review №2
2022-07-02If you’re looking for some cheaper fun to do in downtown Columbus you have got to check out this place. It’s such an interesting fun time. The house/museum is preserved beautifully, and the curator is full of wonderful knowledge and super fun tidbits. Don’t be afraid to ask questions about the pieces and furniture around the house.
Review №3
2022-04-30Such a wonderful little local treasure. We originally took the kids to learn about the underground rail road, but it was only a small part of the presentation. However, it was totally worth it, we learned so much about the history we didn’t know before. We toured the entire house, Cathy was a fantastic guide. As I am completely blind, she made sure I get to touch everything that was available, thank you so much for that, it really made the experience unique. Tours start at certain times, it is worth checking before arriving. We had to wait a bit, though we really enjoyed walking around the garden while waiting.
Review №4
2021-10-20I cant say anything about the museum, since I didnt go inside, but the garden is nice although small (granted, thats a limitation imposed by city real estate).
Review №5
2022-03-17Love this and learning the history of this historical monuments! The staff is very friendly. If you havent done so, you should make a donation of attend events that support The Kelton House Museum and Garden to maintain its upkeep. Also if you havent been there before, you definitely need to plan a tour.
Review №6
2021-06-01Beautiful place. I never knew so much history was located here. I love the layout and all the wonderful restoration.
Review №7
2022-07-09A beautiful experience of an early Victorian home. A gorgeous tucked away experience in a local neighborhood. Remember to park in their parking lot near the house on a back street.
Review №8
2021-05-31An house (1800s) with an interesting history, and now it is a museum, where many furniture, books, paintings etc. If you like the history, I recommend visiting it.The tour guide was excellent.
Review №9
2019-06-16Such a rich history. Had a very abnormal experience in the dining room. I felt a sudden burst of tears and started bawling my eyes out during the tour. Not sure what happened but I felt fine as soon as I left the room. Beautiful gardens and wonderful staff. If your nearby its worth the stop.
Review №10
2018-10-01We really enjoyed our visit. The costumed guide was very knowledgeable and we learned a lot about the local history. Unlike many similar places, we were allowed to walk in the rooms and see the historical items up close. We visited on a Sunday afternoon...probably the best time to go.