Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join

How Many Countries Have You Visited?

Track every country you've been to and earn passport stamps in the Atlas Obscura app.

Track your countries

How Many U.S. States Can You Check Off?

Mark each state you've visited to reveal your total.

Start Your Map!

It’s Spooky Season.

Explore strange places, curious stories, and eerie events around the world, online and in person.

Explore Spooky Season
All the United States Ohio Columbus

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Columbus

16 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Columbus, Ohio

Updated January 18, 2024
Email
Attractions
Map
Leaderboards

Unusual Attractions in Columbus

The entrance to the Gates of Hell.

Columbus, Ohio

Gates of Hell

The entrance to this sinisterly named tunnel hides behind a Tim Hortons.
The Topiary Park

Columbus, Ohio

The Topiary Park

Georges Seurat’s pointillist masterpiece has been recreated in Ohio in topiary form.

Columbus, Ohio

Columbus Park of Roses

An unassuming 13-acre park is home to over 12,000 roses.
Places

Discover your next amazing Atlas Place.

Get more unusual and extraordinary places each week with the Atlas Obscura Places newsletter.

Your newsletter subscriptions with us are subject to Atlas Obscura's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

The statue stands tall at 8 feet.

Columbus, Ohio

Arnold Schwarzenegger Statue

A bronze of the man in all his sinewy glory celebrates his longtime connection to the Ohio city.
“As We Are”

Columbus, Ohio

'As We Are'

Known locally as "the giant head," this 14-foot LED sculpture has a photo booth in the neck where you can have a 3D picture taken and displayed.
Larger than life numbers outside the math and engineering buildings at The Ohio State University.

Columbus, Ohio

Garden of Constants

This whimsical campus lawn is dotted with large sculpted numbers and hidden mathematical formulas.
The entry gate and mound beyond.

Columbus, Ohio

Shrum Mound

A 2,000-year-old Adena burial mound located along a busy street in Columbus, Ohio.
See All 16 Things To Do in Columbus
In partnership with GetYourGuide

Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

Atlas Obscura Itineraries

Take to the Skies With These 9 Gravity-Defying Sites in Ohio

Sure, Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, got headlines, but the Wright Brothers were Ohioans through and through. That's where they had their print and cycle shop, and established the world's first airplane factory. From Dayton's Aviation Heritage National Historical Park, to NASA's Glenn Research Center, to Congress officially declaring Ohio the “birthplace of aviation,” and much more, no other state takes to the skies and beyond like the home of the Buckeyes. Here are some of our favorite places to feel the wind beneath your wings.

View Itinerary
The Avrocar hovered, but never really lifted off in a big way.

Explore Columbus, Ohio

Sculptures 3
Art 3
Universities 2
Statues 2
History & Culture 2
Design 2
Parks 1
Graffiti 1
Politics 1
Mathematics 1
Memorials 1
Landscapes 1
Subterranean Sites 1
Sports 1
Sculpture Gardens 1
Native Americans 1
War History 1
Giant Heads 1
Mounds 1
Legends 1

Columbus Leaderboard

Places Added

  1. Afjsdoiuqnnn profile photo
    Afjsdoiuqnnn
    4
  2. jessecbethea profile photo
    jessecbethea
    1
  3. Pankhearst profile photo
    Pankhearst
    1
  4. Thought and Sight profile photo
    Thought and Sight
    1
  5. B bw116 profile photo
    bw116
    1
Join the Ranks!
Add an unusual place to Columbus.

Places Edited

  1. S srcogsil profile photo
    srcogsil
    8
  2. G gailxxharsh profile photo
    gailxxharsh
    5
  3. 4 45rpm profile photo
    45rpm
    3
  4. M msdiva1 profile photo
    msdiva1
    3
  5. Afjsdoiuqnnn profile photo
    Afjsdoiuqnnn
    2

Places Visited

  1. wummewenders profile photo
    wummewenders
    15
  2. J joro profile photo
    joro
    15
  3. bernardkenr profile photo
    bernardkenr
    15
  4. kevbot profile photo
    kevbot
    15
  5. Rocksand profile photo
    Rocksand
    14
Join the Ranks!
Visit a place in Columbus.

Recent Columbus Activity

  • C CaveVex profile photo

    CaveVex

    wants to go to Gates of Hell

  • B BananzaSmoothly profile photo

    BananzaSmoothly

    has been to Arnold Schwarzenegger Statue

  • 2 2kvv96rt7j profile photo

    2kvv96rt7j

    wants to go to Shrum Mound

  • 2 2kvv96rt7j profile photo

    2kvv96rt7j

    wants to go to Arnold Schwarzenegger Statue

  • 2 2kvv96rt7j profile photo

    2kvv96rt7j

    wants to go to Eddie Rickenbacker Childhood Home

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2026 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.