These 8 Ohio museums rank among country's best in USA TODAY awards

When it comes to museums, Ohio has some of the best in the nation, at least according to USA TODAY 10BEST voters.

Eight Ohio museums landed on the USA TODAY 10BEST Readers' Choice Awards lists, which highlights top travel, food and lifestyle destinations nationwide. This year, winners ranged from Cincinnati’s American Sign Museum to Columbus' Center of Science and Industry (COSI).

Here’s how Ohio’s top museums ranked.

8 Ohio museums named among best in the nation. See where they rank

Eight Ohio museums placed in the top 10 seven categories, including science, pop culture and children’s attractions. Here's which museums were featured on the lists, and where they rank among readers:

Columbus' COSI named No. 1 science museum in U.S.

Despite recent staff cuts at the museum, the ever-evolving COSI remains one of the premier science-focused museums in the country. Its mix of permanent features, such as its planetarium and dinosaur displays, and traveling exhibits make it a go-to destination in Ohio's capital.

This year, it beat counterparts in Detroit, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, among other places, for the top spot.

Additionally, 10BEST voters rated COSI planetarium No. 8 in the country.

Toledo Art Museum is excellent, free and No. 1 on 10BEST list

Since its founding in 1901, the Toledo Museum of Art has earned a global reputation for the quality of its collections. And 10BEST voters rated it the Best Free Museum in the United States.

In addition to the more than 30,000 works of art inside, the museum's architecture, including a neoclassical façade and Glass Pavilion opposite the main building.

Cincinnati's American Sign Museum a top pop culture destination

The American Sign Museum expanded to 40,000 square feet in 2024 to better showcase commercial signs from over a century of American history. It ranks No. 2 among Pop Culture Museums on the 10BEST list.

Cincinnati History Museum among country's best

Also one of the Cincinnati museums on the 2025 10BEST list, the Cincinnati History Museum ranks No. 2 on the Best History Museum ratings, with 10BEST lauding the facility's focus on "region-specific traditions, cultural movements, aesthetics and trades."

The Children's Museum in Cincinnati No. 3 in 10BEST rankings

10BEST praised the hands-on fun at The Children's Museum, including interactive exhibits such as The Energy Zone, The Woods, and Kids' Town that are perfect for the younger crowd to explore.

National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton among Best Free Museums in country

This museum located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton is the world’s largest military aviation museum and features more than 350 aerospace vehicles and missiles and thousands of artifacts chronicling the evolution of military flight across more than 19 acres of indoor exhibit space.

The museum offers free parking and admission and is open nearly every day of the year.

National Museum of the Great Lakes in Toledo makes 10BEST list

Named the No. 2 Maritime Museum in the nation, the National Museum of the Great Lakes in Toledo provides visitors with an in-depth look at the history, industry, and culture of the Great Lakes,

Visitors can explore nine galleries containing rotating exhibits, rare artifacts, historic photography, and hands-on experiences. The site also houses two preserved vessels guests can tour: The lake freighter Col. James M. Schoonmaker and the Tug Ohio.

How to vote in the 10BEST lists

10BEST experts make nominations for awards in travel and lifestyle categories, and readers can select the top picks by casting their votes on the website.

People look at signs at the American Sign Museum in Cincinnati on Thursday, June 27, 2024.