Columbus Visitors Center

Columbus Visitors Center

Columbus Visitors Center
4.8
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
Closed
About
See the architecture that made Columbus, Indiana famous. Find out why the American Institute of Architects ranked Columbus 6th in the nation for innovation and design with significant structures and works of art by modern masters such as Eero Saarinen, I.M.Pei, Robert Venturi, Robert A.M. Stern and Henry Moore, Jean Tinguely, and Dale Chihuly. Check out guided tours at The Columbus Visitors Center at 506 5th Street. Tour dates and times vary by seasons, please visit website to see availability and make reservations.
Duration: More than 3 hours
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing
What is Travelers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

Top ways to experience nearby attractions

Are you currently on your trip?
Help us find experiences available for you.

The area

Address
Reach out directly

See what travelers are saying

  • Michael H
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    The two-hour city tour is an exceptional introduction to the mid-century architecture that defines Columbus. The guide was knowledgeable and responsive to questions. The tour includes a short film and a bit of walking, but most of the time is spent on the very clean mini-bus with large windows. The bus has an hour excellent public address system, making it easy to hear the tour guide. Enjoyable, instructive and insightful. The visitor center gift shop is worth a visit in its own right.
    Visited November 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written November 9, 2024
  • Ingrid v
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    What an amazing town! I brought my 84 year old mother and we both loved the beautiful architecture, sculptures and learning about this fascinating town. Seeing most of it from the tour bus was great as walking long distances is not an option for her.
    Visited November 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written November 14, 2024
  • Janice S
    Earl Park, Indiana2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    I have lived in Indiana all my life and had not known what a gem we have in Columbus. So glad we took the day to head down and enjoy the city and its historic charm. The tour of the architecture was definitely worthwhile. The information about the Miller family, the Cummings industry and the famous architects that made their mark was incredible. The visit to the Miller house gave a very intimate look at the family that gave so generously to there home town. I now will look at buildings with a more refined eye and appreciation. Here’s the thing. . . One day was not enough to get the full joy of the city. One day for the architecture on the outside works. You need another day for visiting the inside of these amazing modern buildings. A day just to visit the parks and memorial. Each day save a few hours for dining and shopping because there is a wealth of options. I highly recommend a visit and promise you that you will want to return!!
    Thanks for your kind words and for taking the time to post a review!
    Written July 29, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited June 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written June 2, 2024
  • happycouple033
    Chicago, Illinois11 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    First, every staff person we interacted with was cheerful, helpful and delighted to help us. A great group! Second we took the shuttle tour with Maryanne as our tour guide. She was not only knowledgeable but she tried to add little interesting tidbits of a local that made the tour even better. Well worth the money! A great experience!
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written April 26, 2024
  • Debra B
    9 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    What a surprise! I had heard about some good art and architecture in the middle of Indiana, but had no idea how amazing this little city is. With the help of the Cummins Foundation, this community has built an impressive collection of mid and late 20th century architecture. Well worth a stop and take the 2 hour tour.
    Visited January 2025
    Traveled solo
    Written January 25, 2025
  • Kathy O
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    We really enjoyed the tour, very informative. Our tour guide was exceptional. He even went behond the time to give us additional information. I would recommend this tour to anyone visiting the Columbus area.
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written April 28, 2024
  • Paula
    22 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    We took the architectural tour through the visitor center. We had a wonderful guide (Sheila?), who was very knowledgeable and informed. The introductory film was well done and they have a lovely gift shop. The bus was very comfortable and easy to see the sites from. We highly recommend visiting Columbus and taking the tour.
    Visited November 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written November 24, 2024
  • Ola3812
    London, Canada59 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    The Visitors Center itself is a cheerful, comfortable place, and the customer service of its staff is exceptional. We enjoyed the architectural tour with Michael very much - lots of information presented in a fun and relevant way. The Veterans Memorial was a particularly poignant and special place to visit. We wholeheartedly recommend the city and the tour. Thank you, Columbus!
    Visited April 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written May 3, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.8
4.8 of 5 bubbles534 reviews
Excellent
434
Very good
82
Average
14
Poor
4
Terrible
0

beegal
Iowa City, IA170 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Couples
A complete visitor's center, but don't plan on walking in and booking tours that day. I believe they don't offer architectural tours Sunday or Monday. You can download an audio tour but I recommend also buying the $3 map, as it has more information.
Written October 12, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Paul S
Cincinnati, OH176 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2022
Columbus, Indiana is such as amazing find with a very interesting architectural history. Although you can take a self-guided tour or shuttle, the 90-minute guided walking tour of the downtown area is very worthwhile. The visitor center is easy to find with ample free parking. Our guide was well-informed and excited to share the history of the architecture in this Indiana town. Although primarily an outdoor tour, we did pass through the wonderful contemporary First Christian Church, designed by architect Eliel Saarinen. The guided walking tour is currently only available on Saturday and Wednesday mornings, so you will need to plan this out in your travels.
Written July 7, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are glad you had a positive experience and pleased you would leave such nice comments.
Written August 5, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Philip M
Marietta, GA126 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2022 • Couples
My wife and I participated in two tours last week in Columbus and I highly recommend both. We took the Miller House Tour and the Architecture Highlights Tour. Both tour guides were well-informed and engaging. The tour group sizes are small allowing everyone to hear the presentation and have the opportunity to ask questions. Even though I am a retired architect I never realized that there was so much beautiful 20th century architecture in Columbus. The Miller House tour was especially engaging and delightful. Rarely can one see a house of this quality complete with its original furnishings. Kudos to the city of Columbus for recognizing their unique assets.
Written October 2, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for your very kind words.
Written October 31, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Rambling Lawyer
Glendale, CA296 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021
Small group tours offered. We were too late for the tour of the Miller House (offered regularly but on a limited schedule in very small numbers) so we booked the two hour shuttle tour. Unlike the walking tours which were limited to the downtown area, this took us further afield and included entry into the (otherwise closed) North Christian Church. The tour guide was excellent, informative, interesting and interested in the subject matter.
Written August 24, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for taking the time to write such kind words!
Written September 17, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

saxwoman63
Indianapolis, IN65 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2021
This is the second time we have done the Miller House Tour through the Columbus Visitors Center. The house is a mid century modern gem and well worth the tour. It is a small group and our docent was excellent.
I also recommend the Bus Tour of Columbus Architecture. The Irwin family was instrumental in developing the city and it's amazing architecture. Again - a small group. I recommend going during the week if you can - we were able to go inside one of the churches since there were no services.
Written September 5, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
So glad to hear you enjoyed your first visit to The Miller House so much you returned - we are very lucky that we have so many dedicated, volunteer docents.
Written September 17, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

J C
Indianapolis, IN23 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2020
My son is writing a travel guide about Columbus for a 4th Grade project so we booked a walking tour so he could experience the city. We enjoyed our tour guide Willis, and the path, which starts and ends at the visitors center but snakes through many worthwhile stops downtown. My favorite was getting to go inside First Christian Church where we were welcomed by church staff. COVID precautions are being taken and masks and sanitizer are available at the gift shop. The Visitors Center itself was very impressive, with a world class giftshop and sparkling clean restrooms. The staff were kind and patient with my children as they explored the building and asked many questions. Thanks for a memorable experience!
Written November 9, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
A bit delayed, but want you to know we appreciate your kind review!
Written April 9, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Lockie H
Asheville, NC2,681 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2023 • Couples
There is a gorgeous yellow Chihuly in the stairwell. What a treat!
This visitor center is a mandatory stop in this town that surprisingly has a great deal of architecture offerings. Grab a little map, and take a self-tour of the town, but before you leave the center, don’t forget the gift shop.
This is the sweetest little gift shop. It was almost like a museum gift shop and boasted not only items from local artists, but other well-known national artists as well.
I collect tiles from Motawi Tileworks, and they had some for sale, as well as some wonderful Motawi tileworks cards. The folks who work here are also so very pleasant and helpful. What an unexpected treat this entire stop was!
Written November 15, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Chloe B
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2022
The visitor center has a beautiful collection of art and gifts and it is the starting point for tours of the town as well. I have been on the bus tour a couple times, the Miller house tour and the walking tour once as well. Both tours are led by excellent tour guides that give you a lot of information on the art and architecture in Columbus. The bus tour takes you across Columbus and you get to see many landmarks in town. The walking tour brings you inside several buildings downtown. The Miller house tour gives you detailed insight into a wonderfully preserved mid-century home. I hope in the future a tour that is a combination of the walking and bus tour can be available where you see a broad array of landmarks, but you are also able to get off the bus and either go inside or walk around outside. All in all you will learn a lot and come away with a new appreciation for this small town no matter which tour you choose!
Written September 8, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
It's kind of you to leave such a nice review - we also hope to add more interior stops on tours, we are adapting to changes in availability of some of the buildings we've used for interior stops in the past.
Written October 31, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Lisa B
Cincinnati, OH631 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022
We did the 2 hour architecture bus tour. The first stop was across the street at the very unique church, which we were able to go inside. The rest of the tour was on a very comfy bus with huge windows that make it easy to see everything. Our tour guide was great and provided a lot of very interesting information about the city and all of its amazing architecture. If you're not familiar with the city, you will learn so much!
Written August 15, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Zachary S
9 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023 • Family
I wish I could have spent two full days in Columbus to see all the modern architecture, but given our time constraints, the Architectural Highlights by Shuttle Tour was an excellent choice. Harry Weese fans will appreciate the view of the ice rink and the stop at First Baptist. The visitor center provides a superb map, which allowed us to follow up a bit on foot. I recommend following up with an ice cream soda at Zaharakos, a reminder that not all of Columbus's beauty is modernist.
Written June 25, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for your generous words and solid advice for visitors! Columbus is definitely a must-visit for Harry Weese fans, he had a big role in making Columbus what it was to become.
Written July 5, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

…
Showing results 1-10 of 522
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing

Columbus Visitors Center (2025) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Reviews)

All Columbus HotelsColumbus Hotel DealsLast Minute Hotels in Columbus
All things to do in Columbus
RestaurantsFlightsVacation RentalsTravel StoriesCruisesRental Cars