The Museum of Catholic Art and History
The Museum of Catholic Art and History
5
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
About
The Museum of Catholic Art and History houses the largest diversified collection of Catholic Art in the United States. The collection includes Historic manuscripts ,oil paintings, pipe organs, statuary, historic vestments from the Holy Land and many other treasures of our Catholic heritage.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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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
5.0
128 reviews
Excellent
118
Very good
7
Average
3
Poor
0
Terrible
0
RonL40
Utica, NY3,633 contributions
Apr 2015 • Couples
Might be a little hard to find & it might not look like it's open when you get there. Absolutely worth the finding…. beautiful little museum of Catholic history. Make sure you go through the collection with a docent. Very knowledgeable.
Written June 24, 2015
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.
Gregory G
Milwaukee, WI32 contributions
May 2015 • Solo
The museum is housed in an old former Catholic high school which shares space especially with a soup kitchen which is in the basement. There is no clear sign that this building houses the museum, but follow door signs posted because it is a little confusing. If you are fascinated by Catholic liturgical art and artifacts, this personally toured trip is for you! The guides are very knowledgeable and they can answer any questions you may have. Please donate to their causes because they are doing much to save religious art an artifacts from all over the world. The neighborhood is very rundown, so be safe when you come visit.
Written May 14, 2015
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.
Jill D
Saint Louis, MO191 contributions
Apr 2015 • Solo
The docent was very knowledgeable. I know she knew even more than she explained, which was quite extensive. The art work was truly worth the visit. I would recommend this place whole heartedly.
Written April 11, 2015
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.
Lisa6651
Columbus, OH1 contribution
May 2014 • Couples
My husband and I have been married almost a year and haven't been able to take our honeymoon yet. So we decided to go to Columbus for a mini-moon. We stopped at the Jubilee Catholic Museum and were blown away. They had artifacts of the Catholic church dating back to the time of Jesus, and many from the 15th and 17th century. They have beautiful statues, paintings, vestments, books, relics, and much more. My husband and I were able to hold books from 1739, and view a relic of all 12 Apostles.
On this trip we also saw the Air and Space Museum in Dayton and the Zoo in Columbus. While we enjoyed these, this stop was definitely our favorite. We were excited to be able to experience some of our Catholic culture and heritage. It's a great place even if you aren't Catholic, and just want to learn more about other religions. My husband and I were also able to learn about the Jewish culture while we were here, and see Jewish treasures.
I highly recommend. This is the best museum I have ever visited.
On this trip we also saw the Air and Space Museum in Dayton and the Zoo in Columbus. While we enjoyed these, this stop was definitely our favorite. We were excited to be able to experience some of our Catholic culture and heritage. It's a great place even if you aren't Catholic, and just want to learn more about other religions. My husband and I were also able to learn about the Jewish culture while we were here, and see Jewish treasures.
I highly recommend. This is the best museum I have ever visited.
Written May 19, 2014
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.
Louise B
4 contributions
Dec 2017 • Friends
When you arrive here, seniors especially, be mindful of your surroundings and make sure your car doors are locked. This is not a safe area. A soup kitchen occupies part of this museum building, so there will likely be vagrants wandering about. The exit off the highway seemed abrupt to me my first time and given that the building looks deceptively shuttered, it's easy to pass by unaware. Also, if you are susceptible to dust-related allergies, consider bringing an antihistamine with you, as there are many old books, fabrics and the like in this very old building.
The Jubilee Museum has mostly objects of recent vintage salvaged from closed churches. Making my way through the rooms, I had the impression the Jubilee Museum mostly trawled shuttered churches and rummage sales because they mistakenly believe sheer quantity is the name of the museum game. This unsorted quantity overwhelms their small number of museum-worthy objects: a wood bust of St. Augustine that serves as a reliquary, numerous other first class relics, an assortment of priestly vestments, an amethyst belonging to Mary, Queen of Scots, a Douay Rheims bible, a fairly nice variety of charming nativities, among their better items.
Having been to this museum twice, more recently during the Christmas season, I am left with the same assessment. This museum lacks overall coherence, an ample and accessible supply of information for visitors, and a finely-tuned sense of discrimination in its acquisition of objects -- all the expected characteristics of mainstream museums. Most objects, not all, seem to be displayed principally to invoke nostalgia and sentimentality for a bygone era of Catholic culture, rather than provide a deep resource of historical and theological information. This dearth of substantive, well-researched information coupled with a tours-only policy might have to do with tightly controlling their message, but in any case, the optics are weird.
Is this really the largest collection of diversified Catholic art in the United States, as this museum asserts? The largest outside of the Vatican? Gratuitously asserted, gratuitously denied, I think. The Metropolitan Museum of Art - alone - has probably tens of thousands of diverse objects that are Catholic, even more objects that are more broadly Christian. The same can be said for some of the country's other big-name art museums.
The Jubilee Museum has mostly objects of recent vintage salvaged from closed churches. Making my way through the rooms, I had the impression the Jubilee Museum mostly trawled shuttered churches and rummage sales because they mistakenly believe sheer quantity is the name of the museum game. This unsorted quantity overwhelms their small number of museum-worthy objects: a wood bust of St. Augustine that serves as a reliquary, numerous other first class relics, an assortment of priestly vestments, an amethyst belonging to Mary, Queen of Scots, a Douay Rheims bible, a fairly nice variety of charming nativities, among their better items.
Having been to this museum twice, more recently during the Christmas season, I am left with the same assessment. This museum lacks overall coherence, an ample and accessible supply of information for visitors, and a finely-tuned sense of discrimination in its acquisition of objects -- all the expected characteristics of mainstream museums. Most objects, not all, seem to be displayed principally to invoke nostalgia and sentimentality for a bygone era of Catholic culture, rather than provide a deep resource of historical and theological information. This dearth of substantive, well-researched information coupled with a tours-only policy might have to do with tightly controlling their message, but in any case, the optics are weird.
Is this really the largest collection of diversified Catholic art in the United States, as this museum asserts? The largest outside of the Vatican? Gratuitously asserted, gratuitously denied, I think. The Metropolitan Museum of Art - alone - has probably tens of thousands of diverse objects that are Catholic, even more objects that are more broadly Christian. The same can be said for some of the country's other big-name art museums.
Written March 30, 2018
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.
cboerkoel
Columbus, OH62 contributions
Dec 2017 • Family
My family toured the Jubilee Museum and we were thoroughly entertained and educated for 2 hours. This place is a gem and the people who run it are amazing. I will note that we are not Catholic, so do not fully understand all of the materials and customs, but it was enjoyable for myself and my husband, our teenagers, and my mother. The collection of art, books and bibles from 100’s of years ago, and over 300 nativities is stunning. Open midday most days, since they serve a soup kitchen on the lower floor each day. Beautiful, memorable, meaningful experience.
Written December 3, 2017
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.
Rich T
Columbus, OH5 contributions
Jul 2015 • Family
Wow, talk about a hidden gem! I didn't know this even existed until last week and I've lived in Columbus for decades. The sheer number of items they have in their collection is astounding. Add to that the age and historical and sacred significance of the items and the experience left me breathless.
Written July 3, 2015
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.
Barbara V
90 contributions
Sep 2014 • Friends
We came across the Jubilee museum when looking to see what we might do as a quick stop while passing through Columbus. We were a little apprehensive since it's not listed in any other tour guide, but it sounded intriguing so we decided to make the stop. Although we did not realize at the time that tours are given during the week by appointment only, when we showed up at the door, we were greeted enthusiastically and duties were laid aside by the staff and we were given a tour. What began as a one hour tour turned into a two-hour tour/chat/informational afternoon. The staff is extremely knowledgeable and the contents of the museum are totally overwhelming. You can see everything from simple memorabilia to beautifully crafted art in the form of paintings, statues and centuries old books. It was well worth the stop - just be sure to call ahead.
Written September 4, 2014
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.
CDMG123
Cairo, Egypt626 contributions
Aug 2014 • Friends
We had the distinct pleasure of taking a tour of the Jubilee Museum today with the founder and curator, Fr. Lutz. All the reviewers so far have noted the fantastic collection of religious art, including historic Bibles and prayerbooks, altarpieces, and vestments. It is impossible to overstate what a treasure this collection is. What also needs to be said is the joy that Fr. Lutz takes in explaining what is essentially his collection to guests. He had a story, often poignant, about how he acquired each piece, and what it means to him. The first stop on the tour was a room that contained the altar, rail, windows, lights and pews from a demolished Catholic church that Fr. Lutz had painstakingly acquired and reunited piece by piece. He demonstrated an organ that had been lovingly reassembled after being rescued from a condemned chapel. He leafed through pages of a 17th century Bible. He invited us to touch and explore different pieces of art that you could never get close to at any other museum, all the while reminding us that "this is a friendly museum!" And indeed, with Fr. Lutz giving the tour, it is!
Written August 28, 2014
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.
KMK104
Wheaton, IL1 contribution
May 2014 • Couples
We had the pleasure of visiting the Jubilee Museum on a recent visit to Columbus. It is a little hard to find initially as it is tucked away in the now closed Holy Family School building. The address is marked, but there is no signage regarding the museum. When you get there be prepared to be amazed at the collection of art and artifacts, many from closed churches around the globe. We were guided on the tour by Marty who was an enthusiastic fountain of knowledge regarding the collection. His knowledge is surpassed only by Fr.Lutz who asssembled the collection, and joined us midway through the tour. It was truly an amazing experience to hear his stories on many of the items in the collection. If you cherish Catholic and religious art, the Jubilee Museum is not to be missed!
Written May 19, 2014
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.
Catholic Museum
Columbus, Ohio
Sorry for the delayed response. We have been closed the past two years and are now open under our new name, The Museum of Catholic Art and History, at our new location, 257 E. Broad St., Columbus, OH 43215 (on the 1st floor of The Catholic Foundation). Admissions fees are Adults: $10, Child/Student/Seniors (65+): $5. Our hours are Tue. - Sat. 10am - 4pm; Sun. 1pm - 4pm, Mon. Closed. Please visit our website for more details (new site is being built) or contact us at (614) 618-4030.
Written November 27, 2021
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