Come see us! 
OHIO: The Start of It All and The Art of the Hidden Pictures Puzzle are now open! 

We will be following CDC protocols and state health orders. Face masks are welcome during your visit to the Decorative Arts Center of Ohio. Social distance will be maintained and visitor numbers monitored. Thank you for helping protect our visitors, volunteers, and staff! 
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​We look forward to seeing you! ​

Current Exhibition

OHIO: The Start of It All
Dan Chudzinski, Curator
September 24 - December 31, 2022 
OHIO: The Start of It All showcases world-changing Ohio innovations in dozens of original works of children’s picture book art from the University of Findlay’s world-renowned Mazza Museum, home to the world’s first and most diverse collection of original picture book art.
The exhibition pairs original works of art from beloved picture books with facts about Ohio history and innovations, from the earthworks of Ohio’s Indigenous Peoples, to aviation and astronautical science, to the creation of comic book superheroes that have shaped popular culture in the U.S. and around the world.
Artists represented in the exhibition include some of the most celebrated illustrators and author/illustrators in the genre: Marc Brown, creator of Arthur the Aardvark; Rosemary Wells, creator of Max & Ruby; Syd Hoff, creator of Danny and the Dinosaur; Alice and Martin Provensen, whose book The Glorious Flight won the Caldecott Medal, the foremost award for picture book illustrations – and others.

The Art of the Hidden Pictures Puzzle
Running concurrently with OHIO: The Start of It All is an exhibition of Highlights for Children magazine’s iconic Hidden Pictures puzzle art, presented in the Lower Gallery of the Decorative Art Center of Ohio. Hidden Pictures puzzles have been a beloved feature of Highlights since the central Ohio-based magazine’s first issue in 1946.
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Support for the exhibition provided by Patrick & Brenda Smith and the Fairfield County Foundation Wendel Family Fund.
A Storybook Christmas featuring A Very Brady Holiday
George & Jeanne Johnson and Randall Thropp, Curators
November 2 - December 31, 2022 
Step into the pages of classic Christmas storybooks from the past 150 years in the beautiful Reese-Peters House parlors decorated for the holidays. Visitors will also enjoy up close access to a selection of iconic toys, gifts
and costumes from the popular Brady Bunch TV series and movies.

A Very Brady Holiday courtesy of Paramount Pictures Archives

Exhibition Programming

Highlights Hidden Pictures Curator Talk
Sunday, October 30, 2:00 pm
$10/$5 members prepaid registration, $15 at the door
Christine French Cully, editor in chief of Highlights, will discuss the why, what and how of Hidden Pictures – a visual puzzle made famous by the iconic children’s publisher. 
A Storybook Christmas Curator Talk
Sunday, November 13, 1:00 or 3:00 pm
$10/$5 members prepaid registration, $15 at the door (if space available)
Join A Storybook Christmas Curator Dr. George Johnson for an informal lecture on Christmas-themed children’s books dating from 1850 to 2000, including a large collection of nostalgic pop-up books from the 1950s.
A Very Brady Holiday Curator Talk
Sunday, December 18, 1:00 (FULL) or 3:00 pm
$10/$5 members prepaid registration, $15 at the door (if space available)
Join A Very Brady Holiday Curator Randall Thropp of Paramount Pictures Archives for an informal lecture on this extraordinary collection of iconic toys, gifts and costumes from the Brady Bunch.
Register for 3pm Talk
For more classes, visit our​ Programs, Classes and Events page

Upcoming Exhibitions

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Flower Power: Flora in Fashion
Presented by the Historic Costume and Textiles Collection at The Ohio State University
Gayle Strege, Curator
February 4 - April 23, 2023
Flower Power: Flora in Fashion explores the relationship humankind has with its natural environment – specifically, how we adorn our bodies with botanical elements from head to toe. From extravagant hats to sublime shoes, fashion designers have found inspiration in colorful floral motifs and botanical elements. Nature’s plant materials not only factor in the aesthetics of fashion and apparel, they literally are the very fabric used to make much of our clothing. Flower Power: Flora in Fashion will grow your appreciation for how the bark, leaves, grasses and seeds around us have been turned into textiles and clothing we use on a daily basis.

Botany in Buttons
Don't miss the beautiful botanical buttons from the Ann W. Rudolph Button Collection on display in the Lower Gallery, February 4 – April 23, 2023.​

Previous Exhibitions

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Chronicles: The Great Depression and the Pandemic
May 21 - August 28, 2022