There are some record-breaking superlatives in Ohio that border on the bizarre. For example, did you know Ohio was home to the world's only Cornhenge? Or the world's largest mining bucket? Or the world's largest troll collection? Today's feature destination is akin to the Troll Museum, in that it's an impressive collection of pop culture icons: cartoon and comic books. In Columbus, Ohio, The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum is the world's largest collection of cartoon and comic art, drawing pop culture enthusiasts from across the globe.
There's a hierarchy to literature that often elevates novels and nonfiction above, say, graphic novels. The latter is often dismissed as "comic books," a medium not taken seriously among scholars.
But at The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum, not only is comic and cartoon art revered and respected, but it's elevated to a medium worthy of its own study.
As the world's largest collection of comic and cartoon art, The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum is a 30,000-square-foot space located in The Ohio State University’s prestigious Sullivant Hall.
The facility includes a museum with three exhibition galleries, a reading room for researchers, and a state-of-the-art collections storage space.
It's home to 300,000 original cartoons, 45,000 books, 67,000 serials (including comic books), 3,000 linear feet of manuscript materials, and (are you ready for this?) 2.5 million comic strip clippings and newspaper pages.
Materials are thoughtfully displayed throughout the space, and given the kind of treatment fine art receives in, say, The Louvre.
Of course, those looking to dig into their childhood favorites can certainly do so here. While it's not a lending library, you can still view every item in the collection in the reading room, as well as view rare art through protective plastic.
So the next time you're looking for a unique, wholly delightful, and nostalgic day trip in Ohio, visit The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum!
Did you know Ohio was home to a cartoon museum... the world's largest collection, in fact? Visit The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum website for hours and more information.
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