Thrills and Enchantment in Columbus

Over dinner our last night in Columbus, Ohio, I asked my daughter Emily, “So, why would anyone want to come to Columbus?”

 “To ride the high-wire unicycle,” she answered without hesitation. Then she thought a moment and said, “And just to see what things are like somewhere else.”

 More about that unicycle later. But I think she has a good point: why travel, if not to discover the ways in which we are different and the same?

Our two-day visit was originally inspired by Skybus, Richmond’s newest airline. “Why would I want to go to Columbus?” I asked myself, trying to think of a good excuse to buy a cheap ticket, just because I could.

Then I heard about a trio of exhibits now showing in Columbus: “Funney/Strange,” a retrospective by photographer William Wegman; “In Monet’s Garden,” a collection of paintings by Monet and later artists influenced by his work; and “Enchanted Express,” a garden railway display. I booked our flight.

 (If you’re wondering: $70 there on a Friday, $20 back on a Sunday, plus taxes and fees.)

Food by Foot

Emily, 10, and I stayed at the Crowne Plaza in downtown Columbus, which put us smack in the middle of all our destinations and within walking distance of numerous restaurants. In fact, lunch was next door at a Max & Erma’s—not the original one, but close enough, as the chain got its start in Columbus.

We walked to B.D.’s Mongolian Barbeque for supper one night, where Emily was entertained by the theatrics of the grill staff, who cook ingredients of diners’ own choosing.

 The next morning, we walked to North Market for breakfast. I could have stayed for hours, browsing the produce from local farmers, the bread and pastries from local bakers, the fresh flowers, the cheeses, the pottery….

 We didn’t leave before patronizing a chocolatier. People say that the Buckeye State gets its nickname from a tree, but as far as we’re concerned, the peanut butter-and-chocolate buckeye candy is good enough to name a state for.

A mother-daughter date at Martini Italian Bistro (again, walkable) ended our Columbus culinary experience on a high note, with delicious food and intelligent service.

Is That Funny Ha-Ha or…?

William Wegman’s books for children almost exclusively use his trademark deadpan Weimeraners, and most adults also associate him with the dogs. The exhibit at the Wexner Center for the Arts, however, shows a multiplicity of styles and media, all seemingly driven by the child-like question, “What if…?”

His paintings that incorporate vintage cards intrigued both of us. Imagined landscapes spread out from real postcard images, and Emily decided she’d try the technique at home.

I strolled through the galleries while Emily watched a couple Wegman videos that were part of the exhibit. It was the first time I’ve heard belly laughs in an art museum, as she and other visitors were amused by footage of a dog learning—or not—to drop a ball in a can.

The Wexner Center prepared an excellent guide to the exhibit for children and families, and it’s committed to educational programming. For example, the Columbus International Children’s Film Festival runs Nov. 29 to Dec. 2 at the Wexner, and performances, tours and workshops go on throughout the year.

 “Funney/Strange” runs through Dec. 30.

 Art for All Ages

The Columbus Museum of Art, even more than the Wexner Center, cultivates a young audience. We started our visit with a turn through the “Eye Spy” galleries, where we saw both young children and teens.

 We learned about native Columbus artists by making sketches, ink stamps and rubbings, dressing up, taking quizzes and listening to stories. But what endeared Eye Spy to me was a display that invited visitors to touch a metal knob. Beside the dull, worn one stood a shiny knob inside a Plexiglas case, never touched. The lesson was clear, even if you didn’t read the accompanying explanation. Finally! A museum that doesn’t just hiss, “Don’t touch!”  

“In Monet’s Garden: The Lure of Giverny” is a stunning exhibit, full of gorgeous, heady, story-filled art. To be frank, you probably won’t be able to fully enjoy it with children, unless they’re more patient than mine.

Towards the end, there’s a table with real flowers and magnifying glasses where visitors can sketch colored-pencil pictures. Try heading straight for that and getting a young artist started on a drawing while you take in the exhibit.

“In Monet’s Garden” runs through Jan. 20, 2008.

 Double Enchantment

To step into the Franklin Park Conservatory is to enter an otherworldly profusion of sensory stimulation. And yet the experience is also deeply calming, even entrancing. Having an exhibit called “Enchanted Express” is almost superfluous.

But even visitors who are not train-obsessed 3-year-old boys will be charmed by the model railroads running through the conservatory’s glass houses. The idea is that the trains take you to nine small-scale reproductions of world landmarks, such as the Taj Mahal and Mayan ruins. Each landmark, built of natural materials, highlights a particular plant and its cultural significance.

 “Enchanted Express” runs through Mar. 30, 2008.

Emily and I agreed that all in all, Franklin Park Conservatory was our favorite stop. I suppose the only thing that could have made it better was if the Conservatory had installed a high-wire unicycle through the Pacific Island Water Garden house.

 The Show-Stopper Act

Ah, yes—the unicycle. We didn’t know as we approached the gray, grub-shaped COSI, Columbus’ science museum, that we were in for a thrill unavailable anywhere else in the country. But as soon as Emily caught sight of the cable running across the lobby above our heads, she was looking for the stairs to the second floor.

After a long wait, she was strapped onto the unicycle by COSI staff. With a counterweight below the seat, riders are perfectly safe as they pedal along the highwire. Emily loved it so much, she got in line and did it again.

COSI’s other exhibits, including a Bob the Builder traveling exhibit through Jan. 8, 2008, are also interactive, and you get to keep your feet on the ground.

  Those $10 Tickets Go Fast

Columbus is intriguingly similar to Richmond in many ways, including its downtown river and growing gallery district. And as a larger city, its differences offer a wealth of entertainment. We hardly scratched the surface of Columbus’ attractions and hope to return soon.

 If you’ve been wondering what’s on the other end of a cheap plane ride, it’s time to find out! Plan your visit using ExperienceColumbus.com, where you can find links to all the places and events mentioned in this article.

Angela Lehman-Rios is editor of Richmond Parents Monthly.