Ohio’s Correctional History
The history of corrections in Ohio reaches far beyond the walls of the Ohio State Reformatory. Through artifacts and exhibits from correctional institutions across the state, the museum offers a broader look at how prisons evolved, how they were managed, and how ideas about justice and rehabilitation changed over time.
Featured Exhibits
Ohio’s Historic Prisons
Explore the stories and artifacts from some of Ohio’s most significant correctional facilities.
Life Behind the Walls
Discover how inmates spent their days, how wardens managed the institutions, and how prison life evolved through the decades.
Old Sparky
One of the museum’s most significant artifacts is the original electric chair from the Ohio Penitentiary. Used in 315 executions, it offers a sobering reminder of a chapter in Ohio’s correctional history and invites reflection on how correctional practices have changed over time.