Step into a world of wonder this winter as The Ohio State University at Marion unveils Cabinets of Curiosity: Classrooms and Collections Research at Ohio State University, an immersive exhibit exploring the origins of museums and the fascinating collections housed across the university.
The exhibit runs December 1 through March 13, 2026, at the Wayne & Geraldine Kuhn Fine Arts Gallery, located at 1465 Mount Vernon Avenue, Marion, Ohio. Visitors can explore the gallery Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. There will be a public artist reception, Monday, December 1, 12:30 p.m. in the gallery. Admission is free and open to the campus and community at large.
Inspired by the Renaissance Wunderkammer—or “room of wonders”—the exhibit blends the exotic, the beautiful, and the strange to showcase how early modern collecting shaped today’s museums. Visitors will encounter fossils, ancient artifacts, zoology specimens, precious stones, prints, and photography displayed in the eclectic style of historic cabinets of curiosity, highlighting the scholarly roots of Ohio State’s research collections.
Curated by students in History 3678: Applied Public History—Museum Pasts, Practices, and Challenges, and Ohio State Marion Assistant Professor of Premodern World History Amanda Respess, the exhibit features treasures from:
- The Orton Geological Museum
- Historic Costume and Textiles Collection
- C.A. Triplehorn Insect Collection
- Museum of Classical Archaeology
- Center for Folklore Studies Archive
- Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum
- Medical Heritage Center
- Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center Archival Program
Sponsors for Cabinets of Curiosity include Ohio State Marion, Ohio State’s Department of History, the Office of the Vice-Provost for the Arts, and Ohio State’s East Asian Studies Center. For more information visit https://go.osu.edu/kuhngallery or call 740-389-6786.