Columbus Indiana Visitors Center
Visitors Center & Gift Shop
506 Fifth Street, Columbus, Indiana, 812-378-2622
HOURS: Mon – Sat 10 – 5 (view holiday hours)
Closed Mondays in January and February
Read the FAQs
BEGIN AT THE VISITORS CENTER
Located at 506 Fifth Street, in the heart of downtown, the first floor staff can help you plan your time in Columbus. Park for free, then come inside for:
- Help selecting city tours
- Maps, brochures, city guides
- Free videos about Columbus, shown any time
- The Dale Chihuly Yellow Neon Chandelier and Persians
- A big, beautiful gift shop (see more photos)
The gift shop has handcrafted items by local and regional artists and Columbus-themed items.
View the Dale Chihuly Yellow Chandelier and Persians!
Find out what bloggers suggest for your visit to Columbus.
Artist Jeff Hagan captured the city of Columbus in his unique style, and it is available for sale in the gift shop. Jeff also created a painting that honors local native Chuck Taylor.
Visitor reviews
What an unexpected treat this entire stop was...
Chihuly alert! There is a gorgeous yellow Chihuly in the stairwell. What a treat! This visitor center is a mandatory stop in this town that surprisingly has a great deal of architecture offerings. Grab a little map, and take a self-tour of the town, but before you leave the center, don’t forget the gift shop . . . I collect tiles from Motawi Tileworks, and they had some for sale, as well as some wonderful Motawi tileworks cards. The folks who work here are also so very pleasant and helpful. What an unexpected treat this entire stop was! – posted on Google, Nov 15, 2023
Everything a visitor needs...
Chihuly chandelier, friendly assistance, clean restrooms, and $3 architectural tour brochure. Everything a visitor needs in one easy-to-find (and park) location. / posted on Google Maps by Stace
WOW - This is not what you expect...
"Worth the visit"...
…we did not know that in the middle of America such a city exists with interesting architectural phenomena. Strongly recommend to take the tour. – Tripadvisor reviewer from Los Angeles, posted Nov 2019
"The best way to start your visit to Columbus"
This is a must see, must do activity in Columbus. The tour provides a great introduction to this unexpected, unforgettable town. At the very least, enjoy the 8-minute video introduction to Columbus and … its architectural significance. This is the best way to start your visit to Columbus. / Yelp reviewer from Cape Coral, Florida, posted Nov 2019
"For anyone visiting Columbus...this should be the first stop"
For anyone visiting Columbus for the architecture, this should be the first stop. / Tripadvisor reviewer from Raleigh, North Carolina
"What more could a traveler want?"...
An interesting building with world-class artwork, a helpful staff, clean bathrooms, and well-curated gift shop. What more could a traveler want? / Yelp reviewer from Louisville, KY
"No idea there were so many things to see and do around town"...
Coming to visit Columbus for the first time was a great experience! The visitor’s center had great staff and helped us get started on our self guided tour. They even had a great video to watch before the tour. Even their gift shop was full of wonderfully cute things from around the Columbus area. I had no idea there were so many things to see and do around town. / Google Plus reviewer
View the architecture videos
Directions
Take me to the Welcome Center
Get the movie!
“…a pleasantly eccentric film that’s the feature debut of visual artist Kogonada. Set in ‘the Athens of the Prairie,’ Columbus, Indiana, the unlikely site of a trove of modern architecture, its impeccably composed shots of stunning buildings are as much of a lure as its deliberately paced story.”
[ The LA Times ]
Pricing
Blu Ray is $42.79 total – includes tax
DVD is $37.44 total – includes tax
Shipping
Up to 2 DVDs or BluRays can be shipped to one address for $7.50
To purchase
Call the Gift Shop, 800-468-6564
ARCHITECTURE GUIDEBOOK
A Look at Architecture documents modern buildings in Columbus, Indiana, designed predominantly by nationally and internationally recognized architects, landscape architects, and interior designers from 1942-2016. Each project has been photographed in its current condition and many feature historical photos by Balthazar Korab.
Become a member!
Membership dollars are used by our organization to advance the incredible architectural heritage of Columbus, Indiana, and to educate people of all ages about the value of good design.
Member benefits include:
- 15% discount on Gift Shop purchases
- Additional discounts on Museum Store Sunday and the month of December
- Special pricing on Chihuly Studio Edition Glass and Limited-Edition Prints
- Invitations to special events and lectures
To join, visit the membership page >
RELATED PAGES
- The Columbus Area Visitors Center information page
- Check out the beautiful Instagram photos of Columbus
- Sign up for e-news updates
- See videos posted on YouTube
an architectural guide like no other
Written by by Columbus tour guide Henry Kuehn, Architects’ Gravesites is an architectural guide like no other, revealing as much about mortality as about monumentality, featuring a forward by Barry Bergdoll and afterword by Paul Goldberger.
Kuehn’s book offers an alphabetical listing, from Alvar Aalto to Minoru Yamasaki (designer of the Word Trade Center’s twin towers). Each entry includes a brief note on the architect’s career and a color photograph of the site. You will learn that Ludwig Mies van der Rohe is buried in Chicago under a simple granite slab designed by his architect grandson; Louise Bethune, the first American woman to become a professional architect, is buried under a headstone inscribed only with her husband’s name (a plaque honoring her achievements was installed later); and Philip Johnson’s ashes were spread in his rose garden, with no marker, across the street from his famous Glass House.
Authored by Columbus tour guide Henry Kuehn (see photo), published 2017 by MIT Press
$19.95, 128 pages, call to order: 800-468-6564
