National Road-Zane Grey Museum

The National Road-Zane Grey Museum is actually 3 museums in one building. Obviously there are the National Road and Zane Grey Museums but also housed in this complex is a museum devoted to local pottery. The museums are operated by the Ohio Historical Connection.The lady at the front desk said you could take a self-guided tour or that they also offered guided tours. We opted for the guided tour and has a very enthusatic young man as our guide. Harry was very knowledgeable about the three museums and gave an excellent - although a bit long - tour of the museums. The National Road section of the museum includes a large diaroma of the national road and the history of the road. There are numerous exhibits including an old Conestoga wagon, various sleighs, and vintage and antique automobils. The Zane Grey part of the museum contains a recreation of his writing studio and a history of his work. Zane Grey wrote all his books in long hand. His wife then typed them on a old typewrtier and supposedly corrected his spelling and grammar while typing.Finally, the local pottery museum has an excellent collection of local and regional pottery. The tour guide gave a good explanation of the processes used in the crafting of pottery.The museum is just off of I-70 at Norwich. Allow 1-2 hours - depending on how much you want to absorb.

Well worth a detour if you're traveling through Ohio and are interested in learning about early transportation. I loved the displays and the varied types of transportation (had no idea a Conestoga wagon was so large!), and the other sections about Zane Grey and local pottery were interesting too. The grounds have a few picnic tables and it was a pleasant place to eat lunch before getting back on the road.

It's been years since I first went here, and it's still a great little museum. Yes, some of the displays are old, but a lot has been freshened up, too. Covering the building of the National Road, Zane Grey's life and books, and local pottery, it's an interesting look into Ohio, and U.S., history. Plenty of visual aids like covered wagons, cars, a huge diorama of the road through history, etc. Staff were great, there's a nice gift shop with lots of good books, and the building and parking lot are easy to get around.

I have driven past this museum for years. Finally got a chance to stop in! Zane Grey was born nearby in 1872. LOVE his books. It was cool to see manuscripts and some of his papers. Brings life to the good old fellow. If you've never read a Zane Grey book...what, you don't have 45 minutes for a true American novelist?

Took my nieces here and we all loved it. The wax figures were so real and they really enjoyed it. The staff were very friendly and helpful. You had a choice of a tour guide or self guide. We chose the self guide. A definite must see.

Three museums in one: an illuminated walk (literally) through the opening of the American West; an archive of a top candidate for The Most Interesting Man of the twentieth century; a beautiful collection of showcase pieces from the Big Three potteries of Muskingum County. Well worth your afternoon.

not even stimulating for children, unless they were to add more shiny things. BORING!