STATEHOUSE NEWS

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The Ohio Statehouse Museum Education Center, in partnership with the American Political Items Collectors, unveiled a special new exhibit today showcasing treasures from the political careers of Ohio’s eight Presidents and their campaigns.

While the campaign button is the most recognized and widely collected of all campaign objects, the exhibit also includes vintage political ribbons, ferrotypes, glassware, autographs, books, textiles, ephemera, posters, medals, tokens, postcards, pennants, sheet music and photography. Campaign artifacts range from matchbooks to street banners and everything in between!

The exhibit is on display in the Map Room on the ground level of the Ohio Statehouse through September 27. The exhibit is free and open to the public.

Ohio’s Presidents include: William Henry Harrison (1841), Ulysses S. Grant (1869-1877), Rutherford B. Hayes (1877-1881), James A. Garfield (1881), Benjamin Harrison (1889-1893), William McKinley (1897-1901), William Howard Taft (1909-1913) and Warren G. Harding (1921-1923).

All of the items on display in the exhibit are from the private collection of Mark and Kim Gelke of Cincinnati.

About the American Political Items Collectors
The American Political Items Collectors (APIC) is a non-profit membership organization, dedicated to promoting the collection, preservation and study of materials relating to political campaigns and the U.S. presidency. Founded in 1945, the APIC serves a growing hobby. Membership includes collectors and enthusiasts from all walks of life and nearly every occupation. The APIC cooperates with the Smithsonian, presidential libraries, homes, birthplaces and museums, national and local media as well as colleges and universities to facilitate the understanding of American politics using the artifacts of political campaigns. For more information about the American Political Items Collectors, visit www.apic.us.

About the Ohio Statehouse Museum
The Ohio Statehouse Museum features high-tech, interactive exhibits that make learning about all three branches of state government fun. The museum is packed with historical artifacts and images that tell the stories of how government works and who has come to serve their fellow citizens.

The Museum includes 5,000 square feet of exhibit space on the ground floor of the Ohio Statehouse that enriches the experience of school children and visitors. The Museum offers exhibits that encourage visitors to participate in the government process by making choices, expressing their opinions, comparing viewpoints and even becoming a part of an exhibit by giving a State of the State address. A thrust on contemporary issues enables visitors to better relate to the governing process.

To view this press release and others, visit www.ohiostatehouse.org.

The Ohio Statehouse is more than a monument to our past; it's where history happens! The Ohio Statehouse is open weekdays from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.; weekends from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed holidays. The Ohio Statehouse Museum is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; weekends from noon to 4 p.m.; closed holidays. Admission is free. Free guided tours are offered weekdays on the hour from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and weekends from noon to 3 p.m. Tours depart from the Map Room easily accessible from the Third Street entrance. Groups of 10 or more are requested to call in advance to ensure a guide is available. Contact 888/OHIO-123 for more information or to schedule a group tour. For more information about the Ohio Statehouse visit www.ohiostatehouse.org.

The Ohio Statehouse is handicapped accessible and senior friendly. The Capitol Square complex was restored to allow for greater access by individuals living with disabilities. Ohio Statehouse public programs and events are held in accessible and barrier free areas of the building so that everyone can participate. Ohio Statehouse visitors needing disability-related accommodations in order to fully participate in an event may contact the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board at statehouse@csrab.state.oh.us or 614/752-9777 to communicate special needs. Please allow three weeks for arrangements to be completed.

The Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board (CSRAB) is responsible for maintaining the historic character of the Statehouse and Capitol Square while providing for the health, safety and convenience of those who work in or visit the complex. The Ohio Statehouse Museum Education Center coordinates tours of Capitol Square and provides information about the buildings, their history and Ohio's government.

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