American Sign Museum
Take a walk down memory lane at The American Sign Museum, the only public sign museum in the country at 1330 Monmouth Ave. in Cincinnati. The museum has more than 300 signs on display from the 1880s to the 1960s, ranging from small tabletop signs to a 22-foot tall 1958 Howard Johnson sign weighing two tons. “You can view it as a slice of American history,” says founder and Executive Director Tod Swormstedt. One hour guided tours are available at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. The museum is also available for weddings, receptions, corporate parties, and more. W-Sa 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Su 12-4 p.m. $15 adults, $10 students and seniors, children 12 and under free. 513-541-6366, americansignmuseum.org.
Hartman’s Rock Garden
View a medieval castle, a replica of the White House, and dozens of figurines amid beautiful gardens at Hartman’s Rock Garden at 1905 Russell Ave. in Springfield. Ben Hartman, a molder laid off in the Great Depression, used more than 250,000 stones to create this miniature world that reflects depression-era pop culture and Hartman’s emphasis on religion, education and patriotism. “It’s just a place to explore and be inspired,” says Kevin Rose, historian and board member for Friends of Hartman’s Rock Garden. M-Su 8 a.m.-7p.m. Free. facebook.com/hartmanrockgarden.
The Great Serpent Mound
At about a quarter mile long, The Great Serpent Mound is the largest Native American effigy mound in the world. “A lot of people leave here in awe,” says Park Manager Tim Goodwin. The snake-shaped effigy mound was constructed between 1,000 and 2,000 years ago, although the exact date is still in dispute, by either the Fort Ancient or Adena cultures. The 60-acre National Historic Landmark, at 3850 state Route 73 in Peebles, also includes three burial mounds, a picnic area, a half-mile nature trail, a small museum and paved mile-long trail around the mound. M-Su 9 a.m.-dusk. $8 per vehicle. 937-386-6025.
Historical Loveland
Castle and Museum
Chateau Laroche
Built on the banks of the Little Miami River in the 1920s by Sir Harry Delos Andrews, the Historical Loveland Castle and Museum Chateau Laroche is a testament to medieval knightly values. Located at 12025 Shore Drive, the castle is the world headquarters of the Knights of the Golden Trail, an organization started in 1927 that still guards the castle today. View swords and weapons, marvel at the castle’s German, French, and English medieval architecture, or talk to a real knight from the Knights of the Golden Trail. Sa and Su 11 a.m.-5 p.m. $5 adults, $3 children 12 and under. 513-683-4686, lovelandcastle.com.
The Topiary Park
Step into a real-life painting with the unique Topiary Park at 480 E. Town St. in Columbus. “It is a landscape of a painting of a landscape,” says Executive Director Carlene Palmquist. Constructed by Columbus artist James T. Mason, the park is a replica of Georges Seurat’s famous painting “A Sunday Afternoon on the Isle of La Grand Jatte,” complete with 54 topiary people, eight sailboats, three dogs, a cat and a monkey. While the park is free and open to the public year-round, docent-led tours are also available in the spring, fall and summer. M-Su sunrise-sunset. Free, fee for docent-led tours. 614-645-0197, topiarypark.org.