See ’Heartland: The Stories of Ohio Through 250 Objects’ in Lancaster

The Decorative Arts Center of Ohio unveils an exhibition that tells the story of our state through 250 individual items in an exhibition that coincides with the start of the United States’ semiquincentennial celebration. “Heartland: The Stories of Ohio Through 250 Objects” opens Jan. 31 and runs through April 26, featuring a curated assortment of personal keepsakes, iconic inventions and cultural artifacts. 

“In 2025, discussions of culture and history so often become quickly divisive,” Andrew Richmond, co-curator of the exhibition, said in a Nov. 21, 2025, press release. “We hope that the breadth and diversity of objects and stories presented will allow anyone who visits to feel some connection to our shared past.”

Richmond and Hollie Davis are the co-owners of Marietta’s Meander Auctions (Hollie is also an Ohio Magazine contributor, writing our Ohio Finds! column each month). The auction house hosts a wide array of Ohio River Valley and Midwestern art and collectibles. The pair selected each of the 250 artifacts to be showcased in the exhibition. 

“We were a crossroads, a bellwether, a mother of presidents, a leader in flight — but we are also changing,” Richmond said of Ohio in the press release. “With three major cities and vast swaths of rurality, we are extremely diverse in every sense of the word.” 

“Heartland: The Stories of Ohio Through 250 Objects” allows visitors to get up close and personal with some of Ohio’s most pivotal moments, as well as heartwarming tales from local families of the past. 

Running in tandem with the exhibition is “Journey Through Ohio’s Counties,” a collection of paintings curated by artist Tina Husted (the wife of U.S. Senator Jon Husted) and housed in the Decorative Arts Center of Ohio’s lower gallery. The artwork spans local landmarks and history, as well as creative interpretations of these themes from Ohio high school students included as part of the exhibition. 

Several complementary events will take place over the course of both exhibitions’ runs, including a junk journal workshop, talks on barnstorming and collecting, and curator conversations.  

For more information, visit decartsohio.org. 

For more Ohio holiday inspiration, sign up for our Ohio Magazine newsletters.

Ohio Magazine is available in a beautifully designed print issue that is published 7 times a year, along with Spring-Summer and Fall-Winter editions of LongWeekends magazine. Subscribe to Ohio Magazine and stay connected to beauty, adventure and fun across our state.