After a series of upgrades, the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum is set to reopen to the public on Saturday, May 23 with redesigned galleries and new exhibitions.
Located at The Ohio State University, the museum will introduce an updated layout along with expanded exhibition space, offering visitors more opportunities to explore its collection.
The reopening features “Life is Complicated,” an exhibition by acclaimed cartoonist Chris Ware. The show is the only U.S. presentation of this collection and will be on view through January 3, 2027.
The installation was created specifically for the museum and includes original drawings, objects, and materials that are rarely displayed.
A central addition to the museum is “Story of Comics,” a permanent exhibition that examines the history of comics and cartoon art across more than 400 years.
The exhibit includes original artwork, interactive elements and themed gallery spaces focused on how comics are created and how the medium has developed. One gallery features original work from Calvin & Hobbes by Bill Watterson, one of the museum’s most well-known collections.
The reopening follows recent building improvements, including HVAC upgrades and a redesigned gallery layout. The changes allow for additional exhibition space and a more accessible experience for visitors.
The museum is widely recognized as home to the largest collection of comics and cartoon art in the world. It serves both as a public museum and a research library within Ohio State’s library system.
The museum will host a range of programming throughout the summer, including free workshops for children and families.
A special event on August 8 will feature Cathy Guisewite, along with children’s graphic novel authors and artists from the National Cartoonists Society. A public program with Chris Ware is scheduled for October 17.
If you don’t feel like waiting until August, you can stop by as soon as the doors open at the end of May. The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum is free and open to the public Tuesday through Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. For more info, you can head over to cartoons.osu.edu.
