Ohio River Museum
The Ohio River Museum in Marietta is pleased to exhibit the extensive collection of the Sons & Daughters of Pioneer Rivermen. While you tour, discover the golden age of the steamboat and learn more about the ecology of the Ohio River system. The Ohio River Museum consists of three exhibit buildings, the first chronicling the origins and natural history of the Ohio River. The history of the steamboat on the Ohio River system is featured in the second building, along with a video presentation on river steamboats. The last building features displays about boat building, mussels in the Ohio River system, and tool and equipment from the steamboat era.
Outside the museum, on the Muskingum River, visitors can take an escorted tour of the W. P. SNYDER JR.-- the last intact steam-powered "pool-type" stern-wheeled towboat in the United States. After your museum visit, cruise the Ohio River on the Valley Gem, a working sternwheeler docked next door to the Ohio River Museum.
Other exhibits on the museum grounds include the pilothouse from the steamboat the TELL CITY, a full-scale reproduction of a flatboat from Ohio's early settlement period, and an 1800 dug-out canoe used as a ferry between Fort Harmer and Marietta's settlement. Also on site are a series of poles showing the heights of some of the worst floods to hit the area in its recorded history: the 1884 flood at 54.5 feet, the 1898 flood at 49.6 feet, the 1907 flood at 52.1 feet, the flood of 1913 at 60.3 feet, and the 1937 flood at 55 feet.
WP Snyder Jr. Is Back!
The WP Snyder Jr. returned to its Marietta dock at the Ohio River Museum on September 17, 2010, to much funfare and celebration. The WP Snyder is one of the highlights of our river museum. Now that it is fully restored, stop by for a visit!
Directions
The Ohio River Museum is located at 601 Front Street, Marietta, Ohio, one block from Ohio State Route 7, and minutes from I-77. Free parking is available in the museum parking lot. Ohio River Museum is also wheelchair accessible, except for W.P. Snyder.
If you planning a visit to the Ohio River Museum, also make time to see Campus Martius Museum of the Northwest Territory, just a three minute walk from the Ohio River Museum.
Use the interactive map below for specific driving instructions.
Hours of Operation
| April - Labor Day | September - October | |
| Monday | 9:30 to 5 | Closed |
| Tuesday | Closed | Closed |
| Wednesday-Saturday | 9:30 to 5 | 9:30 to 5, Saturday Only* |
| Sunday | Noon to 5 | Noon to 5 |
| Closed | Easter & November - March** | |
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** Tours available by appointment. |
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Admission Rates
One |
1 Day Pass both Campus Martius & Ohio River Museums |
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| FOM or OHS Member | Free | Free |
| Adult | $7.00 | $9.00 |
| Students K to College (with ID) | $4.00 | $5.00 |
| Children 5 and under | Free | Free |
Your ticket from Ohio River Museum entitles you to a $2 adult or $1 child discount at Blennherhassett Museum in Parkersburg, WV. Visit Blennerhassett Museum first and receive the same discount at the Ohio River Museum. |
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Educational Programs
Most educational programs at the Ohio River Museum are geared for 3rd through 8th grades with special programming available for all ages. Programs focus on the relationship between people and the river. View steamboat models and artifacts from hundreds of inland boats. Learn about freshwater mussels and the impact that invasive species such as the zebra mussel have had on native species. Many more learning opportunities are available. Ask for details when scheduling!
Ask about Hometown History on Wheels! Bus transportation cost reimbursement available to Washington County schools through donations from area groups and individuals on a limited basis. When scheduling, ask for details.
To plan your visit, contact our staff via email or by calling 1.740.373.3750. And don't forget, the Ohio River Museum is located just one block from Campus Martius. Tour both museums for just $1 more!
Educational Admission Rates
| Museum Tour Only* | 4th Grade Achievement** | Educational Workshop** | |
| Students | $3.00 | $4.00 | $6.00 |
| Chaperones | $3.00 | $3.00 | $3.00 |
| Teachers | Free | Free | Free |
Please note that membership discounts do not apply to educational admission rates. * Add the Campus Martius Museum to your tour for just $1 more! ** Museum tour included. |
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Events
Great Flood of 1884 Exhibit
Special exhibit starts April 1 and runs all season.
This exhibit features rare, unseen images by Marietta photographer, J. D. Cadwallader, along with recent photos taken at the same location a century and a quarter later.
The 1884 disaster was the worst flood experienced by area residents in the 19th century. Only four homes in Harmar were untouched by the water and more than fifty floated from their foundations. Destruction was worse for properties on the Marietta side of the Muskingum River.
The exhibition is being funded through the generosity of the Sons and Daughters of Pioneer Rivermen and sponsored through the Friends of the Museums.
Summer 2013
A salute to the heritage and continued importance of America's rivers, canals, and lakes. On-going demonstrations, information booths, music, hands-on activities, tours, boat displays - all examining over 300 years of inland waterways history; historic model boats, steamboat whistles; and historic river craft on the Muskingum and Ohio Rivers. Story-telling, living history groups and exhibits concerned with current waterway activity.
