If you like cartoons or comics and the history behind them then a visit to the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum will bring you great pleasure. As a child growing up I remember reading the weekly comics in the free rural newspaper that was tossed at the end of our driveway each week. I remember my grandparents having stacks of daily newspapers but mostly the comics section were the ones being saved!
I learned about the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum via a tweet right before hubby and I headed for a Road Trip to Columbus. Since we were kid-free we decided to stop in to check things out before heading home. The museum itself is located on the second floor of the Sullivant Hall building on the OSU campus. I say this because it took us two trips up and down the stairs to figure it out!
Here’s a sample of the museums first decade of activities via a collage of memories.
I learned a lot about the history of comics as well as related topics such as copyright and the National Cartoonists Society all from various items on display throughout the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum. Women were cartoonists from the early beginning of modern cartoon history with the first successful cartoonists being Rose O’Neill the creator of Kewpies.
It just so happened that we visited the newest exhibit during it’s first week of being open!
The museum is celebrating 40 years with two new exhibits called Tales from the Vault: 40 Years/40 Stories and Founding Collections: 1977-1987. There will be a special reception May 1 which will include games, activities, tours, photo opps and cake!
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